Ahem Ahem
Ahem Ahem clears its throat when you've spent too long in the doom app. Pick the apps that eat your day, and get snarky, funny, slightly judgmental nags the longer you stay. Tap a nag within 10 seconds to escape it, and watch your nags drop in Stats. No ads, no tracking. We never receive your data.
Requires iOS 17 or later. For iPhone and iPad, with a two-pane layout on iPhone Duo.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I set it up?
Open the app and go through the four steps: allow Screen Time access, allow notifications, pick the apps to nag about, and turn nagging on. - When do the nags arrive?
After a few minutes of use, then on and off for as long as you keep going. They come irregularly on purpose, so you can't tune them out, and they get less frequent over time. - Is the time per app or in total?
In total. Time spent in all the apps you picked adds up, and the count starts again at midnight. - Why do nags say "the doom app" instead of the real app name?
iOS keeps your choice of apps private, even from Ahem Ahem. The app only ever gets anonymous tokens, so it makes up a name instead: the doom app, the scroll machine, the pocket casino and many more. - I'm not getting any nags.
Check that all four setup steps show as on, and that a Focus mode such as Sleep or Do Not Disturb isn't hiding them. Time only counts while one of the picked apps is open on screen. iOS decides exactly when to report usage, so a nag can occasionally arrive late or be skipped. - Does it block apps?
No. Ahem Ahem only nags. It never locks, hides, or limits any app. - Why nag instead of setting a time limit?
Because research points at the habit, not the hours. A 2025 study in JAMA followed more than 4,000 US kids and found that compulsive use, wanting to stop but not being able to, was linked to more than double the risk of serious mental health problems, while total screen time wasn't (full study). Daily time limits are also hard to keep: in a 2026 study, only 10% of young adults stayed under their limit for even one week (summary). Ahem Ahem speaks up in the moment you keep going. It's a nudge, not medical advice. - How do I make it stop?
Turn off Nagging in the app. You can also remove its access in Settings → Screen Time, or delete the app. - What counts as an escape?
Tapping a nag within 10 seconds of it arriving. You get a little celebration, the other nags are cleared, and it counts in the Stats tab. - Does it work on iPad and iPhone Duo?
Yes. On iPad the text is larger and the layout stays at a readable width. On the iPhone Duo's inner screen, Stats, Setup, Help and About open into two panes, one on each side of the fold. - Does my iPad or Mac count too?
If Share Across Devices is on in Settings → Screen Time, time in the same apps on your other devices adds to the total. Turn it off to count only this device. - Why no nags while my phone is locked?
On purpose. iOS sometimes reports usage late, after you've put the phone down, so those nags are skipped. - Will I lose my stats if I delete the app?
Not if you're signed in to iCloud. Stats are backed up to your own iCloud and come back when you reinstall or move to a new device. - Does it collect my data?
No. Ahem Ahem has no account and no servers, and we never receive any of your data. Your stats live on your device and in your own iCloud.
Screenshots
Legal
Privacy Policy
Last Updated: October 2026
Introduction
Ahem Ahem is built around a simple principle: your data belongs to you. This Privacy Policy explains what information the app accesses and how it is handled. In short, we never receive any of it.
Screen Time Data
With your permission, Ahem Ahem uses Apple's Screen Time frameworks (Family Controls and Device Activity) to learn when you have spent a certain amount of time in the apps you picked. iOS gives the app only anonymous tokens for those apps, never their names, and never shows it what you do inside them. Your choice of apps never leaves your device, and this information is used only to time the nags.
Notifications
Nags are local notifications created on your iPhone. No notification content is sent to or from any server.
Stats and iCloud
Ahem Ahem keeps simple daily counts (how many nags you got, how many you escaped, and roughly how long you spent in your picked apps) so it can show them in the Stats tab. They are stored on your device and, if you are signed in to iCloud, backed up to your own iCloud account using Apple's iCloud key-value storage, so they survive reinstalling and follow you to a new device. This copy belongs to you and is protected by Apple; we cannot see or access it. Deleting the app removes the copy on the device; you can remove the iCloud copy in Settings → [your name] → iCloud.
No Data Collection
We do not collect, store, track, or process any personal information. The app does not require an account or any form of registration.
No Internet Connection
Ahem Ahem has no servers and makes no network requests of its own. The only data that leaves your device is the stats backup to your own iCloud described above.
Purchases
Any purchases are handled entirely by Apple through the App Store. We never receive your Apple ID, payment method, or any other payment information.
Third-Party Services
Ahem Ahem does not use any third-party analytics, advertising, or tracking services. No data is shared with any third party.
Children's Privacy
Because no personal data is collected, Ahem Ahem complies with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and similar regulations worldwide.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes are effective immediately upon posting. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, contact us at: support [at] hoshinosoftware [dot] com
Terms of Service
Last Updated: October 2026
Acceptance of Terms
By downloading or using Ahem Ahem, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please do not use the app.
License
Hoshino Software grants you a personal, non-transferable, non-exclusive license to use Ahem Ahem on your Apple devices in accordance with these terms and Apple's App Store Terms of Service.
Permitted Use
You may use Ahem Ahem only for lawful purposes. You agree not to use the app in any way that violates applicable laws or regulations.
Nags Are Jokes
Nag messages are meant to be humorous. They are not medical, psychological, or professional advice, and they make guesses about what you might be doing that are not based on any knowledge of your situation. Never read your phone while driving.
No Warranty
Ahem Ahem is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Nag timing depends on usage reports from iOS, which can be delayed or skipped, so we do not guarantee that a nag will arrive at any particular time.
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Hoshino Software shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of or inability to use Ahem Ahem.
Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. Continued use of the app after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.
Governing Law
These terms are governed by the laws of the jurisdiction in which Hoshino Software operates.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, contact us at: support [at] hoshinosoftware [dot] com