One of my resolutions going into 2026 was to reduce my phone usage. I’ve genuinely become addicted over the past few years, constantly checking my Pixel 10 Pro throughout the day. Even though I know it’s not great for my eyes or my mental health, I just haven’t been able to put it down.
A big part of that problem has been social media apps. As much as I want to quit platforms like X, Reddit, and Instagram, I haven’t managed to do it. Whether I’m watching a soccer game or standing in an airport queue, I always have X open and catch myself scrolling far more than I should.
A big reason social media apps manage to pull you back in and get you ‘hooked’ is through notifications. A friend sends a meme in your DMs, someone posts a reel, or even when nothing important happens, those social media apps promote posts on their platform through random notifications.
These apps use notifications cleverly to draw you back, and I’m not blaming them. The more time users spend on their platforms, the better it is for them.
However, for users like you and me, that can easily turn into 10 to 20 minutes wasted because of a single notification, and that too multiple times a day. Thankfully, Android offers a built-in solution that lets you control which apps and people can send you notifications at specific times of the day.
If the notification never shows up, you are less likely to open the app in the first place. That simple change has genuinely worked for me.
I’ve been using custom modes on my Pixel 10 Pro for different situations, like while working out or during work hours, allowing only selected apps to send notifications at those times. It has noticeably reduced my time on social media, and here’s how you can set it up too.
How to set up Modes properly on your Google Pixel
Setting up Modes on a Google Pixel device is fairly simple. Before you begin, make sure your phone is up to date. The feature debuted with Android 15, so chances are you already have it. Here’s how you can set up and customize Modes on a Pixel device:
1. Open the Settings app on your Pixel phone and tap Modes.
2. You’ll see multiple preset Modes like Do Not Disturb, Bedtime, and Driving. Tapping any of these takes you to its customization page. However, if you simply want to block notifications from social media apps during work hours, I’d recommend setting up a Custom mode instead.
3. Tap Create your own mode and choose Custom.
4. Give your Mode a name, pick an icon, and tap Done.
5. On the next screen, you can begin customizing it.
First, set a schedule. If you want the mode to turn on automatically at a specific time of day, such as during work hours when you feel most distracted, you can schedule it accordingly. You can also choose to turn it on manually whenever needed.
Next, customize notifications. You can allow only specific people to send notifications when the mode is active. This means their alerts will come through regardless of whether it’s WhatsApp, SMS, or Gmail. I’d suggest keeping this limited to close family, though you can also set it to allow none.
You can also control which apps are allowed to send notifications. For example, I’ve set mine to allow apps like Asana, Gmail, and Slack during work mode, while other apps still send notifications silently. You can further adjust how alarms and media behave during this mode.
Finally, you can tweak display settings associated with the mode. You can stop the screen from waking when notifications arrive, hide notification icons from the status bar, dim the wallpaper, or switch to dark mode. These visual cues will help you know when the mode is active.
Pixel Modes can seriously reduce screen time and distractions
Modes have been around for a while, but I rarely see Pixel users fully take advantage of them. The ability to choose who can contact you and which apps are allowed to send notifications is genuinely useful, especially since many of us avoid enabling Do Not Disturb because of the fear of missing an important message.
Sure, turning on a Mode can feel like a two-step process if you don’t have a schedule set, especially compared to Do Not Disturb, which some Pixel users preferred for its simplicity.
But in my opinion, the level of customization makes it worth it. The feature has genuinely helped me cut down my social media usage over the past few weeks, and it could help you do the same.
The best Pixel for everyone
Google did a phenomenal job with the Pixel 10 Pro. It’s just as small as the petite Pixel 10 but packs more RAM and has better cameras. It runs Android 16 out of the box and is first in line to get any software updates or new features from Google.
