How BrainRoll detects real scrolls, not just app time.
Built-in Digital Wellbeing counts total minutes you have an app open. BrainRoll is different: it uses Android's Accessibility API to count actual scroll gestures inside Reels and Shorts containers — the exact addictive action.
See It in Action →Step-by-Step: How a Scroll is Counted
Gesture detected
Android's Accessibility Service fires an event when a scroll gesture occurs anywhere on the screen while a monitored app is in the foreground.
Container verified
BrainRoll checks the class name and view ID of the scrolled element. If it matches a known short-form video container (e.g., Instagram's Reels RecyclerView), the event is valid.
Count incremented
The count is incremented by 1 and saved to SharedPreferences — a sandboxed local storage on your device. No network request is made.
Mascot updates
The brain mascot reacts in real-time and the optional floating pill overlay updates your live count inside the active app.
Supported Platforms
🔒 What BrainRoll never reads
- Text, captions or comments you see
- URLs or content of any kind
- Your contacts or social graph
- Email address, phone number or account details
- Location, camera or microphone data
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Android Accessibility Service?
Android's Accessibility Service is a system-level API designed to help users with disabilities. Apps like BrainRoll use it to detect scroll events inside other apps without reading any content, text or personal data.
Does BrainRoll read my messages or browsing history?
No. BrainRoll only registers scroll gesture events and checks the class name of the UI element to confirm it is a short-form video player. It never reads text, images, URLs or any content.
Why does BrainRoll need the Accessibility permission?
The Accessibility permission is the only official Android API that allows a third-party app to detect scroll events inside other apps. It's the publicly available equivalent to what built-in Digital Wellbeing uses.