Do paused apps unpause by themselves?

No. In Applore, a paused app stays paused until you open Paused Apps and tap it again, even the next day. This is different from Android's own app timers, which Google says reset at midnight. If you set an App Lock PIN, Applore asks for it before you change paused apps.

Does Focus Mode silence notifications?

Applore's Focus Mode blocks the apps you choose when you try to open them, but it does not silence notifications. To stop notifications too, use your phone's Do Not Disturb, or Android's own Focus mode. Google states that apps paused by Android's Focus mode do not send you notifications.

How to use focus mode and pause apps on Android

Short answer

Before you start

A phone with Android 8.0 or later.
For Applore: usage access and permission to display over other apps. Applore asks for both the first time. Without them, the block screen cannot appear.
A list of the apps that distract you most. Two or three is a good start.

Steps without Applore

Menu names vary by manufacturer. If you cannot find these screens, search Settings for Focus mode.

Open Settings and tap Digital Wellbeing.
Tap Focus mode and choose the apps you want to pause.
Tap Turn on now, or tap Set a schedule to have it turn on by itself.
To use a paused app for a short while, tap Take a break and choose a time.

Google states that while Focus mode is on, “you can’t use these apps and won’t get notifications from them”. [1] Bedtime mode, in the same menu, can turn the screen grey and quiet the phone on a schedule. [1]

Steps with Applore

All three tools are on the Home tab under Mental Wellbeing. A green dot shows which ones are on.

Focus Mode

Tap Focus Mode.
Under Select distracting apps, tap each app you want to block. Adding the first app turns Focus Mode on.
When you open a blocked app, Applore shows a full-screen block. OK takes you to the home screen; Disable opens Focus Mode so you can turn it off.
To stop, turn off the Focus Mode switch.

Schedules (Pro). With Applore Pro, add schedules in Focus Mode: choose days, a start and end time or all day, and groups of apps. While any schedule is active, the schedules decide when apps are blocked.

Paused Apps

Tap Paused Apps.
Under Pauseable Apps, tap an app to pause it. It moves to Paused Apps.
To unpause it, tap it again in Paused Apps.

A paused app stays blocked until you unpause it. It does not unpause at midnight.

Super Focus Mode

Tap Super Focus Mode and choose how long you want to focus.
A full-screen countdown appears, with shortcuts for calls, contacts and messages.
Tap Exit when you are done. Leaving the screen with Home or Recents also ends it.

In Applore Free, an ad may show before Super Focus Mode starts. Applore Free shows ads outside the safety screens; Pro removes them.

Common problems

Paused apps are still paused the next day

That is by design in Applore: a pause lasts until you remove it. For a limit that resets every day, use daily app time limits instead.

Notifications still arrive

Applore’s Focus Mode blocks opening the app, not its notifications. Turn on Do Not Disturb as well, or use Android’s Focus mode.

A schedule that runs past midnight does not start

Set two schedules instead: one that ends at 23:59 and one that starts at 00:00.

Blocked apps open anyway

Check that Applore still has usage access and display over other apps. Some phone makers also stop background apps to save battery. Allow Applore to run without battery restrictions in Settings › Apps › Applore › Battery. Menu names vary.

What stays private

Your chosen apps, pauses and schedules are stored on your phone. Applore uses usage access only on the device and does not send it to analytics or advertisers. See what usage access is.

Next steps

Set a daily time limit for an app.
See everything in digital wellbeing, and what Applore Pro adds.