Redeem now - You can set up a screensaver on your Android phone that will show up while it's charging.
- Your Android's screensaver can be a clock, a shifting color gradient, or a selection of your favorite photos.
- To turn on your Android's screensaver, head to the "Display" menu.
Back in the day, computers had screensavers so your monitor wouldn't get burn-in from showing the same desktop or app for hours on end. That's not really an issue anymore — modern screens resist burn-in, and your screen usually goes dark when you're not using it — but screensavers are still fun to look at and customize.
Android phones have had a screensaver feature for years. Here's how to set it up and turn it on.
How to set up a screensaver on Android
1. Open your Android's Settings app and tap Display, and then Screen saver.
2. Tap the Use screen saver switch to turn it on.
3. Pick the type of screensaver you want. You should see at least three different options:
- Clock will make your screensaver show the current time. If you select it and then tap Customize, you can choose whether it's a digital or analog clock.
- Colors will turn your screensaver into a red-blue-green color gradient, which shifts and morphs over time.
- Photos will make your screensaver shuffle through any photo album on your phone.
- Certain apps might add more screensaver options.
4. Once you've picked a screensaver, scroll down and tap When to start.
5. Choose when you want your screensaver to activate: Wherever the phone is charging and not in use, when it's docked and not in use, or both.
After you enable your Android's screensaver feature, it'll turn on whenever your Android's screen times out. You can change how long it takes for the screen to time out by going back to the Display page and selecting Screen timeout.
William Antonelli Tech Reporter for Insider Reviews William Antonelli (he/she/they) is a writer, editor, and organizer based in New York City. As a founding member of the Reference team, he helped grow Tech Reference (now part of Insider Reviews) from humble beginnings into a juggernaut that attracts over 20 million visits a month. Outside of Insider, his writing has appeared in publications like Polygon, The Outline, Kotaku, and more. He's also a go-to source for tech analysis on channels like Newsy, Cheddar, and NewsNation. You can find him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher, or reach him by email at wantonelli@businessinsider.com. Read more Read lessncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxnpJqwqXvSnKmenZ6orrex0WaYp5yipLal