Quiz · 10 questions

Are you addicted to your phone?

10 honest questions. Takes about a minute.

Phone "addiction" is not a formal medical diagnosis, but problematic phone use is real and measurable: reaching for it on waking, losing time to the feed, restlessness without it, and use that crowds out sleep, work, or movement.

This free phone addiction test asks 10 questions about those patterns and gives you a score from healthy use to a habit worth taking seriously — plus a concrete next step.

Free tool · No sign-up · Estimates for general guidance only — not medical advice.

1. I reach for my phone within a few minutes of waking up.
2. I check my phone with no real reason or notification.
3. I lose track of time when scrolling social media.
4. I feel anxious or restless when my phone isn’t near me.
5. I use my phone in bed and it delays my sleep.
6. I scroll during meals or conversations with people.
7. I’ve tried to cut down my phone use and couldn’t keep it up.
8. I pick up my phone to escape boredom or uncomfortable feelings.
9. My phone use gets in the way of work, study, or exercise.
10. I feel guilty or drained after a long scrolling session.

A score is a start. A system is the fix.

If you landed in borderline or higher, the common thread is that on-screen reminders are too easy to wave away. Walkgate adds a cost you can’t tap past: your chosen apps stay locked until you walk your daily step goal. No one-tap "ignore" on the block; you can pause in Settings, but it resets your streak — so the path of least resistance becomes a walk.

Build the system

How the test is scored

Each of the 10 questions is scored 0 (Never) to 3 (Always), for a total from 0 to 30. The questions are drawn from the patterns that recur across problematic-smartphone-use research: salience (reaching for it first thing), loss of control (failed attempts to cut down), withdrawal-like restlessness, and conflict with sleep, work, and relationships.

Scores of 0–7 suggest healthy use, 8–15 borderline, 16–22 problematic, and 23–30 heavy dependence. The bands are a guide, not a diagnosis — a single hard week can inflate a score.

This is an informational self-check, not a clinical instrument. If phone use is seriously affecting your sleep, mood, or daily functioning, consider speaking with a doctor or mental-health professional.

About the test

Is phone addiction a real condition?
It is not a formal diagnosis in the way substance addictions are, but "problematic smartphone use" is a well-studied pattern with real effects on sleep, attention, and mood. This test measures those patterns; it does not diagnose a disorder.
What are the signs of phone addiction?
Common signs include checking your phone first thing on waking, picking it up with no reason, losing track of time in the feed, feeling anxious without it, using it in bed at the cost of sleep, and failed attempts to cut down. The more of these that fit, the higher your score.
How accurate is this phone addiction test?
It’s a quick self-report screen, so it reflects how you answer on the day — not a clinical assessment. Treat the band as a conversation starter with yourself, and retake it after a week of changes to see movement.
How do I stop being addicted to my phone?
Reduce the friction-free access that feeds the habit. Greyscale, notification cuts, and timers help a little; a physical gate helps more. Walkgate keeps your worst apps locked until you’ve walked your step goal, so reaching for them costs movement instead of a single tap.

Keep going

Screen Time Life Calculator See how many days a year — and years of your life — your phone is quietly taking. Scroll-to-Steps Calculator See the steps, miles, and calories hiding inside your daily scroll time. Daily Step Goal Calculator Get a realistic daily step target based on your age, activity, and goal.