The 20-20-20 rule is easy to remember and hard to follow: every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 meters) away for 20 seconds. Nobody keeps that count in their head while working, so most people use an app. The trouble with most break reminders is timing: they pop up in the middle of a sentence, a call or a game, and after the third time you turn them off. This guide covers what the rule is, how to set it up on a Mac, and how the main eye break apps compare, including Eye Break, new in OneNotch 2.1.0, which waits until you are free.
Quick disclosure: we make OneNotch. Everything about OneNotch below describes version 2.1.0 (October 2026), where Eye Break is new. Facts about the other apps come from their own websites, App Store listings and GitHub pages, checked on October 21, 2026. Nothing here is medical advice: if your eyes hurt, see an eye doctor.
What the 20-20-20 rule is, and what it is not
The American Academy of Ophthalmology describes the rule this way: every 20 minutes, shift your eyes to something at least 20 feet away and keep them there for at least 20 seconds (AAO). The American Optometric Association gives the same advice for computer vision syndrome, and adds resting your eyes for 15 minutes after two hours of continuous screen use (AOA).
Two honest notes:
- It is a rule of thumb. It is widely recommended, but the research behind the exact numbers is limited. The point is to change focus regularly and to blink.
- Eye strain is uncomfortable, not dangerous. The AAO says eye strain does not injure the eye or cause permanent damage. It also notes that people blink much less while looking at screens, which is why dry, tired eyes are so common.
So the goal is a habit that is easy to keep, not a timer you fight.
Why break reminders get switched off
The usual complaints about break apps are the same everywhere:
- They interrupt at the worst moment: mid-sentence, mid-drag, on a call, in a game.
- They count clock time, not screen time. Fifteen minutes at the coffee machine was already a break, yet the timer still fires when you sit down.
- They nag. A break you cannot postpone, a screen you cannot use, a message that makes you feel guilty.
A reminder you keep using needs to do the opposite on all three.
How to set up the 20-20-20 rule with OneNotch Eye Break
Eye Break is off until you turn it on. Its button sits in the right orb beside the open notch.
- Turn it on from the Eye Break page in the notch, or in Settings.
- Work as usual. It counts only time you are using the Mac. Reading or waiting on a build with no input for a few minutes still counts; five minutes away from the Mac, or a dark screen, counts as a break and starts the count again.
- Get a heads-up. About a minute before a break, a small card under the notch gives you +1 min, +5 min or Skip. There is no limit on how often you push it back.
- Look away for 20 seconds. A card under the notch counts down while a small character looks into the distance. Near the end, Skip becomes Done: most of the break counts as a break.
- Need a pause? Pause Eye Break for an hour or until tomorrow, or press Take a break now when it suits you.
It waits until you are free
Eye Break holds a break while you are:
- typing (for up to two minutes, so someone who never stops typing is still reminded) or dragging something;
- on a call, including calls in a browser, or in a calendar event (if OneNotch already has access to your calendar);
- watching a video or playing a game;
- presenting with OneNotch's Presenter.
Calls, videos and games can be switched off from this list in Settings if you would rather be reminded anyway.
The reminder only ever appears under the notch: it never dims or blocks your screen, and it does not follow your pointer around.
Free and Pro
Everything above is free, including today's numbers on the Eye Break page. On the free version the timing is the rule as written: 20 minutes and 20 seconds.
OneNotch Pro adds:
- Your own timing: a break every 20, 30, 45 or 60 minutes of screen time, lasting 20, 40 or 60 seconds.
- Long breaks: every 3rd, 4th or 5th break becomes a 3, 5 or 10 minute break to stand up. Being away from the Mac that long counts as one.
- Blink and posture nudges: a short line under the notch every so often, which skips itself during calls and videos.
- An eye rest score from 0 to 10 for the day, with a 7-day and 30-day history. History is recorded on the free version too, so the score has your past week behind it the day you upgrade.
Eye break apps for Mac compared
| OneNotch Eye Break | LookAway | Time Out | Stretchly | BreakTimer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; custom timing, long breaks and score with Pro | $19 once direct (1 year of updates), or App Store subscription | Free; optional supporter tiers | Free, open source | Free, open source |
| Default timing | 20 s every 20 min of screen time | 20 min of work, then a break (30 s per its docs) | 15 s micro breaks every 15 min, longer breaks hourly | 20 s every 10 min, 5 min every 30 min | You set it |
| Custom timing | Pro | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waits for calls and video | Calls, video, games, calendar events, typing, dragging | Meetings, calls, video, screen sharing, games, chosen apps | Rules by app, calendar, Focus, full screen; meeting scripts | Do Not Disturb, apps you exclude | Not listed |
| Stepping away counts | Yes, after 5 min | Yes | Yes | Yes, after 5 min idle | Resets the countdown |
| Heads-up | 1 min, with +1, +5 and Skip | Yes, with snooze and skip | Yes, configurable | 10 s or 30 s before | Yes |
| Blink and posture reminders | Pro | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Stats | Today free; score and history Pro | Screen Score and dashboard | Statistics page | Not listed | Not listed |
| macOS | 15+, Apple silicon | 13+ | 26 for version 3.1 | 13+ | Not listed (also Windows and Linux) |
Notes from each vendor:
- LookAway is the most complete dedicated break app: Smart Pause for meetings, video, screen sharing and games, blink and posture reminders, a Screen Score, an iPhone companion and Shortcuts automation. On the Mac App Store it is a free download with monthly, yearly or lifetime in-app purchases.
- Time Out by Dejal has been around for years and is the most configurable: normal and micro breaks, custom breaks such as lunch, actions before a break, and rules to skip or postpone breaks. The current version needs macOS 26; an older version runs on macOS 10.15 and later.
- Stretchly is free and cross-platform, with mini and long breaks, a natural break when you are idle, and a tray icon that can show the time to the next break.
- BreakTimer is free and cross-platform, with working hours, skip and snooze, and a choice between a notification and a full-screen break window.
Which one should you choose?
- You want the most features in a dedicated app: LookAway.
- You want the most control over rules and break types: Time Out.
- You want free and open source, on Mac, Windows and Linux: Stretchly or BreakTimer.
- You want the rule as written, free, without a window popping up over your work: OneNotch's Eye Break. If you already use OneNotch for the clipboard or the notch, it is one switch away.
For focused work sessions there is also a Pomodoro timer in the same notch, and if you keep your Mac awake for long jobs, see how to keep your Mac awake. Everything else OneNotch does is in the best Mac notch apps guide.
OneNotch is free to download, with no account, for macOS 15 or later on Apple silicon. Pro is a one-time purchase at $9.99 lifetime, or $6.99 with code LAUNCH30 for 2 Macs; a $24.99 Supporter plan covers 5 Macs with the same features.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 20-20-20 rule?
Every 20 minutes of screen time, look at something about 20 feet (6 meters) away for 20 seconds. The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Optometric Association both recommend it to ease digital eye strain. It is a rule of thumb rather than a precise prescription, and eye strain itself does not cause permanent damage.
Is there a free 20-20-20 reminder for Mac?
Yes. OneNotch's Eye Break is free and follows the rule as written: a 20-second look-away card under the notch every 20 minutes of real screen time. Stretchly and BreakTimer are free and open source, and Time Out's core app is free.
Will an eye break reminder interrupt my video calls?
It depends on the app. OneNotch's Eye Break waits while you are on a call, in a calendar event, watching a video, playing a game, typing or dragging. LookAway's Smart Pause covers meetings, calls, video, screen sharing and games, and Time Out can use rules and meeting scripts.
Does stepping away from the Mac count as a break?
In OneNotch, yes: five minutes away, or a dark screen, counts as a break and restarts the count. Reading or waiting with no input for a few minutes still counts as screen time. LookAway, Time Out and Stretchly also count time away as a break.
Can I change the interval or length of the break in OneNotch?
With OneNotch Pro you can choose a break every 20, 30, 45 or 60 minutes, lasting 20, 40 or 60 seconds, and add long breaks of 3, 5 or 10 minutes. The free version uses 20 minutes and 20 seconds.
Does OneNotch Eye Break dim or lock my screen?
No. The reminder appears only as a card under the notch, and you can push it back by one or five minutes, skip it or pause Eye Break for an hour or until tomorrow.
