Usage Breaker Results

A Step Toward Digital Wellbeing

As part of our Digital Wellbeing Initiative, we introduced the Usage Breaker, a feature designed to help users reduce unwanted phone use. But did it actually work?

To assess its impact, we combined two key perspectives: objective data from users’ screen time and subjective feedback from surveys. This dual approach allowed us to evaluate not only measurable behavioral changes but also users’ perceptions of the feature’s value.

Before diving into the findings, we want to thank everyone who tested the Usage Breaker and shared their experiences through the surveys. Your input made this evaluation possible 🙏

Modest Usage Decline, But No Causal Link to Feature

One of our central questions was whether the Usage Breaker actually led to a reduction in time spent on apps that users considered unwanted. To explore this, we compared each user’s average daily screen time before and after activating the feature, which can be seen in the following chart.

Half of the users reduced their unwanted app usage by at least 4.2 minutes per day (0.07 hours), with an average reduction of around 6 minutes (0.10 hours). While this trend was modestly positive, it wasn’t statistically significant.

To further assess the effectiveness of Usage Breaker, we examined how usage evolved 30 days before and after the users activated the feature.

We observe a downward trend in average screen time, from 1 hour 40 minutes before activation (indicated by the blue dotted line on the left) to 1 hour 34 minutes after activation (indicated by the blue dotted line on the right). Initially promising, right?

However, when comparing these results to a control group that never enabled the feature (represented by the orange line), a similar decline was observed.

This suggests that the reduction may not be directly caused by the Usage Breaker, but rather by broader trends, such as seasonal effects or growing public awareness of screen time.

This interpretation is supported by subjective feedback.

The median perceived change in unwanted app usage was zero, with the average also close to zero. This means most users felt little to no change in their app usage.

Awareness: The Real Impact

While Usage Breaker may not have significantly reduced screen time, its impact on user awareness was far more noticeable.

We asked users to rate how much the feature helped them become more conscious of their phone habits (1 = not at all, 6 = a lot).

The vast majority (74.88%) gave scores of 3 or higher, indicating a moderate to strong awareness boost.

In addition to users' awareness of their phone use, we were also interested in their subjective opinion on whether their unwanted phone use declined after enabling the Usage Breaker.

While some gave high ratings, most (71.90%) selected 2, 3, or 4, suggesting a moderate but not overwhelming effect. Notably, a substantial fraction of users (11.36%) felt it didn’t help at all.

A Gentle Nudge Users Appreciated

Despite mixed results in terms of measurable impact, many users still experienced meaningful shifts in how they engaged with their phones.

48.83% said the Usage Breaker made them more mindful and intentional about phone use. This suggests the feature fostered self-reflection and supported more deliberate choices. Still, 41.57% saw no major change, and a few even found the feature frustrating or too limiting.

Although not everyone had the same experience, most users continued to use the feature.

By the end of the study, 91.33% of users still had the feature enabled, and 82.18% planned to continue using it. This persistence hints at a different kind of value: not as a strict limiter, but as a helpful, gentle nudge — one users choose to keep.

Next Steps: More Control, Stronger Signals

While the Usage Breaker laid a solid foundation, users had clear ideas for improvements. They liked the concept but asked for more flexibility, stronger signals, and clearer feedback to better support meaningful change.

• More Customization (47.54%): Users requested features such as context-aware triggers and finer control over when and how the feature activates.
• Stronger Alerts (40.52%): Surprisingly, many users requested more intrusive notifications rather than gentle nudges.
• Better Feedback (24.24%): Some users were unsure if the feature was helpful and requested clearer indicators, such as app-specific timers, color-coded warnings, or usage summaries.
• Ease of Use: Encouragingly, only 9.37% found the feature difficult to use.

Final Thoughts

The Usage Breaker may not have led to a significant drop in screen time, but that wasn’t the whole story.

What we did observe was a consistent boost in awareness. And that’s an essential first step. People reflected on their habits, stayed engaged with the feature, and asked for ways to make it even more effective.

We’re taking that feedback seriously and will keep it in mind as we explore future directions for the Usage Breaker.