Show DEV: I built Screen Break, a gentle Mac break reminder that is harder to ignore

macbroha — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:42:11 +0000

I built Screen Break, a free macOS menu bar app for people who keep dismissing normal break timers but still want a healthier rhythm at the computer.

Most break reminders are easy to ignore. They show a notification, I dismiss it, and somehow another hour disappears. Screen Break is my attempt at something gentle in tone but firmer in behavior.

When it is time to pause, the app opens a guided full-screen rest. It includes a countdown, breathing or stretching prompts, and a simple unlock flow. The goal is not to shame the user or turn rest into a productivity game. The goal is just to make the break real enough that you actually step away.

What I cared about while building it:

It lives quietly in the macOS menu bar.
The default rhythm is 30 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest.
Work duration can be adjusted from 30 to 50 minutes.
If you have already been away from the keyboard long enough, the work timer can reset instead of forcing a break the moment you return.
If the system looks busy with media, meetings, presentation, or full-screen activity, the app can defer the break.
Manual restart and temporary quit are intentionally limited, so skipping does not become the main workflow.
It supports multilingual UI text.
It is local-first and does not require an account or cloud backend.

This is built for the very specific kind of person who wants help taking breaks but does not want a giant wellness dashboard, subscription, or another app that needs managing.

You can download it here:

https://screen-break-mac.netlify.app/

It is a universal macOS build for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

I would love feedback from other Mac users, especially around the balance between being helpful and being too interruptive. That line is the whole product.

DEV Community: macbroha

Show DEV: I built Screen Break, a gentle Mac break reminder that is harder to ignore