Technology
How to check screen time on Android
It’s easy to lose track of how much time you spend on your phone. Whether you’re scrolling through social media, playing games, or messaging friends, your screen time can add up quickly.
Fortunately, the best Android phones and best Android tablets offer a handy feature that lets you monitor and manage your screen time.
What is the Android version of Screen Time called?
If you’re wondering how much time you spend on your phone, Android has you covered, with a feature called “Digital Wellbeing.” It’s pretty much Android’s equivalent of Apple’s ‘Screen Time’, if you’re familiar with the best iPhones.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
With Digital Wellbeing, you can track your app usage, how often you unlock your device, and even how many notifications you receive. It’s about helping you better manage your screen time so you can develop healthier digital habits.
How to check your screen time on an Android device
Checking your screen time on an Android device is super easy. This is how you do it:
- First, unlock your phone and open the ‘Settings’ app. You can find it in your app drawer or by tapping the gear icon in your notification center.
- Once you’re in ‘Settings’, scroll down until you see ‘Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls’ and tap it.
- Here you’ll see a dashboard with a summary of your screen time, including which apps you’ve used the most, how many unlocks and notifications you’ve received. Tap the dashboard for a more detailed overview.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Now you can see exactly where your time goes when you’re on your phone.
Do Android Phones Have Screen Time Limits?
The short answer: yes, they do. Android phones let you set limits on your screen time through the same ‘Digital Wellbeing’ feature.
You can set app timers that limit how long you can use specific apps per day. Once you reach this limit, the chosen apps will be paused for the rest of the day.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
To set this up:
- Open your ‘Settings’, go to the ‘Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls’ section and tap the dashboard.
- This will show you a list of the apps on your device and how much time you spend on each app.
- Tap the hourglass icon next to the app you want to restrict and set the amount of time you want to give yourself to use it each day.
This feature is useful for apps that you can’t put down, like social media or games.
How to reduce your screen time
As mentioned earlier, setting limits for your apps can help you control your usage. ‘Digital Wellbeing’ also has a ‘Focus Mode’ that lets you pause distracting apps when you need to focus. You can enable it manually or schedule it for specific times of the day.
Plus, ‘Bedtime Mode’ helps you relax before going to bed by putting your phone on silent and turning the screen to grayscale, making it less appealing to use.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Elsewhere, you can limit your notifications to only essential apps. You can do this in the app settings by adjusting the notification preferences per app.
Finally, it can also be a good habit to set reminders to take a break from your screen. This can be done using built-in features on your phone or through third-party apps designed to help manage screen time.
Using these tools and tips will give you better control over your screen time and ensure your Android phone or tablet usage stays healthy and balanced.
