Break doomscrolling.
Keep your apps.
BroBrain surgically tracks and limits short-form video feeds across Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat, Facebook & TikTok — without blocking your DMs, work chats, or search.
Instagram Reels Active
🌿 Digital wellbeing monitor active
@creator_demo
#dopamine #focus #productivity
Tap Simulate Reel Swipe to test real-time counter & challenge triggers
Why traditional screen-time blockers fail
Total app shutdowns cause FOMO, break communication with friends, and get uninstalled within 48 hours. BroBrain solves this with surgical interception.
- Blocks the entire app, locking you out of urgent direct messages and stories.
- Boring countdown screens that users quickly bypass through system settings.
- No conscious friction or real-time pacing while scrolling is happening.
- Often filled with subscription paywalls and invasive analytics SDKs.
- Reels Only: Your chats, search, groups, and regular feeds remain 100% accessible.
- Live Floating Pill: Continuous on-screen awareness of reel count and time spent.
- Physical Challenges: Phone Jail (face-down timer) and movement breaks the trance.
- 100% On-Device: Metrics stay in local SQLite storage with zero tracking or ads.
Built to outsmart the algorithm
Every feature is tuned to disrupt dopamine loops without adding unnecessary friction to your everyday digital life.
Surgical Reel Detection
Unlike traditional blockers that lock out entire apps, BroBrain inspects UI hierarchy metadata in real-time to monitor ONLY the vertical short-form video feeds. Your DMs, search, and group chats stay completely usable.
Live Floating Counter Pill
A sleek, unobtrusive floating pill overlays your video feed to display current reel count, minutes elapsed, and pacing cues — giving you conscious awareness before you slip into autopilot doomscrolling.
Physical Friction Challenges
Boring lockouts don't work. BroBrain snaps you out of the phone trance with physical challenges: Phone Jail (face-down timer), step / jump motion counters, and mindful breathing pauses to reset dopamine.
Multiplayer Scroll Battles
Challenge your friends to head-to-head daily battles! A real-time tug-of-war meter tracks who scrolled less today, backed by friend leaderboards and victory share cards.
Reels Wrapped & Analytics
Spotify Wrapped-style visual breakdown of your weekly habits, hours saved from the algorithm, peak doomscrolling hours, and scrolling personality personas.
100% On-Device First Privacy
Your metrics and swipe histories are saved in local SQLite storage (brobrain.db). We do not record screens, read chats, access contacts, or sell your data. No ads, ever.
Hardcoded Target Platforms
BroBrain monitors solely designated short-form players. All other apps on your device are 100% ignored.
Monitors vertical reel feeds while leaving DMs, stories, and feed posts 100% accessible.
com.instagram.androidDetects Shorts video container; regular long-form YouTube videos and searches remain uninterrupted.
com.google.android.youtubeRestricts endless Spotlight scrolling while keeping your personal snaps and chats available.
com.snapchat.androidIsolates and measures short-form video feeds without disrupting Marketplace, groups, or feed posts.
com.facebook.katanaStrict reel limit tracking and smart pause intervention screens.
com.zhiliaoapp.musicallyYour data stays on your device. Period.
BroBrain does not capture screen recordings, read keystrokes, view pictures, or monitor chats. Our privacy policy is fully compliant with Google Play Store policies and international data protection standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is BroBrain different from regular app blockers like Opal or Freedom?
Traditional blockers lock down the entire application (e.g. blocking all of Instagram or YouTube), cutting off your messages, work contacts, and educational searches. BroBrain is built specifically for short-form addiction: it surgically detects ONLY the vertical reel player, allowing the rest of the application to function normally.
Why does BroBrain require AccessibilityService permission on Android?
On modern Android, an Accessibility Service is the only non-root mechanism that enables an app to identify view elements inside third-party apps (like detecting when the Instagram Reels player container is active) and count swipes. BroBrain strictly inspects foreground package names and view IDs; it never records screens, captures text, or logs keystrokes.
Does BroBrain read my private messages, photos, or passwords?
No, absolutely not. BroBrain's detection engine ignores all messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal), browsers, and banking apps. Inside supported apps, it only inspects the video viewport container metadata. No screen images, keystrokes, personal chats, or audio are ever accessed or captured.
Can I use BroBrain completely anonymously?
Yes! You can use BroBrain 100% offline and anonymously without creating an account. Sign-in with Google is completely optional and only needed if you want cloud backup of your stats or want to participate in Scroll Battles with friends.
How do Scroll Battles work?
You can send a battle invite to a friend via username or invite link. Once accepted, BroBrain compares your daily reel count in a live head-to-head match. Whoever scrolls fewer reels before midnight wins the duel and climbs the leaderboard!