Earlier this year, Google started rolling out Heads up mode, a handy feature that reminds users to stop using their phones while walking. While the feature was initially limited to Pixel phones, it is now available on Android devices running Android 9 Pie and newer.
Heads Up Mode on Android
“With the Heads Up feature, you can get reminders to look up and stay alert when you’re walking and using your phone. Launched first on Pixel earlier this year, Heads Up is now available through the Digital Wellbeing setting on devices running Android 9 and newer,” wrote Google in its blog post.
To access Heads up mode, open Settings app and navigate to Digital Wellbeing and parental controls -> Heads up. If you’re not seeing the feature just yet, you could try updating Digital Wellbeing app from Google Play Store. Even if that doesn’t work, you should get the feature in the coming days.
To set up the feature, you should allow physical activity permission and optional location access. Here, location permission is required to detect if you’re outdoors. You can choose to skip that if you don’t mind getting heads up alerts when you’re walking around in the home or office. After setting up, you will get a pop-up notification whenever the phone detects that you’re using your phone when you’re walking.
The notification alerts typically include the following message:
- Be careful
- Look ahead
- Stay focused
- Look up
- Stay alert
- Watch out
- Watch your step
Google also highlighted the availability of Camera Switches and Project Activate to help users control their phones with facial gestures. You can check our linked guide for detailed instructions to get started with the accessibility feature.
