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 the top 5G phones, 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.

How to activate Digital Wellbeing

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap the Digital Wellbeing & parental controls section.

3. Tap the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner.
4. Tap Manage your data.
5. Tap Daily device usage.

6. Tap Open Settings.
7. Tap Digital Wellbeing.

8. Turn on the Permit usage access option.
9. 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.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap the Digital Wellbeing & parental controls section. You’ll see the main page of the Digital Wellbeing app.
3. Tap an app name in the chart to see its Dashboard page.

4. The dashboard gives you different data to monitor your phone usage. You’ll see two buttons near the top to switch and sort between views. Tap Screen time to look at Notifications received or Times opened for that app.

5. Click Daily if you want to switch to Hourly trends.
6. Tap the left arrow near the date to look at previous days.

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 the Screen time button near the top switches between Screen time, Notifications received, and Times opened. You can 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.

1. Open the Digital Wellbeing Dashboard.
2. Tap the hourglass icon next to the chosen app.
3. Set the app timer for the maximum time you want to use this app per day.
4. Tap OK.

This is a great way to set daily limits for specific apps on your Android phone.

Bedtime mode

It’s well-documented that using your phone around bedtime can harm your sleep cycles. Bedtime mode is 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 from using Do Not Disturb on Android because you choose the apps to silence.

1. Launch Digital Wellbeing
2. Open Focus mode on the homepage.
3. You’ll see your apps listed in the order of usage. Select the distracting apps you’d like to pause and mute when you need time to focus.
4. If you have a set time to focus on specific days, tap Set a schedule.

5. Specify the start and end time, then select the days you want focus mode to start automatically.
6. Once you’re done, tap Set to save the schedule. Digital Wellbeing automatically starts and ends focus mode on the set day and time. However, you can’t have multiple schedules on the app.
7. If you don’t need a schedule or want to toggle focus mode outside your scheduled time, use the Turn on now button in the Focus mode interface.
8. To take a break or turn off focus mode, use the buttons on the same interface or from the Digital Wellbeing notification on your phone.

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. If you need to use a specific app urgently without turning off Focus mode, open the app and tap Use app for 5 minutes.

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 paying attention to your surroundings.

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 to improve your productivity, gaining a better understanding of your device habits can be beneficial.