Sometimes too much of a good thing can cause distractions
Many people pick up their smart devices multiple times per day. Androids and iPhones are great for keeping in contact with loved ones, watching videos on YouTube, and scrolling through social media feeds. There’s a good chance the average person has a smartphone glued to their hand at any given time. Some may call it an addiction, while others mention the fear of missing important notifications. If this is something you’re worried about, don’t fret. Android has a tool called Digital Wellbeing meant to help you set limits for your device usage.
Google’s Digital Wellbeing app is available on flagships like the Google Pixel 7 Pro as well as less expensive phones. If you purchased a new Android phone in the past few years, there’s a good chance the app is preinstalled. The app is available in the Google Play Store if you don’t see it.
How to get started with Digital Wellbeing on your Android
Android’s Digital Wellbeing has a lot in common with Apple’s Screen Time feature that was introduced on iOS 12 in 2018. Both are intended to make you more mindful of the time you spend on your phone or tablet, and both can help you wind down at the end of the day.
Setting up Digital Wellbeing on your Android device takes a few minutes. Here’s how to set the feature up.
How to activate Digital Wellbeing
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap the Digital Wellbeing & parental controls section.
- Tap the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Manage your data.
- Tap Daily device usage.
- Tap Open Settings.
- Tap Digital Wellbeing.
- Enable the Permit usage access option.
- Use the back arrow or gesture until you return to the main page.
How to use the Digital Wellbeing main page
The Digital Wellbeing main page provides a snapshot of your device usage. It’s presented with a colorful screen-time chart that’s easy to understand. The main page is a great place to start.
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap the Digital Wellbeing & parental controls section. You will see the main page of the open Digital Wellbeing app.
- Tap an app name in the chart to see its Dashboard page.
- Tap Screen time if you want to look at Notifications received or Times opened for that app.
- Tap Daily if you want to switch to Hourly trends.
- Tap the left arrow near the date to look at previous days.
- From the main page, tap Unlocks or Notifications to see the total device count.
- Tap the drop-down menu near the top to choose between Screen time, Notifications received, and Times opened.
- Tap the left arrow near the date to look at previous days.
These stats help you make decisions about how often you’d like to meet with your device on a daily basis.
Digital Wellbeing has several extra features that do more than show trends. Here are some of the things you’ll want to check out.
The Digital Wellbeing Dashboard
The Digital Wellbeing Dashboard shows all apps used at a certain time rather than only one specific app. There’s a lot of overlap between the main page stats and the Dashboard stats. A key feature is that you can set an app timer for apps with high screen time. When the app timer expires, the app closes, and its icon stays grayed out for the rest of the day. Setting an app timer process is simple.
- Open the Digital Wellbeing dashboard.
- Tap the hourglass icon next to the chosen app.
- Set the app timer for the max time you want to use this app per day.
- Tap OK.
This is a great way to set daily limits for specific apps on your Android.
Bedtime mode
It’s well-documented that using your phone around bedtime can be bad for your sleep cycles. Bedtime mode is a Digital Wellbeing feature that helps curb that bad habit. You can silence your device, use the Grayscale option to ease the strain on your eyes, and disable the always-on display. There’s also an option to schedule Bedtime mode.
Focus mode
Some distracting apps may send a lot of notifications. These notifications can keep you from completing important tasks. Still, muting notifications isn’t always doable. Sometimes a temporary pause is the best way of dealing with distracting apps. Make sure to use Focus mode if this sounds familiar. This feature is slightly different from Do Not Disturb because you choose specific apps to silence.
You can also use the Take a break option to resume notifications temporarily for apps while still in Focus mode. Focus mode turns back on when the timer expires.
Heads Up
Distracted walking has become a common problem. It’s not unheard of to see someone wandering into traffic while glued to their phone. It’s dangerous for the individual walking and everyone around them. The Heads Up feature helps prevent these accidents. Google noted that this is only a complementary feature. It should not replace actually paying attention to your surroundings.
You can enable the Show icon in the app list option to get faster access to Digital Wellbeing. This adds an app icon to your app drawer. The Digital Wellbeing widget also gives you instant access to the Dashboard feature.
Learn more about your screen time habits
Digital Wellbeing is the perfect tool to help you set screen time limits. You should be the one in control of your device, not the other way around. Don’t hesitate to take a closer look at the dynamic. Whether you have a smartphone addiction or you’re looking to improve your productivity, gaining a better understanding of your device habits can be beneficial.
