How to Check Screen Time on Android and iOS Devices

Smartphones are no longer just tools for communication; they are now equipped with various technologies that support both entertainment and work-related functions.

As a result, many people spend hours on their phones daily. However, excessive use can negatively impact the body, leading to issues like eye strain and difficulty sleeping.

To address this, you must learn to manage your daily phone usage. Monitoring your activities and the time spent on your device is an essential first step.

Thankfully, this is easy to do. Both Android and iOS phones come with built-in features that allow you to track your screen time. If you’re planning to monitor your cellphone usage, here’s how you can do it:

1. Using Digital Wellbeing Features (Android)

Digital Wellbeing is a feature provided by Google for Android phones, designed to minimize the negative effects of cellphone usage on your health. This feature allows you to view detailed data about your phone usage, such as how often you unlock your screen and the time spent on individual apps.

Most modern Android phones come with Digital Wellbeing pre-installed. However, if it’s not available on your device, you can easily download it from the Google Play Store using this link.

Unlike typical apps with shortcut icons, Digital Wellbeing is integrated into your phone’s settings menu. To access it, simply follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings menu on your phone.
2. Scroll down and find the Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls menu.
3. In this section, you’ll see an overview of your daily phone usage duration.

To view more detailed information for each app, simply select the app. You’ll then see the exact usage duration for that app. Using this data, you can start managing your phone usage more wisely.

One interesting feature of Digital Wellbeing is the ability to set a timer for specific apps or for overall phone usage. This allows you to stop using your phone once you reach the time limit you’ve set.

2. Using Battery Feature (Android)

You can also track how long you’ve been using your phone by checking the battery usage. Similar to the Digital Wellbeing feature, the method for viewing battery usage may vary depending on the phone manufacturer, operating system, and user interface.

For example, here’s how to check battery usage on a Samsung phone:

1. Open the Settings menu.
2. Select the Battery option.
3. Tap on View Details.

In this section, you can see how long your phone has been in use. The duration is calculated from the last full charge (100%) or the last time you charged your phone. This means the data will reset every time you recharge your phone.

Additionally, you can also view how long each app has been used individually.

3. Using the Screen Time Feature (iOS)

Apple also offers a feature similar to Digital Wellbeing on Android, called Screen Time. This feature is available on all iPhone and iPad devices, allowing you to track how long you use your device. Follow these steps to access it:

1. Go to the Settings menu.
2. Scroll down and select Screen Time.
3. Tap on See all app & website activity.

On this page, you will see detailed data on your app usage as well as your overall screen time. This data can be viewed in either daily or weekly formats, allowing you to analyze it more thoroughly.

This feature also allows you to set screen time limits for each app, so you can receive reminders if you’ve been using an app for too long.

These are three easy ways to track how long you’ve been using your phone. Hopefully, this information helps you use your electronic devices more wisely.