Digital Wellbeing Archives

AppWizard

January 13, 2026

How to set up Android Parental Controls on your kid’s phone

Google has enhanced parental control features for Android users through the Family Link app, which allows parents to manage their children's device usage. A significant update in December 2025 introduced a dedicated parental controls settings page within the Settings app for Google Pixel devices running Android 16 or newer. This update streamlines the process, allowing parents to implement controls easily without using a separate app. Parents can access both Family Link and device limits from one location, with options to password-protect settings. The setup process includes selecting a supervising Google account and reviewing various control options. The integration with the Family Link app remains, allowing further management from a parent's device. The Google Pixel 10 is highlighted as a device that supports these enhanced parental controls, featuring a triple-camera setup and a powerful Tensor G5 chip.

BetaBeacon

December 1, 2025

5 of the best new Android apps you need to try this December

OmniTools is an app that contains a variety of smaller tools for users, including unit conversion, math tools, and a toolkit with features like a bubble level and compass. The app has a colorful UI and offers a range of useful tools for different purposes.

AppWizard

December 1, 2025

December Sees The Arrival Of Five New Apps For Android

- Comet is a new mobile browser built on the Chromium engine that offers features like instant answer cards, ad and tracker blocking, and a global dark mode, enhancing news consumption with concise summaries that can expand into detailed articles. - Sift is a recipe management app that allows users to choose their preferred AI provider for parsing and suggestions, excels in importing recipes from various websites, and features a minimalist design without social media distractions. - Escape Launcher is a minimalist home screen app that includes a clock, favorite contacts, and a searchable app drawer, promoting Digital Wellbeing by helping users regain focus and control over their app usage. - Red Dead Redemption is available on Netflix Games for mobile, providing an ad-free experience without in-app purchases, allowing players to explore the open world as John Marston, including the Undead Nightmare expansion pack.

AppWizard

November 14, 2025

Minimal AF: This app rids your Android phone of all distractions

The Olauncher app has an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars from over 60,000 reviews on the Google Play Store. It features a minimalist interface that displays applications as plain text in a vertical list, allowing users to add only eight apps to their home screen. The app minimizes distractions by showing only the date, time, and total screen time, with a daily-changing background wallpaper. Users can lock the screen with a double-tap and access a settings menu by long-pressing an empty area. Olauncher integrates with Android’s Digital Wellbeing settings, allowing users to set daily time limits for specific applications. It is open-source, ad-free, and available for free download on the Play Store and F-Droid store, with a commitment to user privacy and no data collection.

AppWizard

September 29, 2025

What Google Material 3 Expressive redesigns are rolling out [Updated]

In May, Google introduced its new design language, Material 3 Expressive, which is being implemented across various applications following the launch of the Pixel 10 and Android 16 QPR1. Rolling out: - Gmail II: New layout with messages in containers and subtle borders. - Google Chrome: Segmented Material 3 progress indicator, circular containers for actions in the overflow menu, new tab button and switcher in Tab Grid, and thematically colored Tab Group cards. - Google Wallet: App logo change, thicker cards for passes, containers on various pages, enhanced NFC tap-to-pay animation, and new overlay for Pixel users activated by double-tap of the power button. Recent launches: - Google Drive II: Edge-to-edge aesthetic with no main list view container. - Quick Share: Fullscreen experience embracing Material 3 Expressive. - Google Maps: Listings use M3 Expressive containers and actions carousel at the bottom. Fully launched (in alphabetical order): - Digital Wellbeing: Main page refreshed with M3 Expressive elements and thicker donut graphs. - Files by Google: Animated Material 3 carousel on the homepage, pill-shaped toolbar for Quick Share and document scanning, revamped navigation rail, and dedicated toolbar for image editing. - Gmail: Structured layout for email list and messages, swipe gestures trigger pill-shaped animation, redesigned search app bar. - Google Calendar: Time slots in rounded containers, solid background layer for visibility, and FAB menu for creating various items. - Google Meet: Large cards for calls on the homepage, oversized buttons for voice and video calls, and user information in a pill shape. - Google Messages: Organized conversation list and message threads in containers, redesigned 'plus' menu with pill-shaped buttons. These updates aim to provide a more cohesive and visually appealing experience across Google's applications.

AppWizard

September 6, 2025

Pixel’s app drawer gets quick work app schedule button

In the latest update of Android 16 QPR1, Pixel phones now allow users to schedule work applications directly from the app drawer. A new schedule icon is located in the lower right corner of the Work tab, enabling users to pause all work apps and notifications easily. This feature simplifies the process of managing work and personal time, eliminating the need to navigate through complex settings. Users can toggle the scheduling option with a button next to their work apps, enhancing visibility and ease of use.

AppWizard

August 7, 2025

Digital Wellbeing is looking easy on the eyes with its first taste of Material 3 Expressive

Google is overhauling its app interfaces to align with the Material 3 Expressive design language, refreshing various applications across the Android ecosystem. Users in the Android 16 QPR1 Beta or Android Canary track are experiencing Digital Wellbeing version 1.30.785826879.beta, which features a modernized interface with rounded corners and distinct dividers, although the app activity chart uses a subdued color scheme. The redesign is currently evident on the main Digital Wellbeing screen, with further updates anticipated. The rollout strategy allows for user feedback before a broader release to stable Android builds.

AppWizard

July 14, 2025

Pixel phones are getting even better parental controls

A new "Parental controls" feature has been identified in the Android Canary build for Pixel devices, aimed at establishing digital ground rules, setting screen time limits, and filtering content for child safety. This feature was discovered on a Pixel 8 Pro and is currently non-functional. It is expected to align with the "Supervision" tools from Android 16 Beta 4. The upcoming Pixel 10 series, launching on August 20, will include the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold, all equipped with stable Android 16.

AppWizard

July 1, 2025

6 Android phone features that boost productivity

- Android phones, particularly the Google Pixel 6 Pro running on Android 15, offer features that enhance productivity and work-life balance. - The camera can be accessed quickly by double-pressing the power button, and photos can be taken using the Volume Down button. - Bedtime Mode silences the phone, dims the wallpaper, and allows only alarms and essential calls, which can be set up in Settings > Digital Wellbeing and Parental Controls > Bedtime Mode. - Google Messages can be connected to a web browser for easier access to texts and sending messages using a full keyboard by visiting the Google Messages page and following the QR code pairing process. - Important text messages can be pinned to the top of the message list by pressing and holding the conversation and tapping the Pin icon. - App Pin locks the phone screen to a specific app to prevent accidental navigation, which can be enabled in Settings > Security and privacy > More security & privacy > App pinning. - Do Not Disturb can be scheduled for a specific time period by swiping down from the home screen, tapping on Mode, selecting Do Not Disturb, and setting the desired duration.

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

Google is preparing to make Android Settings a bit more colorful

Google is set to transform its Settings homepage in the upcoming Android 16 beta, introducing colorful icons encased in circles, replacing the current gray icons. This redesign aims to enhance the expressiveness of the Settings app and is expected to align with a new Material Design theme at the Google I/O developer conference. The colorful icons may not appear in the initial stable release of Android 16 but could be introduced in a future quarterly update or in Android 17 next year. The 'Digital Wellbeing & parental controls' entry will retain its gray icon due to its origin from a separate app. Feedback from users will influence the final design.