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Netflix introduces timer to help you kick your binge-watching habit

Netflix has introduced a timer function (Getty)
Netflix has introduced a timer function (Getty)

One of our favourite pastimes during this (and the other) lockdowns has been binge-watching TV shows, yet, sometimes we do wish we spent a little less time staring at screens.

If you want to reduce your screen time or simply want to drag out Bridgerton that little bit longer, streaming giant Netflix has introduced a new feature to help with that.

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Netflix’s new Timer feature has been added to “give viewers more control over their day and their Netflix experience”.

The next time you’re watching something on your phone, you might notice a small clock on the top right corner labelled ‘Timer’.

The timer will allow users to choose between 15, 20 and 45 minutes or to finish the show (Netflix)
The timer will allow users to choose between 15, 20 and 45 minutes or to finish the show (Netflix)

By clicking on this, you can select 15, 20 or 45 minutes or even ‘finish show’ to tell the app when you want to stop watching.

When the time runs out, it will politely tell you that it’s time to put your phone down and get on with something else.

The new feature is only in its test phase at the moment, which means not everyone will have it just yet.

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Its global test phase will see those with Android phones and who have adult profiles on the site get the feature before it’s rolled out to all devices and profiles.

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Once the Timer feature is completely rolled out, it could make a great option for limiting kids screen time instead of allowing shows to autoplay.

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Those who tend to fall asleep while watching shows could find it useful too. If you feel yourself drifting, set the timer for 15 minutes and, if you do fall asleep, it will stop playing after the allotted time and conserve your phone's battery.

However, for those who don’t use the timer, the autoplay function will be in place as normal, so you can still watch as much as you like.

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