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. Install Switchly, complete onboarding, create one profile and 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 is recommended for most users. APK downloads are available for manual installs, testing, older versions or devices without Google Play.

Switchly can block selected apps, websites and supported in-app distractions. The exact behaviour depends on the profile and permissions you configure.

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 their own background limits on top of normal Android battery optimisation. These systems can stop Accessibility-based blocking even when Switchly itself is configured correctly. Allow unrestricted battery usage, background activity and autostart, then exclude Switchly from sleeping, deep-sleeping or automatic-cleanup lists where those options exist.

Enable Autostart or Background autostart, set the app battery saver to No restrictions, allow background activity and lock or pin Switchly in Recent apps where supported. MIUI and HyperOS names vary by version, and some devices expose additional controls inside the Security app.

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, and add it 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 and enable auto-launch, secondary launch and running in the background. Also exclude Switchly from battery optimisation. Some EMUI versions include additional background managers, so use the device-specific guide below when these controls are not enough.

Set battery usage to unrestricted or do not optimise, allow background activity and auto-launch, and lock Switchly in Recent apps where available. On OnePlus devices, disable Deep optimisation, Advanced optimisation or sleep-standby restrictions when those options interfere with background work.

Vivo commonly requires Autostart and unrestricted background battery usage. Motorola may require unrestricted battery usage and disabling aggressive Adaptive Battery behaviour. Avoid restrictive STAMINA settings on Sony, review PowerMaster on Asus, and check older Nokia devices 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 is a tap action and can usually be rewritten later. QR is a visible scan code printed with one action. Barcode remains an app feature, but 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 a QR action 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.

They help support the time spent designing, building, testing, maintaining and documenting Switchly. The app stays usable for free, while Premium and physical tags help fund the developer time behind it. Physical tags are designed and 3D printed by the developer, not generic anonymous stickers.

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.

The Play Store build uses Google Play Billing. The Full and Firebase-only direct builds start Stripe Checkout from the signed-in app and activate Premium for that account. Premium codes sold in the Web Store are only for the fully offline build.

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.

Email support@saltyy.at. Include your device model, Android version, Switchly version and a short description of what stops working. For payments, shipping, legal or business questions, use info@saltyy.at.