Android 17 will introduce a 'Pause Point' feature that adds a 10-second cooldown before launching distracting apps.

To prevent behaviors like ' doom scrolling ,' where people endlessly scroll through negative news on their smartphones, Android 17 will introduce a 'Pause Point' feature that sets a 10-second interval before a designated 'distracting app' is launched.

Android Pause Point lets you reclaim time on your phone
https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/platforms/android/pause-point/

Android adds a feature to stop you from doomscrolling | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/12/android-adds-a-feature-to-stop-you-from-doomscrolling/

Google tries one more time to stop us from doomscrolling - Neowin
https://www.neowin.net/news/google-tries-one-more-time-to-stop-us-from-doomscrolling/

One way to restrict app usage is to use a timer, but this has the problem that users can snooze it, and completely locking the app isn't practical. Pause Point is a feature that introduces a short break when the app is launched, encouraging users to 'use the app with a clear intention.'

An example of using Pause Point. You will be asked to take a deep breath when the app starts.

Setting short timers of 5, 15, or 30 minutes prevents you from continuously scrolling.

It seems they sometimes suggest alternative apps.

The feature is designed to prevent users from using apps aimlessly, and since disabling it requires restarting the smartphone, it gives users time to consider whether they really want to restart their phone just to disable the feature.

At a press conference regarding the Android 17 update, Google's Dieter Vaughn said, 'I think everyone has had the experience of picking up their smartphone, opening an app, and habitually looking at it, only to realize an hour has passed.' He indicated that while Android is becoming more powerful, they also want to provide ways for users to disconnect from the internet when necessary.