reroute
reroute
Reroute doesn't lock you out of Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. It just makes sure you meant to open them.
Get early beta access — limited to the first 300 spots.
about reroute
Reroute is an iOS app that helps you use social media intentionally instead of getting pulled in by the algorithm. When you try to open Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, Reroute pauses you for two seconds and asks whether this is what you meant to do. It works through Apple's Screen Time API — no account required, nothing leaves your device, and it's a one-time purchase with no subscription.
iOS only · One-time purchase
sound familiar?
You know this. It happens every day. You've told yourself you'd stop.
This is not a willpower problem.
the real problem
Your friends plan things on Instagram. Events are on Facebook. Your career is on LinkedIn. Your roommate sends you memes on every platform simultaneously.
Social media isn't a bad habit you can kick. It's infrastructure. And anyone telling you to "just delete the apps" hasn't tried it for more than two weeks.
the graveyard
attempt #1
You lasted 11 days. Then a friend texted you about something on Instagram and you reinstalled within the hour. You are not alone in this. It happens to literally everyone.
attempt #2
You set a 30-minute daily limit. You've tapped "Ignore Limit for Today" so many times it's basically a ritual. The limit set by you can be overridden by you. Wild concept.
attempt #3
You downloaded Freedom. Or Opal. Or one of the six other apps that all do the same thing. You turned it off 20 minutes later because you were bored. The tools are fine. They just don't address why you open the apps in the first place.
attempt #4
Bold strategy. Not panning out. Not because you're weak — because you're competing against a system built by hundreds of engineers whose entire job is to keep you scrolling. That's not a fair fight.
the actual issue
Social media was built to connect people. The algorithm was built to maximize engagement. Those are not the same goal.
Every blocker, every timer, every limit fights your behavior without addressing what's driving it. Reroute works differently — it works with your intention, not against your impulse.
how it works
When you open Reroute, you say what you're here for — catching up with friends, finding a specific video, winding down before sleep. Whatever it is, you put it into words before you go anywhere.
Try to open Instagram. Reroute pauses you for two seconds and asks: "Is this what you said you'd do?" You can say yes and go in. You can also reconsider. That pause — that two-second gap between impulse and action — is the product.
A screen time counter sits at the top of your session so you always know how long you've been in. Not to shame you — just to keep the number visible. Awareness does more than people expect.
Instead of a hard block, Reroute suggests something real — go for a walk, read a chapter, text an actual human. Then it asks you to take a photo of yourself doing it.
Post your photo. See what other people chose to do instead of scrolling. It turns out seeing a real person reading at 10pm is more motivating than a progress bar telling you that you're doing great.
you're not doing this alone
Every other solution to screen time is a solo project — you against the algorithm. You lose.
Reroute gives you a community of people making the same choices. Not a support group. Just a feed of real people doing real things. Seeing someone else put down their phone to go on a walk makes putting down your phone to go on a walk feel normal.
privacy
No account. No credential sharing. No third-party trackers. Reroute works through Apple's official Screen Time API.
No profile. No email. No password. You download the app and use it.
Works through Apple's official system. No passwords shared. No workarounds. No sketchy permissions.
Everything Reroute knows about your usage lives locally. We can't see it. We don't want to.
faq
Pre-order — $5. Goes up to $14.99 at launch.
Own it forever. No subscription. No recurring charges.