Changing Lock Screen Time Quickly

[JLSchutt]

When I am at home, I like to keep the lock screen time at 5 or 10 minutes to eliminate the need to unlock the phone frequently. However, the best solution I've found to the problem of the phone doing unexpected things after I put it in my shirt pocket to go somewhere is to set the lock screen time to "immediate." Therefore I'd like a way to quickly switch the lock time between 5 minutes and immediate. The brute force way of changing the lock screen time is this:

Settings / Lock Screen / Secure lock settings / (unlock phone - I use a pattern) / Auto lock when screen turns off / (desired time - Immediately or 5 minutes)

Is it possible to automate this sequence with a Bixby routine or some other method? I suspect that the need to perform the unlock method in the middle of the sequence may make it impossible.

 

[Milo Williamson]

My tablet reads:
into display, then scroll down and you will see Screen time out section and I get around 10 minutes if you do not want it to time out.

 

[JLSchutt]

Milo, I think the first part of your sentence is missing. My post does not refer to Screen Timeout but rather to Lock Screen Timeout. That is the time interval after which you have to unlock the device again.

 

[puppykickr]

Use Greenify as an assistant app.

This will make a long press of the 'home' (center) navigation button lock the device immediately, regardless of the timed setting you have selected (which will still work otherwise).

Another app solution is to use Proximity Service, which will not lock the phone- but will turn the screen off whenever the screen is covered, just as in a call and the phone is at your ear.

https://greenify.en.uptodown.com/android

https://github.com/ssaqua/ProximityService/releases/download/v2.2.6/app-release.apk

 

[puppykickr]

You do not need to use Greenify as it is intended.

The assistant lockscreen function is an added feature that is not dependent upon the main functions of the app, and can be used alone.

 

[JLSchutt]

Since I made the original post three weeks ago I've decided that the best solution for me is simply to set the screen lock time to "immediate" and leave it there. When the phone is in my pocket, it will never wake up and become unlocked on its own just by moving around in the pocket. It isn't all that often during the day at home that I can't take the extra second or two to unlock the phone after waking it up.

 

[olbriar]

You might try unlocked at trusted places. The setting is found under lock screen-smart lock.

 

[JLSchutt]

I took a look at trusted places, but most of the time when I am home (and that's much of the time, because I'm retired) I do not turn on either Location or wi-fi. I view them as battery wasters if I'm not using them. I also thought about trusted devices. One of them is my watch. But of course it's still around when I put the phone in my pocket to leave, when I don't want the phone to be unlocked. Thanks anyway.

 

[puppykickr]

What about the apps that I suggested?
Did you try any of those?

 

[JLSchutt]

puppykickr, I appreciate your suggestions, and I read some reviews of Greenify. After using computers and other devices for the past 60 years, my general philosophy is to not add extra apps and programs if the basic software provides a suitable alternative, and in this particular case, I don't mind spending an extra second or two to unlock the phone. I was hoping I could do it in a Bixby routine, since I already set the values of a number of options using that method.

 

[puppykickr]

I am a user of the bare minimum of devices, and Greenify has not been an issue on even the weakest of devices.

Reviews are like, well, I am sure that you know the saying.
That one about posteriors, diapers, and the like.

Remember that horrid apps like Facebook and the crap from Google have sensational reviews.

Stick with what you can verify for yourself through experience.

Android differs very much from computers.
If they were very similar, I wouldn't be here at all- I despise computers.
They are nonsensically difficult and mentally unergonomic.
Don't even get me started on the uselessness of the mouse.

If you were to try Greenify in the fashion that I suggested, I think that you would find that it would seamlessly solve your issue for the ~20 MB that it may take up in memory space.

I base this assumption upon the fact that I use the app for this very thing on all of my devices- especially my work phone which often needs to be put in pocket quickly and forgot about.

Simply tap and hold the center navigation button, and voila, the screen goes off.

An even more simple solution is Proximity Sensor, which only turns off the screen.
It only does this when and while the screen is covered- meaning that the screen will turn back on as soon as it is uncovered.

Apps are how Android works.
The more apps you have, the more capable your device can be.

Part of the joy of Android literally is the plethora of capabilities that can be afforded through various apps.

The apps provided by the manufacturer and carrier are barely functional junk- merely there to get the user by until something better can be found.

It is assumed that the user will move on to better apps that suit the individual's needs.

 

[JLSchutt]

Thanks for taking the time to write your long reply, puppykickr. Your persistence has paid off. I have installed Greenify and have set up the quick lock function with a long press on the Home button. At the same time, I've increased the "Auto lock when screen turns off" time to 30 minutes. That's the one used when I double tap the screen to turn it off.It took me a while to appreciate your suggestion. Thanks.

 

[puppykickr]

Thanks for taking the time to write your long reply, puppykickr. Your persistence has paid off. I have installed Greenify and have set up the quick lock function with a long press on the Home button. At the same time, I've increased the "Auto lock when screen turns off" time to 30 minutes. That's the one used when I double tap the screen to turn it off.It took me a while to appreciate your suggestion. Thanks.

I am glad that it works well for you.

And remember, that is only one app solution.

Do not discount Proximity Service until you have seen the difference.
You may or may not like it even more.
You may, in fact, find both apps to be useful- possibly even for different reasons.

An added bonus is that it comes from F-Droid, which is a preferred appstore.
You can check out F-Droid and see what is offered there.

The apps there have no adware, spyware, tracking, or the other typical junk that apps on the Play Store tend to have.