Screen time-outs on a portable electronic device can be customized based on user activity. In one aspect, a sensing component receives data from one or more sensors located on the portable electronic device, for example, skin conductivity sensors and determines whether the user is using the portable device, either actively or passively and also determines the identity of the user. A configuring component is employed to change one or more features or functions of the portable electronic device based on the information determined by the sensing component. In particular, the configuring component changes one of more features of the portable electronic device based on the preferences predefined by the identified user and device usage (active and passive usage).