If you wish to break your bad smartphone habits of mindlessly scrolling and wasting productive time on your phone, you can set daily time limits on almost all your apps. This can be accomplished through the Screen Time section of your Android device.
This article discusses how to set up time limits on the application level of your Android 12 device, as well as how to delete the time limit set, and what happens after you do it.
Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about setting app time limits on Android 12.
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How to Set App Time Limits on Android 12
There are third-party apps are available for managing your app usage, including Screen Time, Norton Family, and Qustudio. We will, however, concentrate our attention exclusively on the daily app time limits on Android 12.
Your Android phone will allow you to set time limits on almost all of your apps.
To set up a daily app time limit on your Android 12 phone, simply follow these steps:
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- Tap Settings
- Tap Apps
- Tap Screen time
- Select the app to set and control the time limit
- Tap the hourglass timer icon ⌛
- Set the app timer for the selected app
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The time limit can range from 0 minutes (no time limit) to 23 hours and 55 minutes. Time limits are based on 5-minute intervals. Once set, the app timer resets automatically at midnight.
You can also reach Screen Time within the App Info page. The steps to set the time limit will be exactly the same as outlined above.
Reaching the Time Limit Set
You will receive a notification from Digital Wellbeing shortly before the time limit is reached. As an example, the message that I received read, “5 minutes left. You set an app timer for YouTube“. Shortly before the timer expires, the app continues to run, but the screen itself turns grey.
Upon reaching the time limit, your Android phone will notify you that the timer has expired. It will inform you that the timer has expired and it will start over tomorrow.
After you reach this limit, the application will stop working and you will need to wait until the next day to continue using it.
How to Delete App Time Limits on Android 12
You also have the possibility to disable or delete any previously set app time limit.
To delete an already set daily app time limit on your Android 12 phone, simply follow these steps:
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- Tap Settings
- Tap Apps
- Tap Screen time
- Select the app to set and control the time limit
- Tap the hourglass timer icon ⌛
- Tap the Delete Timer button with a trash can.
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After deleting the set timer, you will see a confirmation that it has been deleted.
Can You Set Time Limits on all Android Apps?
While you can set time limits on almost all of your Android apps, you cannot control all apps. Important system apps are excluded from this feature.
For the following apps, you cannot set time limits:
- Phone
- Phone Settings
- Google Play Store
Benefits of Setting Daily App Time Limits
Setting an app timer is a great way to limit screen time and exposure to digital media. The process is straightforward. Applied correctly, it can help you boost productivity and reduce stress.
Here are some benefits of setting daily app time limits on your Android device:
- Reduce screen time – The time limit will prevent your phone from allowing you to use the app continuously each day when you have set one. By doing this, you will be able to reduce your screen time so that you do not spend too much time on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook.
- Protect children from phone addiction – You can use this if you have young kids that need to be restrained in regards to their phone use.
- Limit at an app level, as opposed to at the phone level – Apps are not created equally. Apps can bolster productivity while others can detract from it. By setting time limits on an application level, you can determine which applications are helpful and which ones are not. As long as you actively use these apps, the timer continues to run until it reaches the threshold set.
Final Words: Set App Time Limits on Your Android Phone
