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Grayscale mode may help you spend less time on your phone

4 February 2025 · 88 views · 0 likes · 0 reposts · 120 blog views

behavior focus phones productivity research

I came across an interesting study about grayscale mode on smartphones, and the findings really made me think. Turn off screen colors, and your phone becomes less visually appealing, making it easier to put down.

iPhone:

  • Settings / Accessibility / Display & Text Size / Color Filters
  • Toggle Color Filters on, select Grayscale

Researchers tracked participants for 2 weeks: 1 week with normal phone use and another with their screens set to grayscale.

On average, people spent 20 minutes less per day on their phones and felt more in control of their usage. They also reported less stress and reduced online vigilance (less checking notifications).

What’s surprising, though, is that the number of times people unlocked their phones didn’t change. This suggests that while grayscaling reduces overall usage, the habit of checking the phone is deeply ingrained. It's even more interesting - many participants didn’t realize they were using their phones less and found grayscale mode a bit annoying.

It’s a simple trick, but it shows how small design changes can influence our behavior. Might be worth trying if you feel like your phone is taking up too much of your time.

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