Quick reaction
Quick reactionThe alarm that makes you hit targets before it stops
Quick reaction is a reaction alarm clock: targets pop up one at a time at random spots on the screen, and you tap each one before it disappears. Each stays for only a second or so, and the alarm keeps ringing until you have hit enough of them. It asks for quick hands and open eyes rather than thought.
How it works
- 1
Choose Quick reaction as the mission and a level: Easy is 4 hits, Medium 5, Hard 8.
- 2
When the alarm rings, tap Start mission. A target appears somewhere on the screen, never right where the last one was, so a resting thumb can't catch it.
- 3
Tap it before it goes: each stays for about one to one and a half seconds. A missed target doesn't count against you (“Missed. Another one is coming.”); it only costs time.
- 4
Hit the last target and the alarm stops. Pressing the system Stop button doesn't count; the alarm rings again until you have your hits.
What you can set
- Level: Easy (4 hits), Medium (5) or Hard (8)
- Accessibility: with VoiceOver or Switch Control on, every target stays four times as long
- Ring during missions (per alarm, on by default)
How the targets behave
- Each target appears after a short pause, away from the edges of the screen and away from where the last one was.
- It stays for about one to one and a half seconds, then counts as missed, and another one comes.
- Tapping empty screen does nothing, so a wild tap costs you only a moment.
- The mission ends when you have hit the number your level asks for: 4, 5 or 8. Misses only make it longer.
Reaction, puzzle or movement?
Quick reaction is over in seconds once you are awake. If you find you can finish it half asleep, move to Odd shape or Maze, which need sustained looking, or to a mission that gets you up. For why the first minutes after waking feel so slow, see sleep inertia explained.
Free to download for iPhone (iOS 17.6 or later). Setting alarms needs WakeOps Premium, an in-app subscription. Every mission can be tried for free.
Common questions
Is it fair if I'm not very quick?
Yes. Missing costs nothing but time, and the mission ends on hits, not on a run of them. If it still feels wrong, Memory and Odd shape ask for attention without asking for speed.
Can I do it with VoiceOver?
Yes. With VoiceOver or Switch Control running, each target stays four times as long, so it can be found and activated.
Is it the same pattern every morning?
No. Positions and timing are drawn fresh each time, so you can't learn where the next target will be.
