SelfTrack

Install and set up SelfTrack

About 10 minutes. You need an Android phone running Android 8.0 or newer. SelfTrack is not available for iPhone.

Get the app

  1. On your phone, open the Download page and tap Download APK.
  2. When Android says it can't install apps from this source, tap Settings and allow your browser to install apps. You can switch that off again afterwards.
  3. Open the downloaded file and tap Install. If Google Play Protect warns about an unrecognized app, that is expected for apps that are not from the Play Store. Only continue if you got the link from the official SelfTrack website.

First launch

  1. Open SelfTrack and allow notifications and physical activity when asked. Notifications carry the recording indicator and check-in reminders. Physical activity lets the step sensor work.
  2. Tap Grant usage access, find SelfTrack in the list and switch it on. Android requires you to do this manually.
  3. Tap Start monitoring service. A "SelfTrack is recording" notification appears while it runs.

Optional: tap, scroll and typing timing

Skip this if you would rather not turn on the Accessibility permission. Everything else works without it. Read how it works first.

  1. On the Data Collection tab, tap Learn more and set up, read the explanation and accept.
  2. In Android's Accessibility settings, open Installed apps (some phones say "Downloaded apps"), tap SelfTrack interaction tracking, switch it on and tap Allow. Turn on only that one item. Other apps in the list are unrelated and would get the same kind of access.
If the switch is greyed out: go to Settings > Apps > SelfTrack, tap the three-dot menu (⋮) at the top right, and choose Allow restricted settings. Then try step 8 again. Android does this for apps installed outside the Play Store.

Keep it running

Some phones stop background apps to save battery. In Settings > Apps > SelfTrack > Battery, choose Unrestricted. The Data Collection tab shows "Last recorded" so you can see if recording has stalled. If it has, tap Stop and then Start monitoring service.

Do a check-in

On the Data Collection tab, answer the four sliders. After a check-in the form locks for 30 minutes. The Mood Trend and Data analysis tabs fill in as your check-ins accumulate. A rough minimum for a meaningful pattern is 20 to 30 check-ins.

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