Do it now — Support

One task, right now. A tiny first step, distractions locked, and gentle help until it's done.

Do it now runs on iPhone and iPad (iOS and iPadOS 26.1 or later), with companion apps for Apple Watch and Mac. Everything is included and free: no subscription, no in-app purchases, no ads and no account to create.

Jump to: Getting started · Brain dump · Now · Focus rounds · Check-ins · Locks · Key holder · Reminders · Lock Screen & widgets · Siri · Tasks · Wins · Voice buddy · Apple Intelligence · iCloud sync · Mac · Apple Watch · Your data · Troubleshooting

Getting started

The first time you open the app, a short welcome tour sets things up. Every step is optional: skip anything and come back to it later in Settings.

1. Lock the distractions. Tap Allow Screen Time and confirm with Face ID or your passcode, then pick the apps and sites that usually pull you away. They go into a lock group called “Distractions” and are locked only while you focus.
2. Reminders that don't give up. Tap Turn on reminders to allow notifications and alarms.
3. A little about you. Your first name (for friendly greetings and the voice buddy), the Voice buddy switch, and your usual focus length.

Then tap Start my brain dump. To see the tour again, go to Settings → About Do it now → Replay the welcome tour. Your tasks and settings stay as they are.

Brain dump

1. Open the Brain dump tab and tap the big microphone. Say everything on your mind in any order: tasks, errands, worries. Tap the mic again when you're done.
2. Rather type? Tap Type instead. Separate things with commas or new lines. Times like “at 2pm” or “tomorrow” are picked up either way.
3. Tap Turn into tasks. Under “I heard … tasks”, tap a title to change it, untick anything you don't want to keep, and adjust when it's due or how long it takes.
4. Tap Add … tasks, then Pick one for me.

Speech is turned into text on your device. The very first time, iOS may need a moment to get on-device speech ready for your language; this only happens once. Listening pauses by itself after a quiet moment or after five minutes. Tap the mic to keep going.

Now: “Pick one for me”

The Now tab shows just one task. Tell it your energy under How's your energy? (Low, Okay or High) and it picks the task that fits, based on due dates, how long tasks take and your energy. Pinned tasks get a strong boost. A small label says why it was picked, such as Due today or Quick win.

Every task comes with a 2-minute first step, small enough to begin right away.

• Start begins a focus round. The number next to it is the round length: tap it to choose 5, 10, 15, 25, 45 or 60 minutes.
• Pick another shows a different task.
• Smaller step makes the first step even smaller.

Under the card you can see what will lock when you start, for example Will lock: Distractions.

Focus rounds

After Start, a big ring shows the time left and the step you're on. The main choices are always one tap away:

• Done marks the task finished.
• Skip moves the task a few hours later. No harm done.
• How's it going? opens a quick check-in.
• Not today moves the task to tomorrow.

The ••• button has +5 min, Take a break, Ask for app time (when apps are locked) and End early. The chevron at the top minimizes the round: it keeps running and shows as a small bar above the tabs.

When time's up, choose Done, Another 25 min (your round length), 5-min break (your break length), Skip, Not today or Stop for now. Round and break lengths are in Settings → Focus & check-ins.

Changed your mind? Right after Start you can cancel a round freely, even in strict mode (30 seconds by default, set under Free cancel window).

Check-ins

A few times during a round (two by default) the app asks “How is it going?”. Any answer is okay, and each one gets its own kind of help:

• Going well: nice, keep going.
• Bored: switch to an easier part, try a 5-minute sprint, or take a short break.
• Stuck: an even smaller step. Tap Use this step, Try a different one, or Keep my current step.
• Anxious: one calm minute of box breathing (in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4), a short break, or an even smaller step.

You can answer right from the notification too. Change how many check-ins you get, or turn them off, in Settings → Focus & check-ins.

Locks

While a round runs, the apps and sites you chose simply won't open. They unlock on their own when the round ends, even if Do it now is closed.

Screen Time permission. Locks use Apple's Screen Time. Allow it during the welcome tour or in Settings → Locks. Apple keeps your app choices private on your device: Do it now never sees which apps you use or what you do in them.

Lock groups. Go to Settings → Lock groups and tap +. Start from Social, Video, News, Games, Shopping or Custom, then:

• Choose apps and categories in Apple's picker, and add websites by address (like youtube.com). Sites are blocked in Safari on your iPhone and in browsers on your Mac.
• Lock during focus locks the group automatically whenever you start a task.
• Lock on a schedule sets protected time, like weekday evenings. It starts and ends on its own.
• Strict mode for this group (see below).

You can make as many groups as you like. The Lock apps while I focus switch in Settings turns focus locks on or off for everything.

Opening a locked app shows your task and the time left instead of the feed. Back to my task takes you back. Without strict mode, you can open things up for 5 minutes after a 10-second pause: tap Unlock for 5 minutes, or, once you have a key holder, Ask for more time → Unlock after a 10-second pause.

What strict means. Finishing, skipping or choosing Not today always works. What changes is the lock: in strict mode your apps stay locked until the round's planned end, even if you finish early. Ending the round early after the free cancel window (End early with my key) or getting extra app time needs your key holder, your NFC sticker or your printed QR key. While a strict lock is on, lock settings wait until it ends and key settings need your key holder's okay, so nothing can be loosened in a weak moment. Turn strict mode on for everything in Settings → Strict mode, or per group.

Key holder

A key holder is someone you trust who holds the key to your strict locks. Set one up in Settings → Key holder: choose them from Contacts or type a name and a phone number or email (only used to open Messages when you ask for time). Then set up at least one way to unlock:

• Codes from their iPhone. Show them the QR code in person. They scan it with their iPhone's Camera and it's saved in their Passwords app as “Do it now”. They then read you the first 6-digit code to switch codes on. The key never leaves your screen.
• PIN they type. For when they're right next to you: they choose a 4 to 8 digit PIN on your phone.
• Backup codes. 8 one-time codes in case their phone is lost. They're shown only once, so print them or write them down for your key holder.
• NFC sticker. Write a key to a blank sticker (NTAG213, 215 or 216) and keep it somewhere that takes effort to reach. To unlock, open the unlock screen and hold your iPhone to it.
• Printed QR key. Print it or save it, and keep it out of reach. To unlock, scan it with Do it now's camera on the unlock screen. The app doesn't keep a copy, but you can always make a new one.
• Screen Time passcode. For the strongest lock, hand your iPhone to your key holder and have them turn on the Screen Time passcode in the Settings app (Settings → Screen Time → Lock Screen Time Settings) with a passcode only they know. Then Do it now's Screen Time access can't be switched off without them.

Asking for more time. Tap Ask for more time on a locked app, or Ask for app time in a focus round. Choose 5, 15 or 30 minutes, or ending the lock, and Messages opens with a friendly note for you to send. They reply with the code from their Passwords app (or just say “after 21:00”). Type the code and you get your minutes. If they say later, the lock simply stays.

Codes refresh every 30 seconds and each works once, so ask for the newest one. After five wrong tries, typed codes and PINs pause for a while; your NFC sticker and QR key still work during it. There are no accounts and no servers: codes are checked on your iPhone, and secrets stay in its Keychain.

Reminders that don't give up

Give a task a set time and switch on Remind me in the task. When that time comes, or when a focus round ends and you haven't decided yet, the reminder slowly gets louder:

1. Gentle tap: a quiet banner, no sound.
2. Sound: 10 minutes later, with sound.
3. Real alarm: 10 minutes after that, an alarm that rings even in silent mode.

Change the timing in Settings → Reminders & alarms. Any decision stops the reminders right away, and you can decide right from the notification: a task reminder offers Done, Skip, Not today and Snooze; a time's-up reminder offers Done, another round, a break and Skip. Snooze brings a task reminder back later (10 minutes by default) and it grows again from the start.

On a ringing alarm, Done marks the task done. The system's Stop button only silences the alarm, and a quiet notification then asks again, so nothing is marked done by accident.

Real alarms need your permission. Allow them in the welcome tour, or in Settings → Reminders & alarms → Allow alarms. Without alarms, the last step plays a sound again instead.

Skipping is always okay. Skipped tasks come back in a few hours, “Not today” tasks come back tomorrow, and nothing ever turns red or gets marked as failed.

Lock Screen, Dynamic Island, widgets and Control Center

Lock Screen timer: when you tap Start, a countdown appears on the Lock Screen and, on iPhones that have one, in the Dynamic Island. It has buttons for Done, +5 min and Check in, and when time's up, for Done, another round or Skip. On Apple Watch it also shows in the Smart Stack.

Home Screen widgets: touch and hold an empty area of the Home Screen, tap Edit → Add Widget, search for Do it now, and pick Now (your one task, with a live countdown while you focus) or Wins today.

Lock Screen widgets: touch and hold the Lock Screen, tap Customize → Lock Screen, tap the widget area and pick Do it now.

Control Center: swipe down from the top-right corner, tap + in the top left, then Add a Control, and search for Do it now. There are three: Start Next Task, I'm Done, and Focus, a switch that starts your next task or ends the round (the task stays on your list).

Siri and Shortcuts

Ask Siri (or type to Siri) any of these:

• “Start my next task in Do it now” or “Start a focus round in Do it now”
• “What should I do now in Do it now” or “Pick a task for me in Do it now”
• “I'm done in Do it now” or “Mark my task done in Do it now”
• “Check in with Do it now”, or “I'm stuck in Do it now” (also bored, anxious or going well)
• “Give me more time in Do it now” or “Another round in Do it now”
• “Take a break in Do it now”
• “Skip this task in Do it now”
• “Brain dump in Do it now”
• “Add a task to Do it now”
• “Show my wins in Do it now” or “What did I finish in Do it now”

The same actions are in the Shortcuts app. To add a task with a reminder, use the Add Task action and fill in Due.

Your task list

The Tasks tab shows everything, grouped into Today, Upcoming, Anytime and Later (tasks you skipped or moved to tomorrow), plus what you finished under Done this week. Type in Add a task to add one quickly, or search your list. Swipe right on a task for Done, swipe left for Skip or Not today, and touch and hold it for Start now, Edit, Pin and Delete. Tap it to edit its first step (Suggest a first step writes one for you), due date, time, reminder, size and energy, and notes. Pinned tasks get a strong boost on the Now tab.

Wins

The Wins tab shows only the good stuff: what you finished, how many minutes you focused each day, and one helpful pattern about when you focus best. There are no failure counts and no streaks to break. Use the arrows to look back at earlier weeks, and Share to send a friendly image of your week.

A weekly summary arrives on Sunday at 6 PM by default. Change the day and time, or turn it off, in Settings → Reminders & alarms → Weekly wins.

Voice buddy

An optional calm voice that greets you at the start, checks in, and cheers when you finish. Working next to someone like this is often called body doubling. Turn it on in Settings → Voice buddy, or with the voice buddy button at the top of the Focus screen. Pick a Voice and Speed there.

With Speak in notifications on, check-ins and time's-up reminders play the buddy's voice when your phone isn't on silent. Everything is spoken on your device. For a more natural voice, download an Enhanced or Premium voice in the Settings app under Accessibility → Spoken Content → Voices.

Apple Intelligence

When it's available, Do it now uses Apple Intelligence on your device to turn brain dumps into tasks, write first steps, find smaller steps or easier parts, keep the voice buddy's lines fresh, and sum up your week in one kind sentence. It runs entirely on the device: what you type or say is never sent to a server.

It needs a device that supports Apple Intelligence (such as iPhone 15 Pro or newer, or an iPad with an M1 chip or newer) with Apple Intelligence turned on in the Settings app. Otherwise, or while it's still downloading, the app uses its built-in suggestions and everything keeps working. Settings → Apple Intelligence shows the current status and has a Use Apple Intelligence switch.

iCloud sync

With Settings → iCloud sync on, your tasks, focus history, the running timer and your lock groups stay in step with the Mac app through your own private iCloud. Nobody else can see it, including us. Both devices need to be signed in with the same Apple Account. A change to this switch takes full effect for tasks the next time you open the app. With sync off, everything stays on the device.

Mac companion

Do it now for Mac (macOS 26 or later) puts a small timer in the menu bar for the same task as your iPhone. With iCloud sync on, a round started on either one shows on both. Click the menu bar timer and choose Open Do it now for the full window: Now, Tasks, Brain dump, Wins, Blocking and Settings.

• Blocking Mac apps. In Blocking, add Mac apps to a lock group with Choose from Applications… or from running apps, and choose whether blocked apps are hidden or asked to quit. Opening one shows your task instead. Do it now, Finder and System Settings are never blocked.
• Blocking websites. While a round runs, the Mac app checks the address of the front tab in your browser about once a second, on your Mac only, and sends blocked sites to a local page that shows your task. It works with Safari, Chrome, Arc, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera and Chromium.
• Automation permission. macOS asks once per browser. In Blocking → Websites, open your browser and click Allow… next to it. You can check it any time in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Automation.
• Strict mode. Strict groups stay blocked until the round's planned end. Your key holder approves extra time in Do it now on your iPhone, and the Mac follows.

The Mac app isn't on the Mac App Store. It's distributed separately and signed with Apple's Developer ID. Email us if you'd like it.

Apple Watch

The Watch app (watchOS 26 or later) shows your task, a countdown ring and the current step. From your wrist you can start the suggested task, tap Done, Skip, +5 min or Not today, check in with How's it going?, and breathe for a minute. It works together with Do it now on your paired iPhone.

Your data

Settings → Export or delete lets you save a JSON copy of your tasks, focus sessions, check-ins, lock groups and settings (Share a copy or Save to Files). Key holder codes and PINs are never included. Delete all tasks and history gives you a fresh start: every task, focus session and check-in is removed, while your settings, lock groups and key holder stay. With iCloud sync on, it's also removed from your iCloud and your Mac.

Troubleshooting

• Apps don't lock when I start. In Settings → Locks, check that it says “Screen Time access is on” (if not, tap Allow Screen Time access or Ask again), that Lock apps while I focus is on, and that at least one group is set to Lock during focus. The Now card tells you what will lock before you tap Start.
• My locked apps are missing on another device. Apps picked through Screen Time stay on the device where you picked them. Pick them again on each iPhone or iPad, and choose Mac apps in the Mac app. Websites you type into a group work everywhere.
• A few apps in a big group stay open. Screen Time can lock up to 50 apps and 50 sites at once. Picking a category instead covers all its apps.
• I finished early, but my apps are still locked. That's strict mode doing its job: apps stay locked until the round's planned end. Your key holder, NFC sticker or QR key can lift it early (Use my key on the Now tab).
• I can't change a lock group or a setting. A strict lock is on. These changes wait until it ends, so they can't loosen the lock.
• The alarm didn't ring. Go to Settings → Reminders & alarms and check Ring a real alarm is on and alarms are allowed. If they're off, tap Open Settings there and allow alarms for Do it now. The alarm only comes if you haven't chosen Done, Skip or Not today yet.
• No reminders or check-ins. Notifications may be off. Tap Open notification settings in Settings → Reminders & alarms, and check that Reminders that don't give up is on there. For a task reminder, the task needs a set time and Remind me on. If a Focus such as Do Not Disturb is on, add Do it now as an allowed app in Settings → Focus.
• No timer on the Lock Screen. Make sure Live Activities are on for Do it now in the Settings app (Settings → Apps → Do it now).
• The microphone doesn't work. If the app says the microphone is off, tap Open Settings and allow Microphone and Speech Recognition. You can always tap Type instead.
• Apple Intelligence shows “Built-in” or “Downloading”. Your device doesn't support it, it's turned off in the Settings app, or it's still downloading. The built-in suggestions are used meanwhile, and everything keeps working.
• My Mac and iPhone don't match. Check both are signed in with the same Apple Account and that iCloud sync is on in both apps (iPhone: Settings → iCloud sync; Mac: Settings → Sync with iCloud). Give iCloud a moment, and reopen the app after changing the switch.
• The Mac doesn't block websites. The browser needs Automation permission: in the Mac app, open Blocking → Websites and click Allow… next to it, or turn it on in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Automation → Do it now.
• There's no NFC sticker option. NFC needs an iPhone that can read NFC tags; iPad can't. A printed QR key works the same way.
• My QR key won't scan. Do it now needs the camera to read it. If it says the camera is turned off, allow Camera for Do it now in the Settings app (Settings → Apps → Do it now). The camera is only used for scanning; nothing is recorded or saved.
• A key holder code doesn't match. Codes change every 30 seconds and each works once, so ask for the newest one. After a few wrong tries there's a short pause.
• New iPhone? Key holder codes, PIN, backup codes, sticker and QR key are stored only on the iPhone where you set them up. Set them up again in Settings → Key holder.
• The watch says “Waiting to sync with your iPhone”. Keep your iPhone nearby and open Do it now on it once.

A note on ADHD

Do it now is made with ADHD brains in mind, and for anyone who plans well but struggles to start. It's a productivity tool, not a medical device: it doesn't diagnose, treat or replace care for ADHD or any other condition.

Privacy

No accounts, no ads, no tracking, no analytics. Your tasks stay on your devices, and in your own private iCloud if sync is on. Speech and AI run on the device, and Do it now never sees which apps you use. Full policy: Privacy Policy.