How to Check Screen Time on Android

Android’s Digital Wellbeing feature shows you your daily screen time and breaks it out by app. It also shows which apps are sending the most notifications. A circle graph at the top of the screen shows which apps you’ve been using. Inside the circle, you can see your total screen time, and underneath that, how many times you’ve unlocked and how many notifications you’ve received.

How to Set Up Digital Wellbeing

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. 

1. Open Settings.

2. Tap Digital Wellbeing & parental controls.

3. Tap Show your data.

4. Tap the three-dot menu on the top right.

5. Select Manage your data.

6. Toggle on Daily device usage.

   

7. Your smartphone will now log app usage, notifications, and device unlocks.

   You can also access Digital Wellbeing via an app shortcut. Scroll down on the main screen and toggle on Show icon in the app list.

Keep Your Screen Time in Check

The Digital Wellbeing app has an array of tools to help you reduce screen time and distractions. There are two types: Ways to disconnect and Reduce interruptions.

App Timers

To cut down on screen time, you can set a 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. When you set a timer, you’re imposing a time limit on how much time you can spend in an app each day. 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.

To set an app timer:

1. Tap Dashboard.

2. You’ll see a list of the apps you use most frequently. Tap an app to view screen time, notifications, and times opened on a daily or hourly clip. Tap the hourglass icon next to an app to set a timer.

   You can also add a timer by tapping App Timer on the app info page.

3. Set a time limit (all timers reset at midnight.)

4. To remove a timer, tap the garbage can icon next to it.

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 an ebook. Tap Customize to enable Do Not Disturb to turn on when you go to sleep or to set it so the screen does not go grayscale.

You can set up 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 for when it should go off.

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.

Under reduce interruptions, you can turn on and off 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. 

Setting 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 require that both you and your child have a Google account.

1. Go to Settings > Digital wellbeing & parental controls.

2. Tap Set up parental controls at the bottom of the screen.

3. Tap Get started on the next screen.

4. Tap Parent.

   

5. You’ll see a prompt to download the Family Link app. Download it and follow the on-screen prompts.

   

Setting Up Your Child's Phone

On your child's phone, you'll need to link your email accounts before you can manage their screen time and other settings.

1. On your child’s phone, go to Settings > Digital wellbeing & parental controls.

2. Tap Set up parental controls at the bottom of the screen.

3. Tap Get started on the next screen.

4. Tap Child or teen.

   

5. Tap add or create account for your child if their account doesn't show up on the screen. Once you've added the account, select it from the list. Then follow the on-screen prompts.