Digital detoxUse Netflix less
Series and films, with the next episode starting in five seconds. One more is the default setting.
Netflix is designed to be hard to put down. iOS Screen Time can cap it for free, but one tap on Ignore Limit lifts the cap. Offimo adds a pause before Netflix opens, every time.
- Type: Streaming
- What pulls you back: The next one starts by itself, A feed tuned to you, Notifications that pull you back
- On iOS alone: Screen Time, App Limits. Ignore Limit lifts it in one tap.
- With Offimo: A short pause before Netflix opens, every time.
Why Netflix is hard to put down
Netflix's autoplay is the mechanism. The credits shrink, a countdown appears, and the next episode starts unless you act. Stopping requires a decision; continuing requires nothing.
Series are written for it. Every episode ends on an open question, and the app answers it for you fifteen seconds later. By the third episode it is midnight and you do not remember choosing that.
The next one starts by itself
You did not choose the next video; it chose you. Stopping now takes a decision, and continuing takes none.
A feed tuned to you
What you see is chosen by a system that learns, second by second, what keeps you watching. It is very good at its job, and its job is not the same as yours.
Notifications that pull you back
Badges and pings arrive at moments the app picks, not moments you picked. Each one is a small reason to open it, and there are dozens a day.
When Netflix usually opens
In bed or on the bus, with one episode in mind. The credits shrink and the next one is already counting down.
What Netflix costs in time
There is no honest per-app figure for Netflix that holds across countries, so we do not print one. What has been measured is the total: how long the average internet user spends online on a phone every day. Put your own Netflix time into the calculator and see what it adds up to over a year.
3h46
a day online on a phone, on average. Source: Kemp, 2025 · all our sources
How to limit Netflix on iOS without any app
- Open Settings and tap Screen Time.
- Tap App Limits, then Add Limit.
- Find Netflix in the list (search works), select it and tap Next.
- Set the daily time you want, then tap Add.
Honest caveat: when the limit runs out, iOS offers an Ignore Limit button. One tap and you are back in Netflix. A Screen Time passcode that differs from your iPhone passcode makes that tap harder. How Offimo compares to Screen Time.
What to protect and what to leave reachable
Offimo only acts on the iPhone. The TV and other devices are not affected.
How Offimo pauses Netflix
Offimo puts a short pause between the tap and Netflix, every time you open it. You can still go in, but opening it stops being a reflex and becomes a decision.
On the simple pause, if you still want in, you go in. For the days you have already decided not to negotiate, Commitment Mode makes the block firmer for the period you choose, and Emergency Unlock opens everything for 30 minutes if something real comes up.
Frequently asked questions
Does Offimo block Netflix completely?
Not necessarily. In normal mode you can still get into Netflix. The difference is that there is a pause first, so opening it does not happen on reflex. For the moments a pause alone is not enough, there is blocking too.
Can I still open Netflix after the pause?
Yes. When the pause ends, you decide: go in on purpose, or put the phone down. Both count, because either way you chose.
Does it work with the Netflix website too?
Yes. Offimo treats the Netflix app and the Netflix website as the same destination, so the pause holds in Safari and other supported iPhone browsers as well.
Can I make the Netflix block firmer?
Yes. In Commitment Mode you pick the period and how firm the block is before you start. If something real comes up, Emergency Unlock opens everything for 30 minutes.
Can I pause Netflix on my phone but keep it on the TV?
Yes. Offimo runs on your iPhone and only affects apps there. The TV stays as it is; what changes is the reflex of opening Netflix in bed or on the bus.
Other apps
See also
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