Knowledge workers
Protect deep work with a golden window that stops unconscious context switching before it starts.
Mac focus tool for digital wellbeing
Slow distractions without blocking access
SlowDwn is a native Mac focus tool for digital wellbeing. It adds a speed bump between impulse and action so you stay focused, intentional, and in control.
- Native for Mac
- You stay in control
- Friction, not blocking
- Traffic stays on your Mac
Try it yourself
One second can change your mind
Click YouTube in both browsers. See what one second changes.
Click YouTube in both browsers. See what one second changes.
Without SlowDwn
youtube.com/watch
YouTube
New Tab
Simulated browser that opens YouTube instantly and autoplays into an up-next loop. Not the real YouTube site.
Click to watch
Why we can't stop watching
Creator Channel · 1.2M views
SlowDwn mode
youtube.com/watch
YouTube
New Tab
Simulated browser where YouTube keeps stalling and buffering during playback. Not the real YouTube site.
Click to watch
Why we can't stop watching
Creator Channel · 1.2M views
Why SlowDwn
Intentional friction, not forced restriction
Instead of locking you out, SlowDwn slows the path to distraction—latency and throttling that interrupt the click-upon-cue reflex and give you a conscious choice.
The insight
From impulse to intent
Traditional blockers are coercive. SlowDwn uses variable network throttling to move you from System 1 (impulsive) to System 2 (reflective)—a speed bump, not a wall.
~2 Mbps
Slowdown from day one
Variable
Ratio-based friction
QoS
Long-term habit shift
Built for you
Autonomy-supportive wellbeing
A native Mac tool for people who want control over their attention—not a babysitter for their screen time.
ADHD & neurodivergent pros
Intentional friction nudges—not guilt, not rigid blocks—so you self-regulate with autonomy.
Digital minimalists
A calmer Mac experience without buying another device. Less noise, same machine.
How it works
From download to calmer habits
Install SlowDwn, pick the services that pull you off track, then move through three stages of unlearning—friction you feel from day one, without blocking access.
Step 1
Download the app
Install SlowDwn on your Mac and sign in to get started.
Step 2
Select your services
Choose the apps and sites you want intentional friction on—not a full lockout.
Step 3
Unlearn in 3 stages
SlowDwn guides you through a gradual unlearning journey, one phase at a time.
Your unlearning path
Noticeable slowdown from install, then variable-ratio friction, then a fade as habits stick.
The three stages
What happens in each phase
SlowDwn doesn't jail you—it acts as a speed bump. Noticeable slowdown from the start, then friction evolves and fades as your habits change.
Phase 01Weeks 1–6
Plateau
Moderate throttling (~2 Mbps) from your first session—video buffers enough that autopilot breaks, but you can still choose to watch. You feel the speed bump right away.
Phase 02Weeks 7–12
Automaticity
Variable-ratio throttling weakens reward loops—sometimes instant playback, sometimes stuck mid-scroll—without rigid blocking.
Phase 033+ months
Extinction
Permanent low-priority QoS decouples cravings from cues. Playback is there when you choose it—you dictate engagement on your terms.
Privacy
Your traffic stays on your Mac
SlowDwn works by shaping network speed locally—not by uploading what you browse to the cloud.
On-device
Your browsing traffic is never sent to SlowDwn servers.
Local evaluation
Which requests to slow and how much friction to apply is decided on your Mac.
No content logging
We do not inspect or store URLs, page content, or packet payloads.
FAQ
Common questions
Quick answers about how SlowDwn works, your privacy, and beta pricing.
Limited pricing
Beta lifetime license
Before our full public launch, we're offering a small batch of lifetime licenses at a founding price—for people who want to shape SlowDwn from the inside.
Beta offerFirst 500 users only
Lifetime license
$99one-time
Limited to the first 500 users at this price.
- Lifetime access to SlowDwn for Mac
- All three unlearning stages and future updates
- Priority feedback channel during beta
- Founding-member pricing—pay once, no subscription
No subscription. Yours for as long as you use SlowDwn.
Why we're doing this
A small group of stakeholders, not just subscribers
This beta price gives us immediate runway to keep building—and gives you a real stake in the product. You're not renting attention software month to month; you're backing the vision early.
Our first 500lifetime members become power users whose feedback matters more because they've invested in SlowDwn, not trialed it. That honesty helps us ship something genuinely useful before a full public launch.
What you get as a founding member
- — Direct line to the team during beta
- — Locked-in lifetime access at $99
- — Influence on features before launch
Get started
Ready to reclaim your focus?
Join others building calmer digital habits with intentional friction—not forced restriction.