DeepWatch is an Android app designed to help you regain control over your attention by blocking short-form video content across popular social media apps. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through endless videos, DeepWatch gives you a moment to pause and reflect before continuing.
Short-form video content is designed to be addictive:
- Average users spend 2.5 hours daily on short-form video apps
- Each scroll triggers dopamine, creating reward loops that are hard to break
- It takes 23 minutes to regain focus after being distracted
- 40% less information retention compared to long-form content
DeepWatch helps you build healthier digital habits by creating intentional friction.
- Download DeepWatch from the Play Store or install the APK directly
- Open the app to begin the setup process
DeepWatch requires two Android permissions to function:
This permission allows DeepWatch to detect when you navigate to short-form video content.
To enable:
- Open DeepWatch and tap "Open Settings" on the permission card
- Find "DeepWatch" in the list of accessibility services
- Toggle it ON
- Confirm by tapping "Allow"
Why is this needed? The accessibility service monitors which screen you're viewing to detect when you enter short-form video sections of apps.
This permission allows DeepWatch to show the blocking overlay on top of other apps.
To enable:
- Tap "Grant Permission" on the overlay permission card
- Toggle "Allow display over other apps" to ON
Why is this needed? To show you the pause screen with the countdown timer when short-form content is detected.
- Detection: When you navigate to short-form content (like YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels), DeepWatch detects this
- Intervention: A full-screen overlay appears with a countdown timer
- Reflection: You have time to ask yourself: "Is this intentional?"
- Choice: After the countdown, you can choose to:
- Go Back (recommended) - Exit the short-form content
- Proceed Anyway - Continue watching, triggering a cooldown period
When triggered, you'll see:
- Countdown Timer: Wait period before you can proceed (customizable 5-30 seconds)
- Motivational Quote: A different quote appears each time
- GO BACK Button: Available immediately to exit
- PROCEED ANYWAY Button: Available after countdown completes
The home screen shows:
- Today's Activity: Number of interventions and times you went back
- All Time Stats: Total interventions since installing the app
- Estimated Time Saved: Based on average 5 minutes saved per intervention
Blocks access to the Shorts tab and short-form video player.
Blocks full-screen Reels viewing with granular control:
- Reels Tab: Block Reels accessed from the dedicated tab (ON by default)
- Homepage: Block Reels that appear in your feed
- DMs: Block Reels shared in direct messages
- Stories: Block Reels opened from stories
Blocks all TikTok video content (the entire app is short-form focused).
Blocks Facebook's Reels feature.
Blocks Snapchat's Spotlight (their TikTok competitor).
Blocks Reddit's video feed and full-screen video player.
Turn all blocking on or off. Useful when you intentionally want to browse short-form content.
Enable or disable blocking for each individual app. All apps are OFF by default except YouTube Shorts.
Instead of blocking immediately, you can set a time limit:
- Enable Watch Limit: Turn this feature on/off
- Duration (1-60 minutes): How long you can watch before intervention triggers
This is useful if you want to allow yourself a small amount of short-form content.
How long you must wait before the "Proceed Anyway" button appears. Longer times give you more time to reflect.
If you choose to proceed, how long before the next intervention. This prevents constant interruptions if you've consciously decided to watch.
- Check permissions: Both accessibility service and overlay permission must be enabled
- Check master toggle: Make sure "Protection Enabled" is ON in settings
- Check app toggle: Make sure the specific app is enabled in settings
- Restart the app: Sometimes Android kills background services
This is rare but can happen. Force close DeepWatch and reopen it.
Yes! Simply disable that app's toggle in Settings while keeping others enabled.
DeepWatch uses Android's accessibility service which runs in the background. Impact is minimal (typically <1% battery per day) as it only activates when monitored apps are in use.
No. DeepWatch operates entirely on your device:
- No data is sent to servers
- No account required
- All statistics stored locally
- You can uninstall anytime and all data is deleted
DeepWatch uses accessibility service detection which can break if apps significantly change their UI. We regularly update detection methods. If blocking stops working after an app update, please report it.
Either:
- Turn off the "Protection Enabled" master toggle in Settings
- Disable the Accessibility Service in Android Settings
- Uninstall the app
- Start with default settings: Use the app as-is for a week before customizing
- Set a longer countdown: 15-20 seconds gives you real time to reflect
- Track your progress: Check the stats regularly to see your improvement
- Be patient: Building new habits takes time
- Don't be too hard on yourself: If you proceed, that's okay - the goal is awareness
DeepWatch is designed with privacy as a core principle:
- No data collection: We don't collect any personal information
- No analytics: We don't track how you use the app
- No network requests: The app works entirely offline
- Local storage only: All preferences and statistics are stored on your device
- No accounts: No registration or login required
For the full privacy policy, visit our website.
If you encounter issues or have suggestions:
- Check this guide for common solutions
- Visit our GitHub issues page to report bugs
- Email [email protected]
Thank you for using DeepWatch to reclaim your attention!