Unlock Habit is an Android app that automatically launches a user-selected app whenever you unlock your phone.
The goal is simple: help you replace mindless phone checking with intentional habits.
I noticed a pattern in my daily routine. Whenever I had a few spare moments—waiting for a game to load, a project to build, a commercial break, or the next episode of a TV show—I would instinctively unlock my phone and start scrolling through social media or the news.
These moments weren't intentional. They were automatic.
Modern social media apps are designed to capture and hold our attention. Even a quick "I'll check for a minute" can easily turn into much longer browsing sessions.
I wanted a healthier default.
Instead of opening social media, I wanted my phone to encourage me to read a book. Whether it's Kindle, Google Play Books, Kobo, or any other app you choose, the idea is to make a positive habit the first thing you see after unlocking your phone.
This app is not designed to block apps or restrict your device. You can dismiss it and continue using your phone normally. Its purpose is to provide a gentle nudge toward more intentional screen time.
- 📱 Automatically launches your selected app after unlocking your phone.
- 📚 Works with any app (Kindle, Google Play Books, Kobo, etc.).
- ⚡ Lightweight and battery-friendly.
- 🔒 Privacy-friendly — no account required and no personal data collected.
- 🎨 Built with Kotlin, Jetpack Compose, Hilt, and modern Android architecture.
- Select App: Open Unlock Habit and pick the app you want to launch (e.g., Kindle, a journal, etc.).
- Grant Permissions: Follow the prompts to enable the required permissions.
- Test it out: Press the power button to lock your phone, then unlock it.
- Verify: Your selected app should automatically open!
Android requires a persistent foreground service notification while the app is active. The foreground service monitors device unlock events so the app can launch your selected app.
Required only to bring the app into the foreground before launching your selected app. Android restricts background apps from directly launching other apps, so this permission is used solely to work around that limitation. No visible overlay is displayed.
git clone [email protected]:prabint/Unlock-Habit-Android.git
cd Unlock-Habit-Android
./gradlew installDebugThis project is licensed under the MIT License.