Twitter is testing a "Snooze" button that allows you to pause push notifications from the mobile app for an allotted time.
Discovered by tech blogger Jane Manchun Wong, the experimental feature lets users temporarily snooze push notifications for one hour, three hours, or 12 hours.
As Wong notes, the setting should come in handy for users who want to prevent their phones from incessantly buzzing because their tweet went viral, or if they just want to turn their attention away from social media for a while.
In its present incarnation the feature appears as a crossed-out bell icon in the top-right corner of Twitter's notifications tab. Tapping the icon brings up a sheet of three snooze durations to choose from.
Twitter is testing Snooze feature, allowing users to pause notifications for 1 hour, 3 hours or 12 hours! I wrote a blog for the first look of this unreleased feature https://t.co/EoNYaRHraQ Tip @Techmeme pic.twitter.com/qm3aMM2Q00 — Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) August 6, 2019
When a snooze time is set, users don't receive push notifications from Twitter, but notifications still appear in the notifications tab. The feature is independent of any system-level notifications settings for the app, and can be disabled with another tap of the Snooze icon.
Snooze was discovered in Twitter's Android app. The social media company often trials new features on one platform or in select territories before rolling them out globally if the testing phase is considered a success.
Twitter has been experimenting with ways to give more control to users as it works to create a "healthier service" through cutting down on abuse and spam.
In June, for example, the company introduced a "Hide Replies" feature that provides Twitter users with more control over the replies that are visible following a tweet.