I’ve been trying to cut down on my screen time, but I found that most "phone jails" or lockboxes are a bit too extreme. They block everything, which gave me anxiety—what if I get an urgent call? What if I need to call 911?
I designed this print-in-place case for my Samsung S25 Edge to find a happy medium. The main goal was to stop the doomscrolling without removing the basic utility of the device.
The most important feature for me was safety. I left the side buttons exposed so I can still press the power button 5 times to trigger the SOS emergency call if things go south. I also made sure the screen is visible enough to see who is calling so I can answer if it's important, and the charging port is open so the phone is ready to go once the timer lock runs out.
Right now, I’ve only modeled this for the S25 Edge since that’s what I have, but if anyone wants this for their phone, let me know in the comments and I can try to adjust the CAD for other models!
What do you do with the key? Give it to a friend or something? Sorry I've only seen phone jails with a timer.
Edit: I've received many creative answers. Most common are to put it somewhere inconvenient or give it to somebody else, closely followed by ingesting it into one of the two ends of your digestive tract (your call).
Swallow it
Hello Michael, I want to play a game.
Instructions unclear. I swallowed the phone. It's ringing. How do I answer it?
Handsfree. Just sit in the car
Instructions unclear. I just shitted in the car. Phone didn't come out. Nobody will carpool with me anymore.
It was probably just a robot sales call anyway.
Okay, first you need to swallow the key again.
Next, you need find a piece of large industrial equipment that can support your weight and rotate at least 180 RPM in three axes. Alternatively, a vehicle and a highway with some dangerously sharp curves called something like "devil's bend" or "widow's weep".
Nature's timer!
Stick it up your butt, it's a natural timer.
The technical term is boofing
The non technical term is "storing it in your prison wallet" or keestering if you wanna get extra non technical
Keystering.
It was right there for the taking, and I missed it. Well done 🤣
Don’t forget to wash your hands after you take it
I thought that just meant flatulence, as established in the landmark case Brett Kavanaugh v. The US Senate...
Ole Brett used to boof his little heart out with PJ and Squee
Title of your sex tape.
99
Ahh the prison wallet
Huh....
WELL, ALRIIGHTY THEN
Right i just give to my GF, i plan on buying a timer padlock instead
Phone chastity cage?
Why don't you just buy a text display only flip phone. They still exist.
Mine just lives on my keyring. Having to unlock it gives me enough of a mental check of if I really need to get it out that it works well for me.
You swallow it. Then you can get your phone back in around 2 days by digging through your feces.
Set it elsewhere. The giant padlock should serve as a pretty decent mental barrier in and of itself.
Freeze it in an icecube
I have seen someone freeze it in a block of ice, which seems like a perfect natural timer for something like this.
You pop it in a place you know you won’t be bothered to climb to when you get the itch to reach for your phone and scroll.
If that's enough to stop you from using it you could just put your phone there in the first place
I hear you…. Buy respectfully, I still need to use my phone the same way OP does…..
As in…. As a functioning, communication device, and not as a doom scrolling dopamine machine ( ADHD 😁)
I need to be able to take calls, etc. so putting my phone out of reach is not an option for me.
Once I am settled in my “nest” and have a flow going, I don’t want to get up, unless I have to… Like to feed the cats when my buzzer goes off.
Those interruptions are enough to annoy me so I couldn’t see myself getting up to go get the key from wherever I stashed it just to scroll.
Now, having said all that, An Apple Watch that is tied to your phone. Kind of does the same function as I need. It’s nice not having to be changed to my physical phone all day. I’m a lot more productive that way. And I don’t miss any important calls or texts.
why can't my phone just let me dumb it down for a set period of time?
seems like people are making phone jails and putting them in safes when it should really just be a software solution?
Agreed. I know we have the option to put the phone in battery saver mode, which turns off most of the features that tend to suck up our time and attention…except for the important ones… Like phone calls and stuff…
I think the machine wants us all to be permanently distracted, and they are slimming down our attention spans with all the shit they keep pushing on us. That’s a whole other rabbit hole though. It’s a very well oiled machine!
yea but people who are addicted to something (doomscrolling perhaps) will just turn off batter saver mode, the point is to have a thing you can enable when you have will power to save you for when you don't
if you can just turn something off it's the same as just placing the phone in a different room
There are apps for that and even native ones.
freeze it
I don't know if modern Samsung's still have it.
But older Samsung's had flip cases with some of the screen exposed. If the case was closed the screen would go into a minimode allowing use of certain things through the flip case.
It used magnets on the front to figure out if it needed to go into that half screen mode.
If this still works or may be something you could setup with your current case idea by adding in magnets and changing the holes in the face of the case.
I don't remember what apps were and weren't available. The last phone I used one of those flip cases for was a S10+ or Note 10+
They were called smart view wallet cases, the model to come out with it was the S24 ultra, the 2025 model doesn't have it.
Typical smasnug getting rid of features.
If only they would get rid of all those Samsung apps..!
The s10 is old? God damn 😭
I was thinking more like s6 or something when I read old.
S6 was peak
lol my mother is still using my old s7
last one with the flip case you’re talking about is the S24 Ultra. I use that case on my S23 Ultra. It actually does work as a mental barrier to opening my phone and doomscrolling. Calls, important notifications, alarms still come through on the tiny screen and it also has music controls. s24 ultra is still a very modern phone by many standards so one can definitely buy it carefree if they like the concept of this flip case.
also, z flip (or any flip phone for that matter) can create an upgraded version to this barrier of “I need to use my hands and interact with something physical before I can use my phone”. Just make sure you don’t install that mod that lets you use any app on the cover screen 😂
But then you posted it on Reddit for me to doomscroll to look at it.
I feel like there needs to be a research study on the effectiveness of stuff like this. What is the difference between putting a lock and key (that you still have control over) vs just not using the phone (which you also have control over). Wouldn't someone who can't control themselves just unlock the jail? If you could control yourself from doing that, can't you just not use the phone? Does the extra hassle of removing lock and key actually prevent you from using the phone? Super curious.
The extra hassle definitely does help. You would usually have a timed lock like on a lockbox though. In this case OP gave the key to his gf.
But what's stopping OP from just giving the phone to his GF instead?
Being able to answer their phone in case of emergency seems like the intention there. GF has key, he can still answer phone calls if needed.
GF has phone, no access to calls.
What if's.
What if the girlfriend left? What if the girlfriend was injured? What if... What if...
I don't have a study but I do imagine it's effective. I think a lot of doomscrolling starts when you initially hop on your device to do something else, like read a specific email, or look at your grocery list. Then all of a sudden you've been on reddit for 30 minutes. I guess my thought is that if you're able to insert an action that requires you to put effort into getting into your phone, it'll be easier to to avoid falling into the trap.
Personally I put my phone into extreme battery saver mode (might be a Samsung only thing) which turns everything off except calling, messaging, camera, settings, and four apps of my choice, so if I want to open social media I have to specifically go exit battery saver mode, which I won't because deep down I don't want to doom scroll
Your first paragraph is dead on. I have pretty aggressive ADHD, and I’ve done a lot of the reading. It’s pretty well documented that it takes very little extra friction to make something “more trouble” than it’s worth to your subconscious. Even just throwing it in a drawer or face down in the other room can get most people through whatever task they’re trying to finish uninterrupted.
If you have ADHD and actively treat it, hon probably have about a dozen adaptations to get around phone addiction.
Simply not having my phone on me works really well when I want to watch a movie properly or do something where my phone could distract me. It's also why I bought a watch a few months ago, just so I do not need to rely on my phone to know what time it is (and be tempted to do more than check the time). Super easy things like that help a ton in my experience.
Yup, I love my watch for that. I’ve learned just putting the phone in another room works great for me. I’ll get anxious if it’s turned off or if I’ve got one of those screen time apps, but if it’s just in the other room I can chill and enjoy my video.
That is a pretty smart way of doing it! I think every android phone has that I should give it a go myself! I did a quick googling and it seems that it helped in some cases and did not in others and results are inconclusive. The study cohort were also kids so i'm sure it would be different with adults who actually want to reduce screen time.
The downside I've seen is that I still have the power to turn it off whenever, and if I do find I have to turn it off (maybe to access a fifth app that I don't have on power saver), then I run the risk of getting sidetracked again, or forgetting to turn power saver back on. Eventually my end goal is to go nuclear and get a flip phone, and then just swap the SIM between that and my smartphone, and then just leave my smartphone at work, since I actually do have to use it for my job. But man it is so hard to not get wrapped into the doomscroll.
It breaks the "quick reach" cycle. We build habits like reaching for our phones. Putting some friction between the thought of grabbing the phone and actually grabbing it helps break that habit. It gives you a second to think "Do I really want to do this?"
This study found that the phone being accessible didn't have much of an effect on reaction times, but being hidden and inaccessible did improve focus and attention span, for example.
This study (probably an ad) found that an app that simply asks what you're intending to do when picking up your phone can reduce absentminded usage, which is huge for not getting caught in a doom scroll.
There's def a growing body of evidence that hiding your phone helps. But it really depends on the individual. If you have no desire to just lose your focus in social media, you're probably not going to see a ton of benefit. If you are a person who tends to grab your phone for a task and then suddenly finds yourself on TikTok two hours later... it'll drastically improve your focus... and maybe increase your anxiety lol
I agree, a study would be very interesting. To answer your question: if I had the key, I probably would just unlock it! That’s why I prefer a timer padlock or giving the key to someone else. It's all about the friction. If I have to go through extra effort to get the phone, my laziness usually wins out over the urge to scroll.
If I'm bored enough, I might cobble together the electronics for a timer based phone jail, lol. Would be a fun little project
Please do! Let me know how it goes
That makes sense! I did a little googling and it looks like there were a few studies done on kids. Results were inconclusive, some studies say it helps, other say not at all.
So much of it is impulse control. You're not physically addicted to it but your brain gives you endorphins for just beginning the routine. You just need something to keep you from completing the first step.
Putting things out of sight, or away from you, keeping them out of the house or in inconvenient places, or just putting a time delay on them does so much for helping people to quit.
I would make one for me and one for the wife, then trade keys. Accountability plays into this too.
What phones do you have? I can make it if you want :)
If you create an STL I can print them if that's easier? I'm still learning CAD and design. I have a Galaxy S24+ and the wife has an iPhone 16 Pro Max. Both of them are in snap-in jacket style cases if you need to compensate for that as well?
What cases do you have excactly? then i can make it and send as a STL
I think the wife's is store bought, but here is a link for mine:
BENTOBEN Magnetic for Samsung... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSFPSJ68?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Something that I find sometimes helps is switching my phone over to grayscale. (On Android, settings -> accessibility -> color and motion -> color correction -> grayscale, and you can also add a quick settings shortcut there.) You wouldn't think it would make much difference, but it really makes the phone a LOT less appealing. The downside, of course, is that the itch that made you reach for your phone is still there, so you do still have to face the craving. But adding the little roadblock means you have to make a conscious choice to do the thing rather than doing it automatically, and that's a big difference.
use a code lock and one of those timer key thingies usually used for solo chastity play
🤨
It's a 3d print so if I don't have enough self control to not use the phone on my own why not just break the 3d printed case open?
https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/mje/2025/03/09/behavioral-economics-nudge-theory/
This seems like it might fall into the category of “nudge theory”, which seems to be a fairly well established mechanism in economics
Speaking of nudge theory, I vaguely remember some thing from last year or the year before where the researchers faked their data.
Mentally that little bit more effort helps break the habit. Imagine if you had to manually log in to reddit every time you wanted to read ai slop, you'd either get really fast at typing or sick of logging in over and over.
Can you share the print files?
Here you go https://makerworld.com/en/models/2103846-phone-jail-for-samsung-s25-edge-print-in-place#profileId-2275329
Thanks perfect.
You can open the Cocraft 400 using another Cocraft 400…
Phone chastity belt. Bra att kunna svara när jobbet ringer dock!
I'm printing it now for an S24 I'll let you know how it fits! I think the dimensions are really close.
Let me know, i think this may be too thin. I can do a new model for it
You're right, the jail is too thin and also slightly too wide and too long.
If you make an s24 version I would print it! It would be great if there was an option to print it with the camera holes open so you could still take pictures with it if you wanted to.
Too bad you can't print discipline :)
I would still argue it's a form of discipline if you actually use it.
At least OP is still taking action to solve a problem and keeping themselves accountable. Better than letting bad habits fester.
One could argue that "taking action to solve a problem and keeping themselves accountable" would prevent the need for this print to begin with.
For some people, it is quite literally an addiction. It triggers a physiological response that releases dopamine.
This is just a tool to help break that physiological response.
You wouldn't tell an alcoholic to stop carrying around their sobriety medallion and that they just need to be more disciplined, would you?
What a great replacement for impulse control....
You hear that addicts??
You don't need help overcoming your addiction, you just need to not do the thing you're addicted to!
My goodness, what an idea! Why didn't I think of that?
No one calls me anyway unless it’s spam lol
I was just looking at phone jails models, and apart from one, all seemed a bit useless. This one is the best by far, definitely printing it tomorrow!
How the audio for the person listening to you during a call? I’d add some holes for the microphone and speaker.
I had the same thought as you, but when we made some test calls, it performed as if it didn't have a case on it. So, it wasn't needed.
Well that’s awesome! 👏
Or you could just install an app which blocks you from using other apps.
I use a brick device and lock everything out besides the phone itself.
And so:
"911, what is your emergency?"
"I'm BORED!! Can you read Reddit to me?"
That's a really slick design, I like it!
But I imagine I'd crack myself in the teeth with the lock when answering a call.
For me this is an actually workable solution. Same as you I don’t want to block access 100%.
As long as it works and has practical meaning, it deserve a place in «functionalprint».
OP, well done with the idea and print. Keep it up.
Heia norske oppfinnelser
That's a long lock. It would be a shame is someone used that length as leverage to tear the plastic apart.
I want to make that in aluminum instead 🤣🤣
Looks like a Cocraft 400 padlock, which can be opened with a Cocraft 400 padlock.
you made a chastity belt for your iphone...
In a true emergency, you could twist the lock, breaking the hasp almost immediately.
Jobbsamtal och då vill dem att man ska logga in i BankID osv.
Van balltelefonod is?
I won’t judge your kink, OP.
I think this belongs into r/3dprintinggonewild .
You need a bigger padlock
That's a loooong ass lock
That's the opposite of a functional print, you're taking away functions!
[deleted]
GO REDDIT GO
I think this is absolutely brilliant and it’s the exact same reasons why I don’t have my phone in lock box all day. I have two devices that I need to not look at all day, one being an iPhone X, and the other one an iPhone 15 Pro. Some days I struggle way too much with it…. Makes me feel like a terrible excuse for an adult lol
Very cool! Dumb question though: does this not still block you from calling 911?
Thank you! If you press the power button 5 times in a row it will automatically call 911
This has a lot of potential when you take into account Tasker and Macrodroid too, this is awesome. Would you be willing to resize for the S24 Ultra, or make it parametric?
I'm not good enough to make it parametric, but i can make it for S24 Ultra if you want
Have you tested how phone calls are with the phone locked in? Looks like the earpiece is behind solid plastic, maybe a grille or a cutout could help if needed.
copy from another comment: I had the same thought as you, but when we made some test calls, it performed as if it didn't have a case on it. So, it wasn't needed.
Your call your buddy "jobblefon"? Is there a story or is is something as mundane as something you tapped in at random?
This is cool, and one of my kids is having issues with a manipulate gf he's (hopefully) trying to get rid of. Maybe I'll offer it to him...
Should be easy enough to scale to any phone.
Is there any chance of sharing the cad files for that? (Moving holes and tweaking scales.)
It swedish for workphone. I don't know have to share it. but i did it in onshape, so you could probably find it there :)
And in hungarian "jobb telefon" means better phone
I almost commented that you used your better phone to take a pic and continue to doom scroll :)
Another overengineered nonsense, sigh..
If you're this addicted to your phone, please go to therapy.
You'll actually learn how to deal with your addiction rather than do stupid things like this.
I recommend getting a "dumb" phone and deleting social media
Stopping an addiction doesn't always require therapy. Why should OP spend money on therapy if this turns out to be an effective method?
If they keep up with this for a year, then they probably won't even need to use the case anymore because they'll be used to not using the phone as much.
If they need a phone chastity cage to not look at their phone, that's an issue.
The thing about a phone chastity cage is it relies solely on the user's self control to actually use it. That same self control they'd need to just... not look at the phone in the first place?
This is like that Pavlok bracelet that was on Shark Tank where you need magically have the discipline to shock yourself when you do you bad habit but the issue that you're fighting is that you don't have the discipline
A bit of extra effort to access the phone will make someone think twice before using the phone, which will improve the effectiveness of self control.
I'm sure the folks over at r/alcoholics would love to hear from you as to why they should stop carrying around their sobriety medallions. After all, if they need to do something stupid like carry around a sobriety medallion to remind themselves not to have a drink, they should probably just check themselves into an inpatient treatment center, right??
If they have a sobriety medallion, they are likely getting help to manage their addiction.
So then what's the point of the sobriety medallion? After all, they should just be learning to deal with their addiction rather than resorting to something stupid like a physical reminder, right??
Or....OR...maybe you could open up your tiny little mind just a bit to understand that addiction is complicated. Whether it's gambling, alcohol, or someone that just recognizes that they spend too much time on their phone, the reasons can be complicated. Everyone's brains are wired and work differently, and what works for one person won't work for everyone.
u/op shared something he's using to help break a physiological response for an undesired behavior, and your response was to be a dick.
TL;DR - You're being a dick. Your downvote count is evidence of you being a dick. Don't be a dick, dick.
I'm not being a dick, I'm sharing my opinion about these devices that don't work and don't address the root problem they aim to solve. Notice how you've gone straight to the name calling and childish insults route here lmao
No...you're being a dick.
Another user posted this, but I'll reshare it:
It breaks the "quick reach" cycle. We build habits like reaching for our phones. Putting some friction between the thought of grabbing the phone and actually grabbing it helps break that habit. It gives you a second to think "Do I really want to do this?"
This study found that the phone being accessible didn't have much of an effect on reaction times, but being hidden and inaccessible did improve focus and attention span, for example.
Here's an excerpt from the study's findings:
The findings of this study contribute to the growing body of evidence demonstrating that the presence and accessibility of a mobile phone can influence core cognitive functions, particularly working memory and sustained attention. Across the experimental conditions, participants consistently performed better when their phone was placed inside a lockbox. This condition appeared to reduce both passive cognitive interference and the subtle attentional monitoring that often occurs even when the device is not actively in use. The improvement observed in OSPAN performance supports the argument that physically restricting access to the device may help preserve cognitive resources necessary for dual-task processing.
In contrast, conditions in which the phone remained visible or readily accessible were associated with higher rates of attentional lapses. For example, during the PVT, participants exhibited more omission errors and anticipatory responses when the device was placed on the table. Although reaction times remained relatively stable across both conditions, the increased error rates highlight how the mere visibility of the phone may disrupt attentional stability, even in tasks requiring simple and immediate responses. These patterns align with the theoretical understanding that mobile phones function as salient external cues capable of drawing attention away from primary tasks.
The findings related to the Raven test further suggest that not all cognitive domains are equally affected by phone presence. Abstract reasoning performance remained relatively stable even when the phone was kept in the participant’s pocket, indicating that some cognitive processes may be more resilient to passive interference. This distinction underscores the need to consider task type when evaluating the cognitive impact of mobile device presence. Overall, the results present preliminary yet meaningful evidence that reducing both visibility and accessibility of mobile phones can provide measurable cognitive benefits. While the lockbox condition appeared to support better cognitive performance, the study’s limited sample size and correlational experimental design prevent firm conclusions about causality. Nevertheless, the observed patterns point to promising avenues for interventions aimed at improving focus in educational and professional environments.
You're spouting opinions that have no basis in reality as if they are facts. And before you get too excited, yes, I'm aware of the limitations of the study. That doesn't mean it's wrong. It just means further research is needed.
In conclusion, you're being a dick.
The question is, are you going to continue being a dick in the face of evidence contrary to your preconceived notions?
I see by your downvote you're going with dick...
Sorry, who?
whoever writes Job as Jobb should have real jail time
It is in Swedish, luckily swedish jails are quite nice though.
/r/USdefaultism
Me when andre land og språk exist
mir ist keine Sprache bekannt in der man "telefon" benutzt und "Jobb"
Så kommer du alt for lidt ud af Centraleuropa. Both Swedish and Norwegian does.
TiL ! ty
Is this for if your kids are bad and you want to take away their phone with extra steps?