How it works
You choose which apps deserve a pause. When one of them opens, Return meets you at the doorway with a breath and a line — then you decide.
Built to be needed less
Return offers fewer visits as your own exits begin to hold, and when you're ready, a real goodbye. Graduation is the design goal, not retention — the app is trying to make itself unnecessary, and it says so out loud in your weekly reflection.
The conversation, honestly
When you want words, Claude writes them with you. Here is exactly what that involves.
What is sent when you use a check-in or reflection: the app you opened (or just a category label like "a social app," which is the default), a rough part of the day, your first name if you gave one, and any intentions you have written in your own words.
What is never sent: exact times, how long you spent in an app, your contacts, or anything at all while AI features are off.
And without a key, it still works. Return holds every pause with its own written lines even with no AI connected — and then nothing leaves your phone at all. You can bring your own Anthropic API key, or use a private invite code; either way, your words are never stored on Return's servers.
Privacy, the short version
- No account. There is nothing to sign up for.
- No ads and no trackers — including on this website.
- Your conversation resets on its own each day.
- Your name and intentions are encrypted on your device.
- Check-in timing stays on your phone unless you choose to share it.
What this isn't
Return is a mindfulness tool. It is not therapy, not a mental-health service, and not a substitute for professional support. If you are in a hard moment and need someone, please reach out to a qualified professional or a crisis service. In the U.S. and Canada you can call or text 988; elsewhere, your local emergency number.
Questions
Why Return asks for the permissions it does, whether it works offline, what the AI costs, French support — all answered plainly on the support page.