Why Turning Your Phone Black & White Cuts Your Screen Time

Your phone is engineered to hijack your attention. The bright colours, red notifications, and vibrant apps all trigger dopamine spikes that keep you scrolling far longer than you intend. But there's a simple, underrated trick that dramatically reduces this pull:

Turn your phone to Black & White (Grayscale).

When you remove colour, you remove 80% of the dopamine reward your brain gets from using your phone. Social media feeds lose their punch. Notifications stop feeling urgent. Even addictive apps like TikTok and Instagram feel flat and boring.

Suddenly, your phone becomes a tool, not a toy.

Why it works

Colour = stimulation. It’s the same principle casinos use to keep people engaged.

Grey = no reward. Your brain stops associating the device with novelty and pleasure.

Friction increases. You naturally get bored faster and put the phone down sooner.

What people notice

Within a few days:

Less scrolling.

Less mindless app-switching.

Fewer dopamine spikes and crashes.

More focus, more calm, and more time back.

It’s not a total cure for phone addiction — but it’s one of the easiest wins you can implement in under 10 seconds.