Quick answers about Switchly.

Switchly is an Android app that helps you stop opening distracting apps, websites and supported in-app surfaces on autopilot. You decide what should be blocked, when rules should apply and which intentional actions can change them.

Switchly started because normal app limits are often too easy to ignore. The goal is not to make your phone unusable, but to add enough friction that opening a distraction becomes a conscious decision again.

No. Timers are one part of the idea, but Switchly is built around profiles, schedules, quick actions, physical tags and controlled fallback options. The setup can be simple, strict, flexible or somewhere in between.

Start small and make sure the basic setup works reliably before adding stricter controls:

• Install Switchly and complete onboarding.
• Create one profile.
• Block only the apps or websites that cause the biggest problem.
• Add schedules, tags and stricter controls once the basic setup feels reliable.

• Google Play: Recommended for most users and the easiest way to receive updates.
• APK download: Useful for manual installs, testing, older versions or devices without Google Play.

Depending on the profile and permissions you configure, Switchly can block:

• Selected Android apps.
• Selected websites.
• Supported distractions inside apps.

Android focus apps need Accessibility access to detect supported foreground screens and enforce blocking rules. Switchly uses it only for the blocking behaviour you enable.

Some Android manufacturers add extra background limits that can stop Accessibility-based blocking. Check these settings first:

• Allow unrestricted battery usage.
• Allow background activity.
• Enable autostart where available.
• Exclude Switchly from sleeping, deep-sleeping and automatic-cleanup lists.

Control channels decide which paths are allowed to change protection. NFC, schedules, QR, barcode and manual controls are separate. A stricter setup simply enables fewer channels, so the phone has fewer places where protection can be changed impulsively.

Standard uninstall protection uses Android Device Admin. It blocks direct uninstall until Device Admin is disabled, but Android still provides a system path to turn the admin off. That is deliberate friction, not an unbreakable lock.

For technical managed-device setups, Switchly also supports Device Owner through the Developer / ADB tools. When Device Owner is configured, Switchly can use Android's managed uninstall-block policy for itself. Device Owner provisioning is advanced, normally requires a fresh device with no existing accounts, and is never enabled automatically.

No normal personal-device setup should be described that way. Switchly can make protection much harder to change accidentally by limiting control channels, keeping protected edits read-only while active, requiring NFC if you choose, and adding uninstall friction. Advanced Device Owner is stronger, but it is a managed-device setup with important provisioning and recovery trade-offs.

• Enable Autostart or Background autostart.
• Set the app battery saver to No restrictions.
• Allow background activity.
• Lock or pin Switchly in Recent apps where supported.
• Check the Security app for additional background controls.

MIUI and HyperOS setting names vary by version.

• Set Switchly to Unrestricted or Not optimised battery usage.
• Under Battery and device care, disable Put unused apps to sleep.
• Remove Switchly from Sleeping apps and Deep sleeping apps.
• Add Switchly to Never sleeping apps when that list is available.
• Recheck these settings after major system updates.

• Open Battery → App launch.
• Disable automatic management for Switchly.
• Enable auto-launch, secondary launch and running in the background.
• Exclude Switchly from battery optimisation.

Some EMUI versions include additional background managers. Use the device-specific guide below if these controls are not enough.

• Set battery usage to Unrestricted or Do not optimise.
• Allow background activity and auto-launch.
• Lock Switchly in Recent apps where available.
• On OnePlus, disable Deep optimisation, Advanced optimisation or sleep-standby restrictions when they interfere with background work.

• Vivo: Enable Autostart and unrestricted background battery usage.
• Motorola: Allow unrestricted battery usage and disable aggressive Adaptive Battery behaviour if needed.
• Sony: Avoid restrictive STAMINA settings.
• Asus: Review PowerMaster restrictions.
• Older Nokia: Check for legacy Evenwell or DuraSpeed restrictions.

Android vendors move and rename these settings frequently. The independent DontKillMyApp guides collect model- and manufacturer-specific instructions. Use them together with Switchly’s in-app permissions and reliability screen.

No. Switchly works without physical tags. Tags are optional if you want a more physical routine, for example tapping a desk tag, scanning a QR code near a door or keeping a keychain action with you.

• NFC: A tap action that can usually be rewritten later.
• QR: A visible scan code printed with one action.
• Barcode: Available as an app feature, while the physical store currently focuses on NFC and QR tags.

Yes. Compatible writable NFC tags can be configured from Switchly. You do not have to buy official tags - Switchly Tags are just the nicer self-printed option designed for the app, made to look cleaner than generic stickers and to support development directly.

• NFC tags: Can be rewritten later in Switchly.
• QR tags: Are printed with the selected action, so changing it means replacing or reprinting the QR code.

Yes. The core app is free to use and fully usable without buying Premium or a physical tag. Premium, tags and Supporter Packs are optional ways to unlock extra value and support development.

No. Switchly does not show ads. Premium is an optional one-time way to unlock additional value and support development; it is not required to remove advertising.

The free app stays fully usable, while optional purchases help fund:

• Design and development.
• Testing and maintenance.
• Documentation and user support.
• Small-batch physical tags designed and 3D printed by the developer.

Switchly has a public source repository linked from the website footer. Open source means the Android app code can be inspected, learned from and followed more transparently than a closed app. Private keys, payments, store configuration and service credentials are not published.

• Play Store build: Uses Google Play Billing.
• Full and Firebase-only direct builds: Start Stripe Checkout from the signed-in app and activate Premium for that account.
• Fully offline build: Uses Premium codes sold in the Web Store.

Core focus and blocking behaviour is designed to stay on-device wherever possible. Optional account, backup, purchase or support flows process only the information required for those features.

For technical help, email support@saltyy.at and include:

• Your device model.
• Your Android version.
• Your Switchly version.
• A short description of what stops working.

For payments, shipping, legal or business questions, email info@saltyy.at.