The new Pause Point feature in Android 17 wants to stop you doomscrolling — and it’s something I’ll be turning on right away
Publish Date: 2026-05-16 19:30:00
Source Domain: www.techradar.com
Ahead of the big Google I/O 2026 event on May 19, Google hosted a more focused preview with The Android Show this week, announcing some of the features it will roll out to users soon with the Android 17 update.
There was a lot to take in, including a more proactive and more personalized Gemini experience, but it was the Pause Point feature that caught my eye: the ability to set 10-second timers that appear before you open certain apps.
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I’ve been looking for ways to cut down on how much time I spend on my phone — and I think I’ll find Pause Point very helpful.
The problem: too many distractions
I already have a Do Not Disturb mode set up for my phone during working hours, which means that it’s not going to ping or buzz with every single WhatsApp and Instagram notification that comes in (every alert hijacks your brain for seven seconds, by the way). A few specific contacts can trigger a proper notification, but only a few.
However, whenever I do pick my phone up for whatever reason — maybe to start a podcast, log how much water I’m drinking, or look something up — I find myself drawn to a quick check of X or Instagram, or whichever WhatsApp group chats have had another dozen messages added to them while I’ve been looking away.
Another 20 minutes go by and I haven’t really achieved anything of note by the time I put my phone down again, though I may have come across a couple of interesting memes or online controversies (which I’ll soon forget about).
This is a good day in terms of Instagram usage (Image credit: Future)
There’s a lot going on in all of these apps all of the time, but if I’m…
