How do you restrict apps on Android for those of us with no will power ?

Posted 4th May 2023

Really want to get rid of social media apps on my phone, but I just end up downloading them again when I get bored....

Could put a family protection on my phone but that's so easy to get rid of, just to in app settings and delete the storage on the play store app.

Tried another one like stay focused but same thing, when you turn you phone on the stay focused app doesn't click on straight away so you can just remove the settings if you're fast enough in the app settings!

Im doomed forever to be looking at boring tweets all day instead of doing something productive aren't I?

Anyone tried any other apps or techniques? Seems to be a few out there but none of them are 100% secure! I don't think focused mode works you can just change the limits pretty easy I'm sure... Hmmm

39 Comments

sorted by

bozo007
4th May
Get rid of your smartphone and switch to an old fashioned one. At a minimum, get someone trusted to set up child protection software and block access to these apps, with instructions to not succumb to whatever you demand.

Social media / internet addiction is real and probably worse than tobacco / alcohol but unfortunately, still ignored as a serious mental health issue. The closest thing NHS has is a video games addiction service that was set up for teenagers a few years ago and was supposed to be opened up for this as well.

I know someone who got help outside UK for the same situation and one key reason discovered was loneliness - not just physically being with people but actually interacting with them meaningfully. I obviously don't know if this is applicable to you.

Best wishes! (edited)
Redinho Author
4th May
Do those child protection softwares even work though ? Cos Google has one and it probably works for a child but I can easy turn it off without knowing the code by just going into settings!

I don't think I'm that bad really, it's just a toxic habit of rather replace with something more productive! But even when I take them off I end up finding a new app like hukd to scroll on sometimes! Just need to turn my phone off more probably to break the cycle!
darkstryder360
4th May
I deleted them all, and logged out of all the websites.

After maybe 2/3 days I didn't feel the urge to check them at all. It takes time, but once you're out of the routine, you wont miss them. You just need to find something else to substitute it.

I tried the apps and built in Samsung features to block opening of apps, but you could easily circumvent it, as you say, if need be.
Redinho Author
4th May
Did you keep them on other devices? Was thinking about keeping it on my tablet to use on occasion, just wanna keep them off my phone really so when I'm at work I'm not distracted
Fiendmish
4th May
Ive used this pretty successfully to curb my internet and email use on my phone unpluq.com/

The free version only lets you block two apps and have one schedule. I deleted all the dedicated apps I had for websites like eBay and reddit so I'd have to use the web browser to access them.

The free version has blocking mechanism where you have to press seven buttons that pop up to unlock the apps with. It doesn't stop you using them but in the time it takes me to press the 7 buttons I've normally talked myself out of unlocking the apps and put my phone away.

It means I use my computer more for browsing now and do much less on my phone, so I'm not distracted by it as much when I'm with my kids. (edited)
innocent
4th May
Get rid off Google Play Store.
IAmATeaf
5th May
If you lack basic control and will power then maybe cutting your fingers off is the only real solution?
mutley1
5th May
i think the keyword here is "boredom", so you need to start getting busy, then you won't have time to get bored or to check the apps.

concentrate on that, and you will find your cure.
TristanDeCoonha
4th May
Start putting up a few politically incorrect posts on every site you want to step away from. It won't be long before the admins help you break your habit
plewis00
5th May
That doesn't take much now, just saying you don't like unisex toilets is often dangerous enough!
notalwaysright19
4th May
You've said you have no willpower.

The only thing that will stop you from it, is willpower. Otherwise I don't think there's anything in the whole world that can stop you from accessing social media because you will be able to bypass pretty much any barrier.

You will just have to get completely sick of the effect of social media on you, to eventually get to that point where you just decide enough is enough and then you drop it.

Try replacing it with an interesting alternative. For me, it would be reading.

Good luck 🤞
adam.mt
4th May
Google's Family Link, but obviously, you'd need someone else to set the admin password and not tell you. (edited)
jamie15
5th May
Trying to get rid of them entirely may not be necessary. I used to spend hours endlessly stuck scrolling, but when I decided I wanted to cut this out, I realised it would be far more achievable to reduce time spent instead. On Twitter for example, I have a 1 hour limit per day before the app gets locked away. Of course, this can be bypassed if I chose to, but need that willpower to stick to it. Find that it's much easier to sustain this way over completely leaving.
one_eight_seven
5th May
Deleting the apps will do nothing, like you say you can just download them again when you want instead try deleting NOT deactivating your account and see how you get on then.
plewis00
5th May
Cold turkey, take up a hobby, go for walks/runs/bike rides to fill the time and listen to podcasts instead. As others said, if you need an app to force this out of you, it might not even stick. But as you recognise it's a problem for you, you're probably most of the way there to tackling it.
Redinho Author
5th May
Been trying to do more things in the house lately like pick up my guitar again n stuff. I guess it's when I'm at work sometimes waiting for reports to run I'll just flick on sometimes and it's a bad habit to be doing. Just deleting it off my phone now so I can sit about and watch the cursor spinning instead ha
Easy.Action.Baby
5th May
Send me your passwords.
I will go into your socials accounts and change them.