PopUpTime
Last updated: 2026-10-05
PopUpTime is built by one person. If something is broken or confusing, email me and you'll get a reply from me, not a ticketing system.
Email: popuptimeapp@gmail.com
When reporting a problem, it helps enormously to include your iPhone model, your iOS version, and the PopUpTime version from Settings. If a pop-up isn't being detected, a sentence describing your setup (where the phone was, how far back) helps a lot.
Getting started
How PopUpTime works
Prop your iPhone up so it can see your whole body, step back, and lie down like you're paddling. When you pop up, PopUpTime uses on-device pose detection to track your body and time the move — from the first drive off the deck to both feet planted in your stance. You get your time for each rep, a replay to see what happened, and a daily goal and streak to keep the habit going.
There are no floor markers and no calibration. You don't need to wear anything, and nothing needs an internet connection.
Getting a good read
- Frame your whole body. Lean the phone against something stable so the camera can see you from your hands on the floor to your feet when you stand.
- Give yourself room. A couple of metres back usually gets your whole pop-up in frame.
- Even light helps. Pose detection works best when you're clearly lit and not backlit by a bright window.
- Set the phone down and wait. PopUpTime starts a session once the phone is still on the floor or a stable surface — give it a second to settle.
Why does PopUpTime need the camera and motion permissions?
- Camera is the whole point: it's how PopUpTime watches your pop-up. The video is processed live on your device and is never uploaded or saved unless you choose to keep a replay clip. See the Privacy Policy.
- Motion lets the app tell when the phone has been set down and is still, so a session starts only once it's in place. These readings stay on your device.
The pop-up timer
My pop-up isn't being detected or timed
- Make sure your whole body is in frame, including your hands at the start and your feet at the end.
- Improve the lighting and avoid standing in front of a bright window.
- Move the phone back a little so there's room for the full movement.
- Do a clear, committed pop-up — a half-hearted shuffle is harder to read than a real one.
The time looks off
PopUpTime times from the first drive off the deck to both feet landing in your stance. If a number looks wrong, watch the replay — it usually shows what the app saw (for example a foot that landed out of frame). Framing and lighting fixes above resolve most of it.
Recording a replay
You can record a pop-up to review it. Clips are saved on your device only, with no audio, and are never uploaded. Delete them any time from the app.
Locking distracting apps (optional)
App-locking is a bonus, not the main event — PopUpTime is about your pop-up first. If you want it:
Why does it need Screen Time permission?
Holding apps behind your practice is only possible through Apple's Family Controls framework, the same system behind Screen Time. iOS asks once, and that permission is what lets PopUpTime shield the apps you picked. PopUpTime cannot see which apps you chose — Apple hands the app an opaque token, not a list of names.
A locked app opens anyway
Some apps — Instagram and Facebook in particular — only shield reliably when your selection includes both the app and its website. In the picker, add the app under Apps and also add its domain (for example instagram.com) under Websites. This is an iOS behaviour, not a PopUpTime bug.
Can I lock an app permanently?
No, by design. The lock is a nudge toward your practice, not a vault — it shouldn't lock you out of your own phone.
Subscriptions and billing
What does PopUpTime cost?
PopUpTime is free to download. Full practice requires a subscription, billed through your Apple account:
- $59.99 per year, with a 7-day free trial
- $17.99 per month
Prices are shown in your local currency before you buy. Your subscription renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the period ends, and your Apple account is charged for renewal within 24 hours of the period ending.
How do I cancel?
Cancel through Apple, not through PopUpTime — open iOS Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions → PopUpTime → Cancel Subscription. You can also reach this from PopUpTime's Settings screen under Manage Subscription.
If you cancel during the free trial, you aren't charged. Cancelling stops the next renewal; you keep access until the end of the period you already paid for.
I paid but PopUpTime says I'm not subscribed
Open PopUpTime's Settings and tap Restore Purchases. Make sure you're signed in to the same Apple account you bought with. If that doesn't fix it, email me with the date of purchase and I'll sort it out.
I want a refund
Refunds are handled by Apple, since Apple processes the payment. Go to reportaproblem.apple.com, sign in, and choose the PopUpTime purchase. If Apple declines and you think that's unfair, email me.
What happens when my subscription lapses?
Full practice locks, but your history stays on your device. If you resubscribe, everything is right where you left it.
Your data
What does PopUpTime know about me?
Almost nothing. Your camera feed and the pose data from it are processed on your iPhone and never leave it. Your pop-up times, reps, goal and streak stay on your device too, unless you sign in — then they're backed up to your account so a new phone can restore them. Any replay clips stay on your device. The full detail is in the Privacy Policy.
How do I delete my data?
Deleting the app removes everything stored on your device. If you created an account, delete it in the app under Settings → Account → Delete account — that removes the account and the records linked to it. Deleting your account doesn't cancel your subscription; cancel that in your Apple account settings.
Still stuck?
Email popuptimeapp@gmail.com. Include what you were doing, what you expected, and what happened instead. I read every message.