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Time Out


You deserve a break
Pricing Download

It is very easy to fall into bad habits when using a computer for hours on end. You care about what you are doing, so can sometimes push yourself too far, or over-strain yourself. The human body isn't built to sit in one position for endless hours, gripping a mouse or typing on the keyboard. Dejal Time Out is here to help. It will gently remind you to take a break on a regular basis.

Customizable Breaks

[Break Schedule page]

Time Out comes with two kinds of breaks: a "Normal" break, typically for 10 minutes every hour, so you can move about and relax, plus a "Micro" break: a very brief pause of typically 15 seconds every 15 minutes, so you can remember not to tense up too much for long periods. You can change, disable or remove either kind of break if desired, and add new kinds of breaks, e.g. fixed lunch or afternoon breaks.

You can configure how long each kind of break lasts, and how long between breaks, and the breaks can be set to count backwards when you take a natural break, e.g. when you go away from your computer.

Choose Your Theme

When a break starts, the screen slowly dims, and a break theme appears. When the break is complete, it fades out again. Time Out includes several break themes to choose from, and several kinds of themes; local HTML and Website themes that use web standards like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, plus YouTube videos, text, and images. You can add your own themes, or check out the Time Out Extras page for contributions from others.

While in a break, a progress bar shows how long till it is over, and optional buttons are available to postpone or skip the break if you can't be interrupted right then.

[Break Actions page]

Perform Actions

If you wish, you can have Time Out perform various actions before, during or after a break. For example, display a notification, speak some text, play a sound, and even run an Automator workflow or AppleScript. So you can have it notify you shortly before the break is due, then pause Music and play a short soothing piece of music or repeating sound at the start of a break, then fade it out and resume Music when the break is over. Some useful scripts are provided built-in, plus updates and user-submitted ones available on the Time Out Extras page.

Track Activity

Time Out can optionally track breaks and/or app usage via the Activity feature. Get a feel for how busy you are via a chart of breaks you've taken, apps you've used, and time away from the Mac. Zoom in to see more detail, or out for the big picture.

[Activity page]

Older Release

Need an older release? Download version 2.9.7 for macOS 10.15 or later.

What People Are Saying

[4 Mice]

"...Reminds you at regular intervals, to, well, take some time out from your computing"

Dan Frakes, Senior Writer,
Macworld


"Time Out has a lot of configurability and is very cool - and definitely worth checking out for anyone who finds themselves getting too tense while working."

Download of the Day,
Lifehacker


"My chiropractor suggested I stretch every hour because of a pinched nerve in my back ... I downloaded Time Out and began taking time outs for 2 minutes every half hour. I'm am now pain free in my back!"

Michael Wade,
Greensboro, NC


"For someone who easily drops into a trance when immersed on a project I found Time Out to be a helpful and easy to use tool. I like the control of setting my own breaks, and the micro breaks are just long enough to remind me to breathe and relax, but not so distracting that I loose my train of thought."

L. Kling, graphic designer,
Chico, CA


"As a glasses wearer, my eye doctor told me to look away from my computer screen into the distance about every 50 minutes or so, so as to refocus my eyes which helps prevent eyestrain. Running Time Out is the sensible way to do this — it does what it says: it "blanks" the screen for a given period of time (user customisable) which then cues me to look away. In effect, Time Out is just what the doctor ordered! Recommended for any computer user no matter what you're working on or indeed whenever you turn on your computer for that matter."

Allan B.,
Sydney, Australia


"Time Out helps you manage your energy throughout the day. Even if all you do is stop and take a breath, the benefit is there. I smile each time Time Out comes on..."

Cam Barber,
CEO, Vivid Learning Pty Ltd

"TimeOut works perfectly. I found it easy to install, and straightforward to set up... A great little piece of software for people like me who can be working on the computer for up to 12 hours at a stretch."

Steve Gunther
Director
Northern Rivers Gestalt Institute

Choose How to Get Time Out

The core features are always free. You can try the supporter and premium features for a trial period, then choose the edition and purchase option that works best for you.

Direct from Dejal

Download for Mac

Free

Download Time Out and continue using its core features at no cost.

  • Supporter purchases permanently unlock all premium features available at the time of purchase.
  • Choose 3, 6, or 12 months to also receive premium features added during that period.
  • Supporter purchases are not subscriptions and do not automatically renew.
  • Lifetime support includes all current and future premium features.
3-Month Supporter$4.99 6-Month Supporter$9.99 12-Month Supporter$19.99 Lifetime$59.99
Download Time Out View Supporter Options

Version 3.1, for macOS 26.0 or later.

From Apple

Mac App Store Edition

Free Download

This edition is essentially the same as the direct edition, so you can choose which one you prefer.

  • Includes the same always-free core features.
  • Offers the same non-renewing Supporter options.
  • Also offers optional monthly and yearly Premium subscriptions.
  • A Lifetime purchase keeps all current and future premium features available forever.
View on the Mac App Store

Subscriptions and App Store purchases are managed by Apple from within the app.

With a Setapp membership

Included on Setapp

Subscription

Time Out is also included as one of the apps on Setapp, a popular third-party service where you can get many excellent apps for one low monthly price.

  • Includes all Time Out supporter rewards.
  • Includes many other apps.
  • Available to try free for a week.