Focus Mode is a feature that comes with the Digital Wellbeing app on Android 9 and later. It is designed to block annoying apps and notifications. Rather than temporarily changing system-wide settings to stay focused, it pauses specific apps that you might find distracting.
Focus mode offers great utility for people who find it difficult to stay focused on the task. Let’s see exactly what it does and how you use it.
What is focus mode?
The Digital Wellbeing app on Android is all about managing and tracking notifications, time spent using apps, and app permissions to avoid distractions and interruptions. It offers Dashboard, Bedtime Mode, and Focus Mode as ways to disconnect during certain parts of the day.
With Digital Wellbeing, you can also manage app-specific notification sounds, configure Do Not Disturb, configure parental controls, and enable Heads Up, a feature that helps break the habit of walking and using your phone simultaneously .
Focus mode differs from Dash, where you can set time limits for specific apps, and Bedtime mode, where you can toggle or schedule your phone to turn off notifications and set the display to black and white.
Instead, Focus Mode pauses your most distracting apps, along with all of their notifications.
You can’t access apps – which you choose yourself – when they’re paused, and a message will appear when you tap one. The message informs you that it is not available, but offers a 5-minute break if you need to check for possibly urgent messages or notifications.
Before setting up Focus mode, check the Dashboard stats to see which apps are distracting you the most.
Focus mode is the most versatile option for people who don’t need system-wide changes to stay focused on the task. You can use it with productivity-boosting Android apps, which can deliver amazing results.
So you can use your phone as usual with Focus Mode, without any distractions from specific apps that might keep you focused!
How to use focus mode
Head toward Settings > Digital Wellbeing > Focus Mode, or access it via quick shortcuts by swiping down twice on the notification bar. Once opened, you’ll see a list of apps you use most often. To see all apps on your phone, swipe down the list and tap Show all apps.
Now select the apps you want to pause when Focus Mode is on. To activate the focus mode, activate it by pressing Switch on now Where Set a schedule.
Activate focus mode manually
Switching focus mode is simple. After selecting the apps you want to pause, just tap Switch on now. Focus mode will remain active until you turn it off.
You can type Deactivate nowor you can touch Take a break to temporarily disable Focus mode. However, breaks are limited to three options:
- 5 minutes
- 10 minutes
- 30 minutes
Set a schedule in Focus mode
To set a schedule for Focus Mode, open the Digital Wellbeing app, tap Focus modeand touch Set a schedule. Here you can change its start and end times, as well as the days of the week you want it to activate automatically.
Once you have set your preferred time, press Set > Activate Now. Focus mode will turn on and off automatically based on your settings. It will show a notification either way a few minutes before turning on or off.
Focus mode: ideal for staying focused on the task
Focus mode is one of the great options in the feature list of the Digital Wellbeing app that helps you stay focused on your task and minimize distractions from mobile devices. One of the reasons it’s so great is that it doesn’t affect your entire system, just the apps you find most annoying. This makes it the least intrusive option for removing interruptions from mobile devices.
And there are plenty of other features in Digital Wellbeing on Android worth exploring.