How do I use my iPhone’s Focus modes to stop doomscrolling social media

As exciting as the rise of new social networks like Bluesky is, we may be in the worst time of the year for social media. Not only are users in the US picking up the pieces after a stressful election season, but the upcoming holidays mean it’s easier than ever to get distracted by whatever’s happening on your phone.

If, like me, you’re trying to cut down on destructive social media apps, your iPhone has arrived it has some tools you can use to help curb your habit. Here’s how I plan to use my iPhone’s Focus mode to limit social media and how you can do it too.

Place distractions out of reach

Focus modes were added with iOS 15 in 2021, primarily as a way to control and limit app notifications. Apple had individual notification settings for each app until then, but there’s no easy way to remove those settings later.

The power of Focus modes has increased slightly over time, and now the feature allows you to change notification settings and even the content of your home screen in a snap. I think the best way to stay off social media is to put apps out of your reach and that doesn’t just mean putting them where you can’t access them, but also keeping those apps out of your reach.

Limit social media app notifications

With the new Focus mode, you can specifically block notifications from apps like Threads, Instagram, Bluesky, and anything else that bothers you throughout the day with notifications.

1. Open the Settings operating system.
2. Tap Concentrate.
3. Tap on the merge icon in the upper right corner.
4. Tap Custom.
5. Enter a name for your new Focus mode and choose an icon and color.
6. Tap Applications under Allow Notifications.
7. Tap Add Apps and select the apps you want to receive notifications from (don’t select any public apps).
8. Tap Done then tap Back.

You can stop there and maybe have more peace of mind by getting fewer notifications, but you have to go much further.

Hide social media apps from your home screen

Each Focus mode can be set to a specific home screen and watch face on your Apple Watch. You should first create a new home screen around your current home screen without the social media apps, but with whatever widgets and apps you will need. Then you can go back to Settings to bind the home screen to your new focus mode.

1. Open the Settings operating system.
2. Tap Concentrate.
3. Tap on the name of your Focus mode.
4. Scroll to Customize Screens section and press Organize under the middle option.
5. Tap on the home screen you made (make sure it’s the only one selected).
6. Tap Done.

Now, when you turn on your Focus mode, your home screen will change at the same time and hide social media apps from your app library. If that’s not enough to stop you from being forced to scroll through your problematic app, we can also set a Screen Time limit.

You can and should set a time limit

If you’ve never used it before, Screen Time lets you monitor how much time you use your phone each day and what you use it for the most. You can also use the information Apple collects about how long you use apps to set limits (Apple calls them App Limits) on how long you can use them before you’re locked out.

1. Open the Settings operating system.
2. Tap Screen Time.
3. Tap Application limitations.
4. Tap For the community and change the applications you want to install.
5. Tap Addselect the amount of time you want to be able to use the app and what days you want the limit to be.
6. Tap Add.

Unlike Focus mode, Screen Time features like App Limits are always on, so you have less control over when you might not be able to access a particular app. And it’s a lot easier to move around if you don’t have much energy to begin with. That’s better than nothing, but you may want to consider other options if it becomes a problem.

You are in control of your phone

Don’t let apps rule your life

The tools that come built into iOS may not go the way you need to completely prevent you from using distracting apps, but it’s the first thing you should try if you’re looking for a change. If you need something more powerful, Pocket-lint has compiled a list of apps that you can use to limit your smartphone usage the way you choose. We’ve been stuck with smartphones long enough that it might feel like the way they work is the only way they can work, but you own it, and you should be able to use it in a way that feels healthy to you.

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