Free
$0
- Protect up to 2 apps
- Unlocks last about 15 minutes
- Daily goal, streaks and smile library
- No ads, no account, works offline
Beta Smile to Unlock
Smile to unlock.
Pick the apps you overscroll. Opening one asks for a real smile, then it stays open for about 15 minutes. All on device, no account, no ads.
- No ads, no account
- Smile detection stays on device
- Works fully offline
- Free for 2 protected apps
Join the beta on TestFlight
See features ↓
A real smile is the key
Open a protected app and Smile to Unlock asks for a quick smile break. The front camera looks for a natural smile - no big grin needed - and detection runs entirely on your iPhone. No photo is uploaded, ever.
A daily goal you can smile at
Home greets you with a goal ring - three smiles a day keeps it filled, and practice smiles count too. Streaks grow from smiles and skipped scrolls alike, with milestones at 7, 30, 100 and 365 days.
Protection that plays fair
Pick the apps you want a little distance from with Apple's own Screen Time picker. After a smile, an app stays open for an honest window - about 15 minutes free, about 30 minutes or 1 hour with Premium. Each app can have its own window or follow your default.
Your smiles, kept for you
Every unlock adds to your smile library and simple insights - your smiliest hour, your fastest unlock, your biggest smile. Photos are optional and off by default. If you turn them on they stay on your phone only, and you can remove any photo or all of them anytime.
PRIVATE BY DESIGN
Your reading stays yours
Smile detection runs entirely on your iPhone and no photo or face data ever leaves it. Smile photos are optional, off by default, stored only on your device, and deletable anytime. There is no account, no ads, and no analytics in this version.
Simple pricing
Premium
$19.99 / year
- No limit on protected apps
- Stay unlocked about 30 minutes or 1 hour
- Deeper insights and the 30-day chart
- Yearly saves 52% vs monthly
- Also $3.49 a month or $0.99 a week
Cancel anytime in your App Store settings.
Questions & answers
How much does Smile to Unlock cost?
Smile to Unlock is free for up to 2 protected apps, with the daily goal, streaks, and the smile library included. Premium removes the app limit, adds the longer unlock windows, and deepens the insights. It costs $0.99 a week, $3.49 a month, or $19.99 a year - the yearly plan is the default and saves 52% compared to monthly. There are no ads on any tier.
Does my smile or a photo of me ever leave my phone?
No. Smile detection runs entirely on your iPhone, and no photo or face data is ever uploaded. Calibrating to your smile saves only a sensitivity setting, not an image. Smile photos are an optional feature that is off by default - if you turn it on, photos are stored only on your device, and you can remove any photo or delete them all in Settings. Deleting photos never touches your counts or streak.
How does the unlock window work?
After a smile, the app stays open for a window before it asks again - about 15 minutes on the free tier, about 30 minutes or about 1 hour with Premium. We say about because iOS relocks apps on its own schedule and cannot relock sooner than roughly 15 minutes, so Smile to Unlock promises honest windows instead of exact minutes. You can set one default window in Settings and give any app its own.
What if the camera cannot see me, or I cannot smile right now?
There is always a way through. A Hold to unlock button - press and hold for three seconds - appears immediately when VoiceOver or Switch Control is on, or when the camera is unavailable or busy, such as during a call. It also appears after a few unsuccessful tries or about ten seconds without a match. It counts as a normal unlock, and no photo is involved.
Does Smile to Unlock need the internet?
No. Smile to Unlock works fully offline - the smile detection, your protected apps, your streaks, and your photos all live on your device, and there is no account to create. The only thing that needs a connection is buying or restoring Premium, which goes through Apple.
How do I cancel Premium?
Premium is an auto-renewing subscription billed through your Apple ID. Cancel anytime in your App Store settings under Subscriptions, or tap Manage subscription inside Smile to Unlock's settings. You keep Premium until the end of the period you paid for, and refunds are handled by Apple under their policies.
Get Smile to Unlock on the App Store
No ads, no account · Smile detection stays on device · Works fully offline · Free for 2 protected apps
Join the beta on TestFlight