A 20-20-20 rule app for Mac that only counts when you're working

The 20-20-20 rule is simple: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Following it all day is the hard part. StandUp is a Mac menu-bar app that does the remembering for you, and it only counts the minutes you actually spend working.

What the 20-20-20 rule is

Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (about 6 meters) away for at least 20 seconds. It's a commonly suggested habit for digital eye strain, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology lists it among its tips. Research on how much it helps is limited (summary). Where the rule comes from, what the research says and why people struggle to stick with it are covered in The 20-20-20 Rule for Eye Strain: Does It Actually Work?

Why a plain timer can be a poor fit

A phone alarm or a basic timer counts clock time. That causes two problems:

• It keeps counting while you're away. You get up for coffee, come back, and the alarm goes off two minutes later, even though you just rested your eyes.
• It can go off during calls, and some people end up muting it.

What you want is a timer that only counts screen time, stays out of the way during calls, and gives you a full-screen break.

How StandUp handles it

• Active time only. StandUp uses macOS's idle timer and screen-lock events to notice when you step away, stops counting, and picks up when you're back. A long enough pause counts as a completed break.
• Calls are handled. StandUp is built not to interrupt calls in supported apps: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, Slack, Webex, Discord, or a web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge) for browser-based calls such as Google Meet. You can edit the list in Settings. When your camera or mic is in use with one of them, call time still counts as work time and a due break waits until the call ends. Fullscreen apps work the same way.
• A heads-up first. A heads-up card appears at the top of your main display before every break (60 seconds by default), with Start Now, Snooze and Skip. A small countdown also follows your cursor for the last few seconds (10 by default; adjustable or off in Settings).
• A real break. A full-screen overlay covers every display. The countdown, prompt, Skip and Lock Screen buttons are on your main display; the others are blurred and dimmed. The prompt is a short line like "Look away from the screen" or "Blink a few times".
• Wellness reminders. Optional reminders between breaks, off until you turn them on, plus reminders you create yourself.

Suggested 20-20-20 settings

StandUp's default (the Balanced preset) is 35 minutes of work and 40-second breaks. For the 20-20-20 rule, open Settings and change:

1. Work Duration: 20 minutes. Because StandUp counts only active time, this means 20 minutes at your Mac.
2. Break Duration: 20 seconds.
3. Long breaks: on by default at 2 minutes after every 2nd break. A longer break gives you a chance to stand up and move; for example, set 5 minutes after every 3rd break, roughly once an hour of work, or turn them off.
4. Wellness reminders (optional): turn them on and add a reminder you create yourself, such as "Blink a few times", for a nudge between breaks.

Other 20-20-20 apps for Mac

StandUp isn't the only option. A few others, based on what each one says on its own site:

• BlinkMate: a native menu-bar eye-break reminder on the Mac App Store. Its default is 20 minutes between 20-second breaks. Needs macOS 13 or later.
• Twenty: a native menu-bar 20-20-20 timer with a nudge before the break overlay. 7-day trial, then $10 once for one Mac with a year of updates. Needs macOS 14 or later.
• LookAway: a feature-rich break app with posture and blink reminders, iPhone sync and automations, from $19 once. See StandUp vs LookAway.
• Pandan: a free menu-bar app that shows how long you've been active. Its FAQ shows using it as an eye-break reminder through Shortcuts. It doesn't take over the screen.
• Stretchly: free and open source, for macOS, Windows and Linux. Its default Mini break is 20 seconds every 10 minutes. See StandUp vs Stretchly.

For a wider comparison, see Mac break reminder apps compared (2026).

Frequently asked questions

Can StandUp do the 20-20-20 rule exactly?

Yes. Set Work Duration to 20 minutes and Break Duration to 20 seconds. The default Balanced preset is 35 minutes of work and 40-second breaks, so you need to change those two settings. StandUp times the breaks; it can't check where you look.

Does the 20-minute timer keep running when I step away?

No. StandUp counts only active work time. It uses macOS's idle timer and screen-lock events to notice when you're away and stops counting until you're back. If you're away long enough, that counts as a completed break.

What happens if a break is due during a video call?

StandUp is built not to interrupt calls in supported apps. Call time still counts as work time, and the due break waits until the call ends. If you use another call app, add it under Settings.

Does StandUp remind me to blink?

It can. Wellness reminders are off until you turn them on in Settings; then add a reminder you create yourself, such as "Blink a few times". Some break prompts also say "Blink a few times".

Is the 20-20-20 rule medical advice?

No. It's a general suggestion and StandUp is not a medical device. The AAO lists the rule among tips for digital eye strain, but studies on how well it works are limited and mixed. If your eyes are persistently red, blurry or watery, sensitive to light or painful, see an eye-care professional.