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How to check screen time on Android: Make sure you're using your time wisely
We use our phones daily to communicate with people via text, phone call, email — you name it. But we are also guilty of wasting time on our phones. These little gadgets are time-sucking machines that can keep you staring for hours. How much time do you spend on your phone? You might be surprised to learn how much screen time you clock daily. Here’s how to check screen time on Android devices.
QUICK ANSWER
The easiest way to check screen time on Android is by using the Digital Wellbeing menu. Go to Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls > Dashboard and check the time under Screen time.
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Editor’s note: The steps in this article were put together using a Google Pixel 7 running Android 14. Some of these instructions may differ, depending on your hardware and software.
How to check screen time on Android
You can look at your screen on time using the Digital Wellbeing feature within your settings. Here, you can see where you spend your time, how many times you unlock your phone, and so much more.
You might want to learn how to handle your screen-on time better and regain control of your life. Keep reading if you think you’re looking at your phone too long!
How to check screen time on Android:
- Open the Settings app.
- Select Digital Wellbeing & parental controls.
- Hit Dashboard.
- Check the time under Screen time.
What is Digital Wellbeing?
Digital Wellbeing is a built-in tool that will help you manage your interaction with your smartphone, or monitor your kid’s phone activity. Aside from checking how much time you’re spending in each of your apps, you can set goals and timers to help lessen the time you spend in front of your screen.
Other features include the ability to set a Bedtime mode that will disable most functions while you sleep. There is also Focus mode, which can pause distracting apps temporarily. You can also manage things like notifications, Do Not Disturb mode, Flip to Shhh, and more.
It’s no secret that our phones are important and necessary, but do they need to take up such substantial time chunks out of our days? Google created Digital Wellbeing to help people easily disconnect throughout the day and at the end of the day.
How to use Digital Wellbeing on Android
Using Digital Wellbeing on Android is as simple as opening it. It comes pre-installed on your device, and you don’t have to log in to anything to access your screen time information. It will also show your recent screen time for all your apps. If you tap on a specific app’s name, you can see a breakdown of your historical time spent on that app.
There are a few different features within Digital Wellbeing that you can customize to fit your needs. For a brief overview, keep reading.
Digital Wellbeing App timers
If there is a specific app that you can’t force yourself to stop using or cut back on, this feature is excellent. You can allow yourself a particular amount of time daily on various apps. Once you’ve hit your screen time limit for the day, you cannot use that app until the timer resets at midnight.
How to set app timers:
- Open the Settings app.
- Select Digital Wellbeing & parental controls.
- Hit Dashboard.
- Tap on Show all apps.
- Find the app you want to set a timer for.
- Select the hourglass icon to the right of the app.
- Pick how long you want to be able to use the app daily.
- Press OK.
Digital Wellbeing Bedtime mode
Bedtime mode can do multiple things to help you keep screen time to a minimum. For starters, you can turn Do Not Disturb mode on, set the screen to grayscale, and keep the screen dark. Bedtime mode allows you to pick which of these features are activated. You can set the times and days you want to use bedtime mode, and it’ll automatically turn on and off, so you don’t even have to worry about remembering it. Additionally, you can make it so that Bedtime mode only turns on while the phone is plugged in during charging.
How to set Bedtime mode:
- Open the Settings app.
- Select Digital Wellbeing & parental controls.
- Hit Bedtime mode.
- Go through the Bedtime routine and Customize options. Make your selections.
- To try it, tap on Turn on now.
Digital Wellbeing Focus mode
Focus mode is one of the best things Digital Wellbeing has to offer. Focus mode grays out disabled apps. This forces you to stop using your phone as a crutch and get stuff done. You can choose which apps are allowed and which apps are not.
Of course, you can turn Focus mode off and on whenever you please. So, it will ultimately be up to you to exercise willpower and not turn Focus mode off until you finish your task. When all of your apps are grayed out, it serves as a reminder that you need to focus. Hopefully, that will motivate you to keep screen time to a minimum!
How to use Focus mode:
- Open the Settings app.
- Select Digital Wellbeing and parental controls.
- Hit Focus mode.
- Tap on Show all apps.
- Select distracting apps.
- Hit Turn on now.
- You can also tap on Set a schedule to automatically pick when you want Focus mode to go on and off.
Digital Wellbeing Parental controls
Digital Wellbeing is a great way to monitor your child’s screen time. To use the parental controls through Digital Wellbeing, you must download the Family Link app from the Google Play Store. You’ll have to set everything up on your phone, and then on your child’s phone.
Once everything is set up, you can monitor your child’s screen time, set time limits for them, disable their apps at bedtime, and more.
If you’re interested, we have a full guide on setting up Google Family Link.
FAQs
There are multiple reasons why spending too much time on your screen isn’t the best use of your time. For starters, too much screen time is usually linked with health issues. This is generally because we don’t tend to be physically active if we stare at a screen all day. Not to mention, screens tend to affect our sleep. Also important is the fact that it eats your time, though. Instead of endlessly scrolling through social networks, you can spend that time with your family, working, exercising, and more.
Strictly speaking about sleeping issues, there are multiple ways to improve screen time’s adverse effects on us. For starters, you can use adaptive brightness to dim the screen when it’s dark. Just go to Settings > Display > Adaptive brightness. You can also use Dark Mode or Night Light to ease the strain on your eyes and mind. Both are on the same menu as Adaptive brightness.
There is no magic number of hours that can be considered healthy for screen time. According to the Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, adults should limit their screen time to less than two hours a day (outside of work). Otherwise, people should spend that time exercising or doing other activities.
By default, Digital Wellbeing can only be found in the settings, but there is a way to make it show up as an app in your app list. Go to Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls and toggle on Show icon in the app list.