How to Make Your Phone Less Addictive

About this episode

While "digital detoxing" is a trending topic online, actually cutting back on screen time can be surprisingly difficult. If you feel constantly distracted by notifications popping up on your phone, or you can’t stop mindlessly scrolling, some simple strategies can help. This episode, Wirecutter tech writer Brenda Stolyar discusses how to reset your relationship with your phone and reclaim your attention. Brenda walks us through how to perform a screen time audit, how to better manage notifications, and how built-in iOS and Android features can make your device less addictive without forcing you to switch to an impractical dumb phone. Plus, Brenda shares how gamified focus apps and physical blocking devices like the Brick create friction and build healthier digital habits. This episode covers: • Auditing your screen time: How to check your daily device usage, app breakdowns, pick-up counts, and notification totals using Apple’s Screen Time or Android's Digital Wellbeing settings. • Reducing notification overload: Switch lock screen notifications to "count" view or set up scheduled notification summaries to prevent constant interruptions. • Why a dumb phone isn’t always th