TikTok Ring Review: Easy Doom Scrolling

Browse enough product recommendation videos, TikTok store ads, and candid, normal-looking videos that are actually TikTok store ads, and you might see a video of the TikTok Remote Ring or the Universal Scroll Ring.

For avid Doomscrollers, these rings make it easy to browse social videos with the push of a button. If you’re like me (awkwardly) addicted to your TikTok feed, it’s easy to imagine the tempting options that remotely scrolling your feed might bring. TikTok in the shower, TikTok while walking on the treadmill, TikTok while cooking, and even delicious TikTok while lying in bed.

TikTok in the shower, TikTok while walking on the treadmill, TikTok while cooking, and even delicious TikTok while lying in bed.

None of this is necessarily good for you, but as I was surprised to find, being able to use your phone without touching the screen, and the simple built-in accessibility features these rings use to do that, is really great, no matter how you Whether it’s for lounging on the couch or keeping your phone clean during lunch.

Specifications, pricing and availability

A wide range of rolling rings are available

There are dozens of different types of these scroll rings available for purchase online, all of which have more or less the same functionality and differ only slightly in button layout and wearing comfort.

I chose to review the SSOBZELR 3-in-1 Functional Video Scroll Ring and Camera Shutter Remote Control and Phone Holder, which is the legal name for this gadget, but you may also see it in online stores called the TikTok Trending Bluetooth Smart Scroll Ring . Available in black, green or pink for under $19.

To make things easier, I’ve started calling it a “rolling ring” as I’ve been using it over the past week. If anything, though, the names exaggerate its complexity.

effective basic design

And it also has a charging box

I found the scroll ring design to be very simple. If you own a pair of wireless headphones, you’ll be familiar with the plastic charging case. The black plastic is thinner and cheaper, and the magnetic lock doesn’t open and close very well, but if you’ve ever held an AirPods Pro case, you know what you’re getting into. Technically, the Rolling Ring charging case is taller when viewed from the side and narrower when viewed from above, at about 1.5 x 0.75 x 1 inches, but it’s hard to notice if you tuck it into a pants pocket or bag to the difference.

The back of the charging case has a USB-C port and a small status light to let you know when the battery is used. Along the bottom, there’s also a ridge that you can use to pull out the flimsy phone holder built into the case itself. It’s enough to keep your phone at viewing angle, but I wouldn’t trust it with a heavy or large phone like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it broke easily.

Inside the case, you’ll find the scroll ring itself and a circular display that shows the remaining battery life. The ring is designed to be stretchy so it can fit different finger sizes, and it also has open sides to make it easier to put on and take off. Aside from buttons on the side that open the phone, put it into Bluetooth pairing mode, and simulate tapping the screen when the phone is on, the only other buttons are clickable up and down arrows at the top. ring.

Inside, the rolling ring is just as simple. The batteries in the ring and charging case are both small at 25mAh and 200mAh respectively, but they proved more than adequate for casual daytime use. I used the rolling ring for about an hour a day and it was three days before I considered inserting it again. Connected via Bluetooth 5.0, it doesn’t seem to consume much power to work, which is better for people who scroll for long periods of time.

Initial setup takes a minute

you need to make some adjustments

My scroll ring is charged, so to connect to my phone I just hold down the side button on the scroll ring until its blue LED starts blinking, then go into the Bluetooth menu of my iPhone settings and tap on the scroll ring’s name (TP-1) You are ready to connect.

From there, you just go into the Accessibility menu, then the Touch section, then turn on Assistive Touch, and you’re ready to rock. Out of the box, my scroll ring simulated sliding up and down on my phone screen in a very dramatic way. You can adjust the speed and size of number swipes in the touch menu to dial content into your personal apps, but if you only care about moving around on Instagram Reels or TikTok, a big swipe will do just fine.

One major issue I had was the ring’s compatibility with Android. It would show up on my Pixel 7a as a Bluetooth device that I could connect to, but I never found the right accessibility settings to toggle to enable virtual swiping of the ring. The instructions in the box of the ring are for iOS only and are not outlined. Considering this gadget can connect, it does seem like it could be easily used on Android, but I can’t figure it out.

Hands-free card swiping life

Depressingly great and addictive

Watching videos on your phone is already a very passive experience, so on the one hand, reducing things further to just pressing a button can feel a little frustrating. But on the other hand, the convenience really surprised me.

I’m not shy about letting my phone get wet or stained, but ultimately I’d rather not have to clean it all the time. Swiping through things without having to actually touch them with your finger on a small remote ended up being a great solution. You can place your phone on the counter or on the table in front of you and go about your business without picking up your phone to continue watching the video.

Swipe speed right and switch your Kindle app so that books scroll instead of turning pages, and you can browse books or PDFs in much the same way. I’m not particularly fond of remembering different settings for different apps and having to change them in Settings every time I switch apps, but there’s still a lot of flexibility here. Especially for a gadget that typically costs $20 or less. Honestly, it makes me wish phone makers were still trying hands-free navigation, like Google is trying with the Pixel 4. When it works, it really stands out.

Conclusion: Is it worth the hype?

Pocket Velvet Approved

There’s a common adage that good accessibility benefits everyone, whether you have a disability or not. This scroll ring and the built-in iOS accessibility features that make it work are a perfect example. Nowhere on the box does it advertise the ring as an assistive device, but it’s likely suitable for anyone who has trouble using their phone screen. Being able to navigate apps without touching the screen has proven to be just as useful for those scrambling to get ready for work in the morning as it is for those who can’t use their phone without much effort.

I can quibble with the slight delay (a second or two difference) between pressing the button on the ring and the phone reacting, and the fact that I can’t save different scroll settings between apps, or it doesn’t seem to work with Android devices Use, but these are relative issues for a simple gadget that works every time. Sure, it was cheap to build, but it went viral for a reason. It really works, it’s fun to use, and if a short video appeals to you, you’ll be glad you picked one up.