Looking for an Android app that will allow me to use only the 3 apps I've explicitly whitelisted

[cutedroid]

Hi. I'm CuteDroid, and I'm a netaholic. I've been sober for 10 minutes.

I'm looking for help. I'm looking for something that will lock down my phone and will only let me use one of three apps when I tell it to. The three apps are Amazon Kindle, Moon Reader, and Play Books.

I've checked out many other apps, but the problem with them, for my usage, is that they are "blacklist apps". They work by knowing what apps you want to block. For example, Facebook and Instagram. But I want to work on my netaholism the other way around. In other words. I want apps that I explicitly whitelist to be accessible to me. (The 3 reading apps I've specified).

 

[Deleted User]

Hi Cutedroid o/
This may be a dumb question, but why not just uninstall the apps you don't want to use?

 

[cutedroid]

Hi Cutedroid o/
This may be a dumb question, but why Becausnot just uninstall the apps you don't want to use?

Thank for your question, LV426.

Uninstalling the apps is not really a good solution because I need those apps in other times. For example, Firefox or Google Maps. I want to carve out some time for reading.

 

[puppykickr]

So why not blacklist all apps except those three?

 

[cutedroid]

puppykickr,
1. because there isn't a quick way that I know of to do a "Select All". I'd have to tap each one, and htere's dozens upon dozens.
2. because when I install new programs, I'd have to select those as well.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I'm looking for something that will lock down my phone and will only let me use one of three apps when I tell it to. The three apps are Amazon Kindle, Moon Reader, and Play Books.

This isn't exactly what you're looking for, but...

What launcher do you use? If it, like mine, lets you have a nice, clean desktop with apps neatly organized in app drawer categories, how about this: remove all desktop icons except the three you want; organize your app drawer by category, making one contain only the three apps, and hide all your other apps.

With ADW Launcher, I have no icons on my home screens, and have everything categorized:

You could use its hiding feature to hide everything but your three apps, then be required to jump through a minor hoop to access them. It's not perfect, but it's a thought.

 

[cutedroid]

MoodyBlues, thanks for your comment. I use Nova Launcher (Pro). I have put essential apps on my home screen and relegated the distracting apps to another screen.
But I want more barriers/obstacles in my way.

 

[puppykickr]

Then open up the work profile on your device, and place those three apps (or all the others, it doesn't matter) onto the work profile.

The two profiles can be accessed separately, but the apps on each cannot communicate with the other profile.

 

[puppykickr]

Ok, I asked a friend in Germany.
This person has internet addiction issues, and so has used apps to help with the same sort of thing that you are asking for.

An app called

Stay Focused

is what was recommended.

This is an app that I have no personal experience with, but my friend swears by it, and is still using it.