How to Set Up Digital Wellbeing on Android
Android’s Digital Wellbeing feature tracks your daily screen time, notifications, and phone unlocks. The Digital Wellbeing feature is accessible through your device’s settings. You need to enable it as it’s not on by default. Here’s how to set it up.
Keep Your Screen Time in Check
The Digital Wellbeing app has two types of tools to help you reduce screen time and distractions: Ways to disconnect and Reduce interruptions. Ways to disconnect include app timers, bedtime mode, and focus mode. The Reduce interruptions sections has shortcuts to app notification management and Do Not Disturb mode.
How to Set Up App Timers
To cut down on screen time, you can set a daily timer for the apps you use the most, so you don’t get stuck down the Instagram rabbit hole or playing a game when you should be working or interacting with others. Once you’ve hit the limit, you’ll get a notification that the timer ran out, the app icon will grey out, and you won’t be able to open it until after midnight unless you turn it off manually.
How to Set Up Bedtime Mode
Bedtime mode helps you wind down by silencing your phone and turning the screen grayscale, so you’re not staying up late scrolling through social media or reading. You can set up the bedtime mode based on a schedule or when you plug in the phone to charge before heading to bed. In both scenarios, you set a sleep time and wake time. Tap Customize to have Do Not Disturb to turn on when you go to sleep and choose whether the screen goes grayscale.
How to Use Focus Mode
Focus mode lets you temporarily pause apps manually or on a schedule. You can choose the time and day of the week or multiple. From here, you can also take a break from focus mode if you need some time to goof around.
How to Reduce Interruptions in Digital Wellbeing
In the Reduce Interruptions section, you can manage app notifications and turn on do not disturb mode.
Manage Kids’ Screen Time With Parental Controls
The last section is for parental controls. You can manage a child’s account if you are the default parent account on their device.
Set Up Parental Controls On Your Phone
You can start setting up parental controls from the Digital wellbeing settings page, but then you’ll need to install Family Link, a Google app. The app requires that both you and your child have a Google account.
Set Up Your Child’s Phone
You’ll need to link your email accounts on your child’s phone before you can manage their screen time and other settings.
