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How to manage your screen time on an Android phone or tablet
Time to keep a tab on your phone usage habits
So, you upgraded to the latest Google Pixel 8 and now spend your days enjoying your new smartphone. But don't forget that, like any technology, smartphones are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they put the world's knowledge at your fingertips. On the other hand, they let you drown in the unending depth of social media.
Google's new screen time widget puts your doomscrolling habits front and center
Since apparently none of us can get off our phones
If you haven't heard, widgets are back in a big, big way. Just days after Android's new battery widget launched for Pixel phones, Google has returned with another helpful tool destined to find a permanent place among the icons on your home screen. A new screen time widget is the perfect way to keep an eye on your phone use, all without diving into another app.
Android 12 might not bury screen-on time stats after all
Hopefully they will be just as useful as they were in Android 11 and older
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While there are many things to love about Android 12, we were bummed to find out that the screen-on time stat disappeared in Beta 1, and it hasn't returned in Beta 2 either. We were almost ready to accept that Google decided to scrap this useful statistical insight into our phones' battery lives, but thankfully, it looks like screen-on time is set to return in a future Android 12 update.
Digital Wellbeing is so frustrating that I wish it were more like iOS Screen Time
Tim Apple can have this one
I find myself doomscrolling on Twitter more often than I’d like to admit, so I've implemented a program to cut down my phone usage, involving some self-discipline and Android’s Digital Wellbeing tools. So far, that effort's proven fruitful, but every time an app timer runs out, the ensuing pop-up makes me furious at how inconsiderate Android's system is by design — and leaves me wishing it were more like iOS’s alternative.
Microsoft's Family Safety is now available on Android and iOS
Keep track of family members, no matter what platform they're using
Microsoft announced last month that its new Microsoft 365 subscription service (formerly Office 365) would offer some family-oriented features, like a new 'Family Safety' app that combines screen time data across multiple platforms and provides tracking information. Following two months of a public beta program, Microsoft has today shared that the app is going stable.
Xbox Family Settings app for managing your kids' gaming lands on Play Store
It's a "Preview" and looks a bit light on features compared to on-device controls
Microsoft has just rolled our a preview version of a new Xbox Family Settings app. available now on the Play Store. The new app promises the ability to remotely manage some of your family group settings for compatible Xbox consoles (and, seemingly, in Windows). That means you can add family members to your account, view weekly or daily activity reports, and impose limits like screen time restrictions and content/game ratings all from your phone.
Office 365 is now Microsoft 365, new Outlook features and screen time app coming to Android
The screen time app will combine data across Windows, Android, and Xbox
Microsoft introduced Office 365 in 2011 as a new subscription model for the company's popular suite of office applications, but it has gradually expanded in scope since then. Today it was announced that Office 365 is being renamed to Microsoft 365, and there are new features for both consumers and large organizations alike.