Kharu

A gentle pause for Android

Less scrolling.
More living.

Meet Kharu, a friendly squirrel who notices when time in an app you chose runs longer than usual. A small check-in helps you decide what to do next.

Beta details

Free · No ads · No account · Android only

Kharu, the friendly squirrel companion
A little space to choose.

How it works

Your time, your choice

01

Choose your apps

Pick the apps you want Kharu to notice. Other apps stay out of your check-ins.

02

Kharu notices

When a visit runs longer than your usual, Kharu asks if staying is still worth it. “Why this?” shows the numbers.

03

Stop on purpose

Choose “I’m done,” take five more minutes, or say you’re there on purpose. You can change your mind.

Small tools for real moments

Choose the help that fits

Free minutes

Set daily minutes for each chosen app. Get a heads-up near the end and a gentle check-in when they’re used.

Back already?

If you reopen an app soon after leaving, Kharu asks once. One tap can take you home.

Quiet hour

Choose a time for selected apps to rest. Kharu’s sleepy squirrel appears when you open one.

Open on purpose

Choose 2, 5, or 15 minutes, or just browsing, when a chosen app opens.

Hard mode, if you want it

After your free minutes, an optional pause screen asks for a reason before more time.

A growing nest

Earn acorns for stopping and make Kharu’s nest cosier. The gentle streak includes a rest day; nothing is taken away.

Privacy by design

Your data stays on your phone

Kharu keeps your activity and learning in private storage on your phone. There is no account, advertising, or analytics SDK. An optional beta summary and crash reports are explained in the privacy policy.

Read the privacy policy

Why the Android permissions?

Usage access
See which chosen app is on screen and for how long. Kharu never reads screen content.
Display over other apps
Show a check-in, pause, or quiet-hour screen over a chosen app.
Notifications & foreground service
Keep check-ins timely, with an ongoing notification and Stop action, plus optional reminders.
Battery settings
Some phones stop background check-ins without an exemption.
Internet
Send only the optional beta summary and crash reports.

Good to know

Questions, answered

Does Kharu read my messages?

No. Usage access shows which app is in front and timing. It does not read messages or anything on screen.

Does it block apps?

Ordinary check-ins are choices you can answer or dismiss. Hard mode is an optional pause screen you choose for an app.

Why does it need these permissions?

Usage access counts visits, display-over-apps shows timely cards, and the foreground service keeps them running while a chosen app is open. See the full explanation.

Why do some phones need battery settings?

Some phones, including some Samsung models, stop background services. Setting Kharu to Unrestricted can help check-ins arrive on time.

Is there an iPhone app?

Not yet. Kharu is available for Android only.

Take a breath

Make room for the next thing.

Join the beta