How and why you should set up Digital Wellbeing on your phone
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, Android has a tool called Digital Wellbeing, which is meant to help you set limits for your device usage.
Google’s Digital Wellbeing app is available on thetop 5G phones, like the Google Pixel 7 Pro, as well asless 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.
How to activate Digital Wellbeing
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.
How to use the Digital Wellbeing tools
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. It’s where you’ll find your screen time, notifications received, and the number of times you opened each app. There’s a lot of overlap between the main page stats and the Dashboard stats. Clicking theScreen timebutton near the top switches betweenScreen time,Notifications received, andTimes opened. you could also use the back arrow near the date or the bar chat to see stats from previous days. These facts help you make decisions about how often you like to use your device on a daily basis.
A key feature is that you can set an app timer for apps with high screen time. The app closes when the timer expires, and its icon stays grayed out for the rest of the day. Setting an app timer process is simple.
This is a great way to set daily limits for specific apps on your Android phone.
Bedtime mode
It’s well-documentedthat using your phone around bedtime can harm your sleep cycles.Bedtime modeis a Digital Wellbeing feature that helps curb that habit. You can silence your device, use the Grayscale option to ease the strain on your eyes, and turn off the always-on display. There’s also an option to schedule Bedtime mode.
Focus mode
Some distracting apps may send many notifications that keep you from completing important tasks. Still, muting notifications isn’t always possible. 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 fromusing Do Not Disturb on Androidbecause you choose the apps to silence.
You can also use theTake a breakoption to resume notifications temporarily for apps while still in Focus mode. Focus mode turns back on when the timer expires. If you need to use a specific app urgently without turning off Focus mode, open the app and tapUse app for 5 minutes.
You don’t need to open Digital Wellbeing each time you need to focus. Add the Focus mode tile to your Quick Settings panel for quick access.
Distracted walkinghas 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 paying attention to your surroundings.
Turn on theShow icon in the app listoption to get faster access to Digital Wellbeing. This adds an app icon to your app drawer. TheDigital Wellbeing widgetalso 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 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 want toimprove your productivity, gaining a better understanding of your device habits can be beneficial.
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