How To Manage iPhone/iPad Screen Time – Guide
Every week, parents and guardians can receive a report detailing how often their child has used their device and the amount of time spent on specific apps such as Social Networking, Gaming, Entertainment and Productivity. Additionally, they can access up-to-date data about these details through Screen Time at any time. This information will help them better understand where their child is spending their time online.
Apple users running iOS 12 on their devices can now access Screen Time, a feature that displays how much time is spent on their iPhone. The update is available for iPhones as far back as the 5s, iPads including the iPad Air and 6th generation iPod touch. To check if your device has the latest version of iOS 12, go to Settings -> Software Update.
Update your device
Make sure your device is running iOS/iPadOS 15 or higher. To check, go to Settings > General > Software Update. You’ll either be notified that the software is up-to-date or prompted to download and install the latest update.
enable screen time
To enable screen time, go to Settings > Screen Time and select “Enable Screen Time.” Read the information on the following page and tap “Continue” to proceed. You will then be asked if this device is for you or your child; if it’s yours, select “This is My iPhone.”
Set screen time password
You can now monitor and protect your app usage with Screen Time, a new feature on iPhones. To access it, simply swipe down on the screen and tap “Use Screen Time Password” to set limits and request additional time when needed.
If you forget your Screen Time password, you can reset it using your Apple ID. Simply enter your username and password, then tap OK.
Monitor multiple devices
To access your screen time data across multiple Apple devices, you must enable two-factor authentication and set a password. Once these steps are completed, you can turn on the ‘Share Across all devices’ switch to view your screen time information on all of your Apple products.
Set downtimes
You can now set limits on which apps and features you can access, and for how long. Tap Idle time to create a period of restricted access, then From and To times to set daily limits. Customize days to schedule different times for each day of the week.
Enable Idle Time on your device to prevent apps and activities from running when not in use. Simply switch on the Block during idle time option, or tap the Turn on Idle Time Until Schedule link to activate it immediately.
Set app and website limits
Set a limit on how long you can use apps with Screen Time’s App Limits feature. Choose from individual apps or categories, or set the same limit for all your apps.
You can limit your time spent on specific websites by adding them to the “Sites” category on the “Choose apps” screen. Simply swipe to the end of the list, tap “Sites,” then select “Add Website” and enter the URLs.
Tap Next after making your selections, then set the duration of use for each app. Customize days to choose a different duration for each day, or add individual limits for categories separately. Finish by tapping Add.
Set communication limits
You can set limits on communication with iCloud contacts using Screen Time. Tap the Communication Limits option on the main screen to decide who can contact you while Screen Time is active.
You can control who can contact you when your screen time is active and during your downtime. With the tap of a button, you can choose specific contacts who are allowed to reach out to you, or block everyone except those in your contacts list.
Choose Specific Contacts to add only the people you want to be able to call: tap Add Contacts from the menu.
Allow certain applications
You can ensure certain apps are exempt from blocking by setting them up in the Screen Time main menu.
To grant access to an app, users can tap Always in the pop-up window and then select the plus sign.
Tap the minus sign to delete an app from the Always allow list.
Set content and privacy restrictions
Tap Content and Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time’s main menu to control what content, privacy settings, and other changes are allowed or disallowed. Activate the switch to get started.
Tap iTunes and App Store Purchases to control app installation, deletion, and in-app purchases. Require a password for any in-app purchases made within an already downloaded app.
To control which apps and content are accessible on your device, head to the Content & Privacy Restrictions screen. Here, you can toggle apps on or off and select what content to allow or block from the App Store, web, and other sources.
You can control what data certain apps share by adjusting their settings on the Content screen and privacy restrictions in the Privacy section. Tap each entry to grant or deny access.
Users must approve changes to content and privacy restrictions before they take effect. To do so, simply go to the Allow Changes section and tap each change to either allow or disallow it.
To define Up Screen time for a child
Parents can easily set limits on their child’s device by turning on Screen Time. To do this, open the app on the child’s iPhone or iPad and select “This is my child’s iPhone” when prompted.
You can set up Screen Time for your family members on your own. Tap the name of the child you want to enable Screen Time for, and then tap Enable Screen Time on the Screen Timer screen.
Set a start and end time for Downtime on the App Limits page. You can choose to limit all apps and categories, or select specific ones.
To set an app limit on your device, tap Show all categories, swipe to the bottom of the screen and select Amount of Time. Enter a password twice on the Content & Privacy screen to confirm the limit.
Make changes to your child’s account by reviewing the Idle Time, App Limits, Communication Limits, Always Allowed and Content and Privacy Restrictions settings.
ask for more time
When the clock strikes five minutes before your device’s Downtime is set to begin, a notification will appear, alerting you that access to most apps is about to be blocked.
Once the allotted time is up, users can extend their session by entering their screen time password and requesting extra time.
When App limits are set on a device, users will receive a notification when they have five minutes left before the app is blocked.
If the app is opened after the allotted time has expired, users will be met with a Timeout screen. They can request an additional minute or enter their screen time password to extend the limit.
Worried about how much time you or your kid are spending on apps? Screen Time can help: it shows the amount of time spent in each category, so you can keep an eye on usage.
Tap the chart to explore how much time each app has been used over the week or on a single day.
Final note
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