Support
SmileLock
About SmileLock
SmileLock puts a smile check between you and the apps you use too much. Open a locked app and SmileLock asks for a three second smile first. Keep using it and a smile check appears to suggest a break. The smile resets your expression, and the pause gives you a moment to ask whether you really wanted to open that app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started
Q. Nothing happens when I open a locked app
A. The launch-time smile check runs through a Shortcuts automation that you create yourself. iOS does not let an app intercept another app's launch on its own. Open Setup Guide in SmileLock and follow the seven steps, once per app you want to lock.
Q. Why do I have to set up the automation by hand?
A. Apple provides no API for launching an app in response to another app opening. Every app in this category works the same way. The smile check that appears after extended use, on the other hand, needs no setup.
Q. The smile check never appears after overuse
A. Please check the following:
- Is Screen Time permission granted? (Settings within SmileLock shows the current state)
- Have you selected at least one app to lock?
- Has the app been used continuously for longer than your chosen interval? The timer counts foreground use only
Smile Detection
Q. My smile isn't detected
A. Please check the following:
- Is camera permission granted? (Settings > SmileLock > Camera)
- Is your whole face visible to the front camera?
- Is the room too dark?
- Moving your eyes as well as your mouth helps. A mouth-only smile scores lower
Q. My iPhone shows "not supported"
A. Smile detection needs ARKit face tracking, which requires a device with the Apple Neural Engine. On devices without it the smile check cannot run.
After the Smile Check
Q. Why am I asked whether to open the app?
A. Passing the smile check is not the point on its own. The confirmation screen lets you stop and choose "Don't open" even after smiling. How often you decline is tracked in the History screen, because that number is the one that reflects a change in habit.
Q. It returns me to the wrong app
A. Open the app selection screen and tag each locked app under "Which app is this?". Without the tag, SmileLock falls back to the last app it saw, which can be a different one when several apps are locked.
Privacy and Data
Q. Is my camera footage sent anywhere?
A. No. Everything is processed on your device in real time and nothing is stored or transmitted. See the Privacy Policy for details.
Q. Can SmileLock see which apps I have installed?
A. No. Apple hands the app selection to SmileLock as opaque tokens that cannot be read back. SmileLock knows only that you selected something, not what it was.
Q. How do I delete my data?
A. Settings has an option to delete every smile log. Deleting the app removes everything as well.
Pricing
Q. How much does it cost?
A. SmileLock is free for now, with every feature included, no in-app purchases and no ads.
Requirements
Q. What do I need?
- iOS 26.1 or later
- An iPhone that supports ARKit face tracking
- Camera permission and Screen Time permission
- Notification permission (recommended, used to guide you back to the smile check after overuse)
Contact Us
For questions, feedback, or bug reports, please contact us at:
Email: sago3.app@gmail.com
Last updated: August 15, 2026