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Support and frequently asked questions for Zone.
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Email SupportFrequently Asked Questions
Why does Zone need Screen Time permissions?
Zone uses Apple's native FamilyControls and DeviceActivity APIs to prevent you from opening distracting apps while a focus session is active. This permission is required for app shielding to work natively on iOS.
Can you see which apps I am blocking?
No. Zone operates on a strict zero-knowledge privacy model for app selection and shielding. Apple's frameworks handle app selection locally on your device, and we cannot see, read, or access the names of the apps, websites, or categories you block. For Live Activity updates only, Zone sends a minimal timer scheduling payload as described in the Privacy Policy.
Does Zone use a server?
Zone does not use a server for accounts, analytics, blocked app selections, focus history, streaks, insights, weekly summaries, or Apple Health data. A minimal Google Cloud scheduler is used only to help update Live Activities and Dynamic Island when a timer completes while the app is not open.
How do I cancel a session if Strict Mode is on?
You can't. That is the point of Strict Mode. If you enable Strict Mode, the "End Session" button is disabled to prevent you from abandoning your deep work block. You must wait for the timer to complete to unlock your shielded apps.
Why isn't the Live Activity showing on my Dynamic Island?
Ensure that you are running iOS 18 or later, and check that Live Activities are enabled for Zone in your iPhone's main Settings app (Settings > Zone > Live Activities).
How does the Apple Health integration work?
If enabled in Settings, Zone can save your completed deep work sessions to the Apple Health app as "Mindful Minutes." We only request write access, meaning we cannot read your personal health metrics. If sessions are not syncing, check iOS Settings > Health > Data Access & Devices > Zone to ensure permission is granted.