What is the blue light filter and how to activate it on Android phones

When we use our electronic devices, be it a mobile phone, a tablet, a computer or any other that has a screen, we are exposed to a specific range of the visible light spectrum with high energy content.

What is the blue light filter

This range of light is commonly known as blue light. The consequences of continued exposure to blue light can vary from person to person. However, the most common symptoms are eye fatigue, headache, or reduced feeling of drowsiness. In order to alleviate these symptoms, most of the operating systems on the market include, natively, a filter that reduces exposure to blue light. This function is responsible for drastically reducing the blue light emitted by the screen of our device, preventing us from losing the sensation of sleep just before sleeping or suffering from other types of pathologies derived from prolonged use of the screen.

How to filter blue light

You can filter the blue light using the operating system tools or using third-party apps if you have an Android version prior to 7.0. We explain both methods below.

How to activate the blue light filter on my Android device

Activating the blue light filter on an Android terminal is a very simple task. The first thing you should do is open the phone settings and access the section Display.

Screen Settings.jpg

Then click on Night light.

Night light settings.jpg

To immediately activate the blue light filter, tap Turn on now.

Activate blue light filter

Immediately, the screen will begin to turn yellowish. The blue light range has been blocked. Can regulate the intensity of the filter with the slider that you have under the statement Intensity. The further to the right you move the bar, the more blue light will be blocked. Therefore, the more yellow or orange the screen will appear. Conversely, if you slide the control to the left, the panel will become whiter. In that case, a greater amount of blue light will be emitted.

Adjust the intensity of the blue light filter

Likewise, it is possible to program the activation of the blue light filter to activate automatically at a specific time. To do so, click on Schedule.

Program blue light filter

With option Turns on at custom time you can specify a specific activation time.

Activate according to custom schedule

With setting Turns on from sunset to sunrise the blue light filter will turn on at sunset and turn off the next morning at sunrise.

Activate with sunrise and sunset

Both automatic adjustments will use the intensity that you have previously defined in the section Intensity. Remember that, if you have other devices with modern operating systemsLike laptops with MacOS or Windows 10 or terminals with iOS or iPadOS, you can also configure the blue light filter in a similar way.

How to activate the blue light filter with apps in versions prior to Android 7

If your device has been stuck in a version prior to Android 7.0, it does not have the blue light filter natively. However, you can use Twilight to activate it. To download and install this application on your phone, use the link below.

to download

Then, open Twilight and grant the necessary permissions by clicking on Allow.

Grant necessary permissions

Active Allow display over other apps.

Allow Twilight to show on other apps

Go back to Twilight and start the filter setup. Using the upper controls, you can adjust the color, intensity and brightness of the screen.

Adjust display temperature and tone

If you prefer, set a activation schedule. Do it by modifying the options that you will find in the section Filter times. If you choose to use automatic activation using sunrise and sunset as a reference, you must allow the application to access the location.

Activate blue light filter according to schedule

Once the configuration is finished, you will see that the screen has changed its tone. This application is compatible with Android 4.1 on and, thanks to that, you can use it on practically any device.