How to View Screen Time on a Samsung Galaxy

Updated 6 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

This guide shows you how to see how much time you spend on your Samsung Galaxy phone, which apps you use most, and how to set limits if you want to cut back. You can do all of this in the built-in Digital Wellbeing settings, with no extra apps needed.

What You’ll Need

A Samsung Galaxy phone running Android 10 or newer (Digital Wellbeing is included on all recent models).
Your phone’s unlock method (PIN, pattern, or biometric) to access some settings.

Step-by-Step

Open Settings. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notification panel, then tap the gear icon in the top right corner. Alternatively, find the Settings app in your app drawer.
Find Digital Wellbeing. Scroll down in the Settings menu and tap “Digital Wellbeing and parental controls.” This is usually located near the bottom, between “Battery” and “Device care.”
View your dashboard. The top of the Digital Wellbeing screen shows a circular graph of your phone usage for the current day. Below that, you’ll see a bar chart for the last week. Tap on the graph to see a detailed breakdown.
See app usage details. On the detailed screen, you’ll see a list of your most-used apps, each with the total time spent today. Tap any app to see its specific screen time, how many times you opened it, and how many notifications it sent.
Check usage by day. At the top of the detailed view, you’ll see a calendar icon. Tap it to select a different day and see that day’s usage. You can also swipe left or right on the bar chart to move between days.
Set app timers (optional). To limit your time on a particular app, go back to the main Digital Wellbeing screen, find the app in the list, and tap the hourglass icon next to it. Set a daily time limit (e.g., 30 minutes). When you reach the limit, the app will pause for the rest of the day.
Use Focus mode (optional). In Digital Wellbeing, tap “Focus mode.” Choose which apps you want to pause temporarily, then tap “Turn on now.” You can also schedule it to turn on automatically at certain times or days.
Check bedtime mode (optional). Tap “Bedtime mode” in Digital Wellbeing to schedule a time when your screen goes grayscale and notifications are muted. This helps reduce late-night phone use.

Common Mistakes

Looking for a separate app. Digital Wellbeing is not a separate download; it’s a built-in section in Settings. If you can’t find it, you might be looking in the wrong place—check under “Settings > Digital Wellbeing” directly.
Confusing screen time with data usage. Screen time measures how long your screen is on or how long an app is open. Data usage measures how many megabytes or gigabytes an app consumes. They are different metrics shown in different places.
Expecting real-time updates. The dashboard updates periodically, not every second. If you just closed an app, it may take a minute or two for the time to appear.
Forgetting to check the day. The main dashboard always shows today’s usage. If you want yesterday’s or last week’s, you need to tap the calendar icon or the bar chart.

Tips

Use the weekly view. The bar chart at the top of Digital Wellbeing shows your usage for the last seven days. Tap it to see which days you used your phone most, and compare weekdays to weekends.
Set a daily phone timer. In Digital Wellbeing, tap the phone icon or “Dashboard” and then the hourglass next to “Phone.” This sets a total screen time limit for the entire device, not just one app.
Check notifications. The app list shows how many notifications each app sends. If you’re overwhelmed, tap the app and then “Notifications” to turn off non-essential alerts.
Use the “Show icon on app screen” toggle. In Digital Wellbeing settings (three-dot menu), you can add a small icon to your app list that shows your daily screen time at a glance.

Troubleshooting

Digital Wellbeing is missing. On some older Samsung models or if you have a work profile, the feature might be hidden. Go to Settings, tap the search bar at the top, and type “Digital Wellbeing.” If it doesn’t appear, check for a system update in Settings > Software update.
Screen time shows zero for an app you just used. Wait a few minutes and pull down to refresh the dashboard (or close and reopen Settings). If it still shows zero, restart your phone.
App timers are not working. Make sure you’re setting the timer on the correct app. Also, check that you haven’t accidentally paused the timer in the notification panel. When an app is paused, you’ll see a notification saying “App paused”—tap it to allow more time if needed.
Usage data seems too high. Some apps run in the background and count toward screen time if they have a visible notification or are playing audio. Check the app’s detailed view to see if “Background usage” is listed. You can restrict background activity in the app’s battery settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Digital Wellbeing track all apps?

Yes, it tracks all apps that are installed on your phone, including system apps like Settings and the Phone app. However, some system processes may not appear in the list.

Can I see screen time for a specific date in the past?

Yes, tap the calendar icon at the top of the Digital Wellbeing dashboard to select any past date. You can see daily usage for up to several weeks back.

Will screen time reset at midnight?

Yes, the daily count resets at midnight. The weekly chart shows the last seven full days, not a rolling 168-hour window.

Can I export or share my screen time data?

No, Samsung does not provide a built-in export feature. You can only view the data on the phone. Some third-party apps can read this data, but they require permissions and are not officially supported.

Does screen time include time when the screen is off but an app is playing audio?

No, screen time only counts when the screen is on and the app is in the foreground. Background audio or downloads do not count toward screen time.

Can I set a different limit for each day of the week?

No, app timers and the phone timer use a single daily limit for every day. You can only set one value, not different values for weekdays and weekends.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.