If you have ever worried about how much time your child spends on their phone — scrolling social media late at night, disappearing into games for hours, or ignoring everything around them — screen time controls are the practical tool you have been looking for. Both iPhone and Android come with built-in parental controls that let you set daily time limits, block certain apps, and even schedule device-free hours. This guide walks you through how to set them up, step by step.
If you are also wondering what apps and social trends your teenager is spending that screen time on, it is worth having a look at WittyTeens.com, which covers the latest platforms and teen internet culture in plain English for parents.
Why Screen Time Limits Matter
Screen time controls are not about punishing children — they are about building habits. The same way a bedtime helps with sleep, a device limit helps children understand that phone use has a natural end point. Studies consistently link heavy evening phone use in young people with worse sleep and lower concentration the next day.
The other benefit is that you set the rules once, and the phone enforces them. That removes you from the role of nagging and puts the boundary on the device itself.
How to Set Screen Time Limits on iPhone (iOS)
Apple calls this feature Screen Time, and it is built into every iPhone running iOS 12 or later.
Setting It Up on Your Child’s iPhone
- Open Settings on your child’s iPhone.
- Tap Screen Time.
- Tap Turn On Screen Time.
- Choose This is My Child’s iPhone.
- You will be asked to set a Screen Time Passcode — this is a separate PIN that only you know, so your child cannot change the settings. Make it different from the phone’s lock screen PIN.
Setting App Limits
- In Screen Time settings, tap App Limits.
- Tap Add Limit.
- Choose the category you want to limit — for example, Social Networking or Games.
- Set a daily time allowance, such as one hour per day.
- Tap Add in the top right corner.
When the limit is reached, the app goes grey with a small hourglass icon. Your child can tap it and request extra time, which you can approve or deny from your own device.
Setting Downtime (No Phone Hours)
- In Screen Time, tap Downtime.
- Toggle it on and set a daily start and end time — for example, 9 pm to 7 am.
- During downtime, only apps you have specifically allowed remain usable. Phone calls and messages from your contact list can still come through.
Setting Up Family Sharing (Remote Control)
If your child’s iPhone is linked to your Apple Family Sharing group, you can manage their Screen Time from your own iPhone — you do not need to pick up their phone each time.
- On your iPhone, go to Settings > Screen Time.
- Scroll down and tap your child’s name under Family.
- From here you can see their usage, adjust limits, and approve extra time requests.
How to Set Screen Time Limits on Android
Android uses a built-in app called Digital Wellbeing, which is available on most Android phones running Android 9 and above. Samsung phones have a similar feature called Screen Time inside their parental controls app.
Using Digital Wellbeing to Set App Timers
- Open Settings on your child’s Android phone.
- Scroll down and tap Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls.
- You will see a dashboard showing how much time is being spent on each app.
- Tap an app you want to limit — for example, YouTube or TikTok.
- Tap App timer and set a daily limit.
- When the timer runs out, the app becomes unavailable until midnight when the counter resets.
Setting Up Bedtime Mode
- In Digital Wellbeing, tap Bedtime mode.
- Set the bedtime start time, such as 9 pm.
- Choose what happens during bedtime — the screen can go greyscale and notifications can be silenced.
Using Google Family Link for Stronger Controls
Digital Wellbeing works for older children, but for younger children (under 13) Google recommends Family Link, a free app that gives you more control:
- Approve or block apps your child wants to download
- Set a device bedtime that locks the phone entirely
- See where the phone is on a map
- View their app usage remotely from your own phone
Download Google Family Link from the Play Store on both your phone and your child’s, then follow the setup steps inside the app to link the two accounts.
Games consoles have their own controls, separate from the phone. If a Nintendo Switch is joining the household, our guide to Nintendo Switch parental controls covers play-time limits, bedtime and a safe PIN.
Tips for Making Screen Time Limits Work in Practice
- Set the limits together. Children accept rules more readily when they have some say in setting them. Talk it through — “You’ll have one hour of games a day, and we’ll try it for two weeks and see how it goes.”
- Keep the passcode private. Do not let your child see you entering it. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe.
- Consistency matters more than strictness. A limit you enforce reliably is more effective than a strict limit that gets bypassed every few days.
- Apply the same rules to your own device at dinner. Children copy what they see, not what they are told.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Screen Time on your child’s device but not setting a passcode. Without the passcode, they can simply switch Screen Time off.
- Setting limits that are too strict to start with. Going from unlimited use to one hour a day causes conflict. Step down gradually.
- Forgetting to allow essential apps during downtime. Make sure Phone calls, Messages, and any school apps are on the allowed list during restricted hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my child bypass Screen Time limits?
If you have set a Screen Time passcode (and kept it private), it is difficult to bypass on iPhone. On Android, a determined teenager might reset the device to factory settings — Family Link adds an extra layer by requiring your approval to remove it. No system is completely bypass-proof, but these tools stop casual workarounds.
What if my child needs the phone for homework during downtime?
You can allow specific apps during downtime. On iPhone, go to Screen Time > Always Allowed and add the apps you want to stay available. On Family Link, you can pause restrictions temporarily as needed.
Can I see what my child is looking at on their phone?
Screen Time and Digital Wellbeing show which apps are being used and for how long, but they do not show the actual content. For content filtering, you would need a separate parental control app such as Bark or Qustodio, which scan messages and social media for concerning content and alert you.
Do Screen Time limits reset every day?
Yes. The daily allowance resets at midnight each day. So if your child uses their one-hour game limit by 4 pm, the timer resets the next morning.
Can I set different limits for weekdays and weekends?
On iPhone, yes — when setting App Limits, you can customise different allowances for each day of the week. On Android’s Digital Wellbeing, the daily limit is the same every day, but Family Link offers more flexible scheduling.
Last updated: November 13, 2026