Brick is not a regular desktop app. A virtual magnet is the key to blocking certain apps on your phone.
My eternal goal is to spend less time on myself iPhone to protect my mental health. However, as a health writer whose job it is to keep up with the latest health trends and issues, it can be difficult for me to limit my screen time. Also, iPhone and in-app screen limitations they don’t work for me, as I find it easy to turn them off in seconds with just a few taps.
Perhaps the more than 1 billion people who spent at least three hours a day scrolling through social media in 2020 can account for it, especially when you consider that the age of the pandemic greatly increased our scrolling and created poor digital hygiene habits that many of us still haven’t recovered from.
However, since its launch in 2023, a simple device called the Brick has gained popularity for its ability to prevent people from browsing on their phone. It’s a $59 square magnet “that’s NFC-enabled [near-field communication] chip embedded in the device,” TJ Driver, co-founder of Brick, told CNET.
“Instead of relying on batteries or an external power source, it draws power directly from your smartphone’s NFC reader when you tap it,” he said. “That interacts with your Brick app to lock (or unlock) your selected apps, which puts a real conflict between you and your screen time.”
In other words, you have to literally tap your phone on the Brick to turn the lock on or off, so you can’t just tap it like you would a screen time alert or an app on your phone.
To find out Brick is the key to this cutting ties with doomscrollingi spent months tapping my phone over that gray square.
How to add a brick to your life
Your Brick purchase includes a portable Brick and access to the Brick app, no registration required. Inside the box, there is a QR code that takes you to a web page where you can download the app for iOS or Android.
For the iOS app, Apple requires an iPhone passcode, but you can remove it after using Brick for the first time. As for Android users, Brick will also direct you to your device’s settings to allow the Brick app, alarms and reminders and notification access.
One brick can be used with multiple phones, and one phone can be used with multiple bricks if you want to keep them in different places, like at home and at work.
The brick became a magnet in my fridge.
How to start using Brick
Once you’ve created an account, you’ll need to give the app access to your phone’s screen time tracker. Then create your first mode, name it and select the apps and websites you want to block or allow when enabled. You can create up to 10 routines for different occasions, such as work, study, family dinner and personal time.
All blocking information is stored locally on your phone, and Brick can’t see what you’ve blocked.
If you want to start or end a brick session, simply press the “tap or hold on Brick” button on the app’s home screen and literally tap your phone on the Brick. You can also hold the button for 5 seconds to “brick” your phone, but you’ll need a physical brick to “unlock” it.
You can even create a schedule for when your modes are enabled. It will start at a certain time on selected days and end at a set time or when you tap a Brick with your device.
The home screen of the Brick app is where you can tap or hold that button to “brick” your device.
Custom settings
In the app, you can view your Brick activity and adjust settings, including access to five “emergency unbricks” that allow you to unlock your phone in an emergency without using a physical Brick. And yes, you only get five, so use them wisely.
In settings, you can enable the following if your brick is active:
- Hard mode: Prevents you from running out of time by deleting the app
- Block app installation: Prevents installing applications
- Block in-app purchases: Limits in-app purchases
- Block adult content: Restricts adult content on all apps and websites
- Live performances: It shows an active brick session timer at the top of your phone screen
- Notifications: Allow notifications for training support, logins and updates to your account or app
In addition to being a magnet on refrigerators, lockers and the like, Brick has an anti-slip silicone bottom that keeps it in place on any surface.
There are various customizations you can make to your Brick sessions to prevent scrolling dooms.
My experience, brick by brick
After setting up the Brick app, I placed a virtual square on my fridge. My thought process was that I often scroll from my couch, and my fridge is far enough away that I have to think twice before getting up and walking across my living room and kitchen to touch the Brick.
I created one mode called “Mindful Mode,” which I programmed to block all the social media apps and websites I use most: TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
Unlike screen time limits that only apply to your phone, I like that Brick takes an extra step, allowing you to escape the influence of your phone and take a moment to ask yourself: Do I really want to spend more time on my phone right now?
When you have the space to really think about all the other activities you can find in your free time, staring at a screen suddenly doesn’t seem so appealing. Personally, I would like to spend time with the people I love, read on my porch, bird watch at a local park or go for a walk. From FOMO to NO-MO.
What it looks like when you try to access one of your bricked apps.
My perfect Brick time
Currently, my longest Brick session was 6 hours and 45 minutes. In total, I spent 35 hours with my phone bricked. That sounds really good.
Numbers aside, I honestly believe that Brick has helped me spend less time on my phone. Social media i It is designed to be addictiveso having a physical barrier like Brick helps break the cycle and remind you that there are more important things in life than your devices.
Weekly recap email I received from Brick.
Is Brick worth $60?
The brick is $59, but that doesn’t include shipping, which will vary by location. However, HSA/FSA-qualifies with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
For $12, Brick also sells a mount with adhesive backing so you can secure it to any surface. The magnetic interior allows the brick to snap into place. I wouldn’t recommend paying the extra cost unless you plan to stick the Brick on the wall and don’t want to use the command line.
Similar devices include the $39 Bloom Card and the $49 Blok Card, but those are non-magnetic and fit in your purse or pocket. There is also a $27 Unpluq Tag, but that requires a premium subscription from $35 for six months.
For those who appreciate it, you can buy your own NFC tags ($13 per 50 pack) or print the QR code. Then use the free, open-source Foqos app to block apps and websites.
All that said, while I wish the Brick was more affordable, I like it and think it’s worth it compared to a wallet-sized card or tag that requires registration. I love that it’s magnetized on my fridge and I appreciate all the customization options available in the app.
The brick may fit easily in the palm of your hand, but it has the power to change the way you use your phone.
My final thoughts
I got the A brick to be thoughtfully designed, and it’s a helpful reminder that if you want to get away from your phone, sometimes you have to literally step away from it to clear your head. This leaves room for many possibilities on how to spend your free time.
Although I still enjoy using Brick, I find that I’m starting to spend less time scrolling without it. It’s like all I needed was a gray square magnet to break the spell on the screen I was under. Who would have guessed? Certainly not me, especially when I was so focused on the images and videos that endlessly flashed before my eyes.
