Digital Wellbeing is a feature on Android developed by Google. It was announced during the Google I/O event 2018 as an approach that would help users learn how to balance their digital lives by tracking how much time they spend on any particular application.
History
Google launched Digital Wellbeing in 2018.6 It was introduced as part of Android 9.0 ("Pie").7 The first stable release was made available in November 2018, exclusively for Google Pixel and Android One devices.8
Features
Digital Wellbeing is installed via the Google Play Store, and appears as an additional item in the settings app.9
Digital Wellbeing includes a dashboard showing the time consumed for each app, the number of notifications received and number of screen unlocks. It also introduces new "Do Not Disturb" and "Wind Down" modes; the latter mode switches the screen to a grayscale mode for a specified start and end night time, to discourage night-time smartphone use.10
External links
References
Schoon, Ben (2020-01-21). "[Update: 3 more] Google releases new digital wellbeing apps for Android". 9to5Google. Retrieved 2022-12-25. https://9to5google.com/2020/01/21/google-digital-wellbeing-apps-android-experiment/ ↩
"आपके डिजिटल वैलबीइंग के लिए गूगल ने लॉन्च किए हैं ये ऐप्स". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 2019-11-04. Retrieved 2022-12-25. https://www.bhaskar.com/tech-knowledge/tech-news/news/google-launches-new-digital-wellbeing-apps-01678629.html ↩
"Google brings a new feature to Digital Wellbeing on smartphones - Times of India". The Times of India. Jan 21, 2020. Retrieved 2022-12-25. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/google-brings-a-new-feature-to-digital-wellbeing-on-smartphones/articleshow/73486766.cms ↩
Whitham, Sophia (2021-06-19). "How to Use or Disable Android's Digital Wellbeing Dashboard". MUO. Retrieved 2022-12-25. https://www.makeuseof.com/use-or-disable-digital-wellbeing-android/ ↩
"Google's new research on digital wellbeing needs your data to dig deeper into user behavior and reduce the risks of smartphone addiction". Business Insider. Retrieved 2022-12-25. https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/googles-new-research-on-digital-wellbeing-needs-your-data-to-dig-deeper-into-user-behavior/articleshow/91760396.cms ↩
"Google's New Apps Want to Help You Control Your Smartphone Usage". Gadgets 360. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 2022-12-25. https://www.gadgets360.com/apps/news/google-digital-wellbeing-experiments-unlock-clock-post-box-we-flip-paper-phone-desert-island-morph-d-2121887 ↩
Amadeo, Ron (2018-09-13). "Android 9 Pie, thoroughly reviewed". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-04-13. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/09/android-9-pie-thoroughly-reviewed/ ↩
Enrique (21 November 2018). "Google's Digital Wellbeing app no longer in beta". GSMArena. Retrieved 2025-04-13. https://www.gsmarena.com/googles_digital_wellbeing_app_no_longer_in_beta-news-34329.php ↩
Amadeo, Ron (2018-09-13). "Android 9 Pie, thoroughly reviewed". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-04-13. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/09/android-9-pie-thoroughly-reviewed/ ↩
Amadeo, Ron (2018-09-13). "Android 9 Pie, thoroughly reviewed". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-04-13. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/09/android-9-pie-thoroughly-reviewed/ ↩