A visual timer for ADHD that makes time something you can see
Digits tell you the time. A shape that visibly shrinks shows you how much is left. Unstick pairs a draining visual timer with haptic nudges and puts one on every step.
Why a visual timer helps
Many people with ADHD describe time as abstract: ten minutes and an hour can feel about the same until the deadline arrives. A clock face or a row of digits asks you to read it and do the maths. A visual timer shows the answer at a glance, because the amount of color left is the amount of time left.
Two ways to see it drain
- Liquid: a container that empties, with a gently moving surface.
- Disc: a depleting wedge with tick marks and a hand, like a classic time timer.
The remaining time is also written out, for example "4:58 left", so you can use whichever you glance at first.
Color that tells you without reading
The timer moves from mint and teal (plenty of time) to amber (heads up) to coral and red (wrap it up). You can tell where you are from across the room.
Haptic nudges you can feel
- A double soft tap at the halfway mark of a step.
- A rising crescendo two minutes before the step ends.
- Three firm taps when time is up.
- A crisp tap when you check a step off.
The cues also arrive with your screen locked. Unstick Pro adds custom haptic profiles and a Lock Screen and Dynamic Island timer.
A timer for every step, not one for the whole day
A single 25-minute block doesn't help if you don't know what to do with it. In Unstick the AI first breaks your task into small steps, then gives each step a length that fits it. "Paint the living room" becomes steps of 5, 15, 20 and 25 minutes. You always have one clear thing to do and one visible clock for it.
When the time runs out
After zero, Unstick shows "Time's up" and counts overtime without scolding. If you need longer, tap "+2 Mins". If you finish early, tap "Done Early, Next Step". Stopping partway still counts the steps you finished.
How it differs from a classic time timer or Pomodoro
A classic visual timer shows one block of time, and Pomodoro uses fixed work and break blocks. Both are useful, and both assume you already know what you're doing with the time. Unstick adds the part that's often missing: breaking the task into steps and sizing each step's timer to the job. With App Shield (Pro), it also quiets distractions while a routine runs, by locking apps and websites you choose and silencing notifications through Apple's Screen Time framework.
Tips for using a visual timer
- Start it before you feel ready. The first two minutes are the point.
- Treat the timer as a container, not a test. Overtime is allowed.
- Keep steps short enough that the timer ends while you still have energy.
Frequently asked questions
What is a visual timer for ADHD?
A visual timer shows remaining time as a shape that shrinks or a color that drains, instead of only showing digits. That makes the amount of time left visible at a glance.
Is Unstick a time timer app?
Unstick includes a Disc style that works like a classic time timer, and a Liquid style that drains like a container. Unlike a plain timer, it also breaks your task into steps and gives every step its own timer.
Does it work with the screen locked?
Haptic cues still arrive with the screen locked. The Lock Screen and Dynamic Island timer is part of Unstick Pro and needs a device that supports Live Activities.
What happens when the timer hits zero?
Unstick shows "Time's up" and counts overtime without scolding. You can add two minutes, move on, or stop. Finished steps still count.