Best Blue Light Filter Apps For Android: Nowadays many phones and PCs have a native blue light filter. It might be in the name of “Eye Care” or “Night Sight” but usefully they perform the same function. However, the customizations that native apps offer are quite limited. You can also change the color temperature or schedule a particular time for the function to work. These are pretty basic. But if you want more control like screen dimming or customizable color overlays, then you would need a third-party app. But before we proceed to the best blue light filter apps for Android firstly understand what’s blue light and the amount of damage it can cause to our eyes.
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What is Blue Light and why it is harmful?
Remember Blue light falls in the lower end of the human visible light range (380-500nm). It means that blue light has shorter wavelengths and it produces more energy. To start with, blue light is useful to some extent. Sun is a major source of light which comprises of almost 25 percent of blue light. Also, It helps in maintaining circadian rhythm(natural clock) by defeating melatonin production and thus boosting our alertness.
As the sun sets our body requires to rest and sleep. This is where the blue light from the device creates a hindrance and besides signaling the body towards sleep. Also, it makes us alert and active. Long exposure can also cause potential retina damage and suppress melatonin creation when needed.
Red Moon
Red Moon is the least open-source app that doesn’t have many bells and whistles. The interface is quite minimal and you get a toggle switch to allow and disable the filter. Some basic sliders enable you to customize the color, opacity, and darkness of the filter. Except for this, you can also schedule the overlay based on the sun timings.
Red Moon is a free app on F-Droid whereas it is paid on the Google Play Store.
Red Moon applies an overlay on newly installed apps. However, In case if you want to disable it, there is a “Pause in Excluded Apps” choice as well. But if you’re one of those who like to keep various filter options, Red Moon enables storing your custom configurations.
Pros:
- Open-source
- Simple and minimal UI
- Provides the choice to pause for newly installed apps
- Dark theme support
- Widget-support and notification toggle for quick access
Cons:
- No choice to take a screenshot without the overlay filter
Blue Light Filter
Blue Light Filter is an app that appeals to power users. However, it can’t enable you to customize the color temperature but also tweaks other things like screen lightning as well. The home screen is least and comes with a night-scape theme having one power button at the bottom which enables the filter.
Unlike Red Moon, Blue Light provides limited control over the color temperature. Besides slider, you get presets like Night Shift (3200K), Dawn ( 2000K), Candlelight (1800K), Incandescent Lamp (2700K), Fluorescent Lamp (3400K), and Eclipse (500K). In case you feel the filter is too strong, you can modify the intensity by dragging the slider accordingly. Although there is no widget for the app, you get an instant settings bar in the notification drawer with a flashlight option.
Pros:
- Adjust Filter Intensity
- Screen-dimmer choice
- Notification Quick setting bar
Cons:
- No choice to take a screenshot without the overlay filter
Download Blue Light Filter
Blue Light Filter for Eye Care
Two main features differentiate the app from the above-mentioned apps. Firstly, you get a highly customizable widget in the status bar. Secondly, you can take the screenshot without the blue light filter. All of these can be done from the status bar shortcut.
As of writing this guide, you can get the paid version for free until June 30, 2020.
Besides normal features like choosing the screen overlay color, brightness adjustment. It has a very robust schedule as well. You can view an hourly timeline wherein you can set custom overlays. If you don’t want it to take extra space in your notification drawer you can then add an icon shortcut on the home screen as well. However, just enable it from the quick settings drawer or automatically allow it with the schedule option.
Pros:
- Highly customizable scheduler
- It Support for dark mode
- Screenshot form quick settings
- Various drawer widget options
- Auto -mode activates according to light in the surroundings.
Cons:
- No information about blue light
Download Blue Light Filter for Eye Care
Night Shift
It is unlikely that you can modify your blue light settings according to days of the week. But if you do, Night Shift is the best choice for you. It comes with some presets like bright, dark, medium, ultra-dark and no tint mode. In some situations, if you want to modify these presets you have the choice to not only edit it. But just add custom presets as well. However, like the other two apps, you can select a color temperature palette and also tweak the intensity.
Let’s come to the scheduler, you can not just add a start and end time but also pick selective days at which the filter will be enabled. Also, the free version can handle most of the use cases. Not just this but there is also a paid version for $3. It gives some extra features like ultra-dark feature, dark theme, lifetime free upgrade, no ads, and various schedule options.
Pros:
- Day wise schedule
- Blue Light Presets
Cons:
- No customization option on the notification widget
Download Night Shift
Twilight
Twilight is not only the editor’s choice on Play Store but it is the only app to have Tasker integration. You can also automate the app according to activity based on the time of the day, location, etc. Besides other apps, Twilight has a minimal widget that comes handy for instantly allowing and disabling the overlay from the home screen.
You can also set the overlay color by dragging the color temperature option. However, the color temperatures are defined as relaxing and you get a prompt as you go over 3500K which can stress your eyes. Like the other apps, you can set the intensity of the filter, tweak screen dimming, schedule the overlay, etc. However, Android doesn’t enable any filtering on the notification drawer and lock screen. You can also enable it there with a small tour like wallpaper filtering.
Pros:
- Timing scheduler and provide sunset options
- It can be combined with Tasker for automation
- Philips HUE smart light support
Cons:
- Might keep an overlay even after un-installing
Night Owl
Night Owl doesn’t do something additional. However, I put it on the list just because of the intuitive UI. Like the other apps, it has a Screen Dimmer option, blue light filter, scheduler, etc. But in case you want to change the RGB values of the filter you can then tweak that from the Advanced Filter Setting. The most amazing feature is Shake to sop which stops the dimming whenever you shake the phone.
Pros:
- Minimal UI
- Shake to disable the option
- Can’t support ads
- Various widget options
Cons:
- Can’t filter the notification drawer
Download Night Owl
Conclusion:
All done! These apps are a great way to stop blue light from affecting your circadian rhythm, tension, and eye strain. However, you can also use other external measures to increase the effect. You can use a blue light filter eyeglass, Screen Filters, etc. Besides these, the only way to keep your eyes healthy is preventing excessive use and giving your eyes proper rest.
Here’s all about “Best Blue Light Filter Apps For Android”. For further queries and questions let us know in the comments section below!
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