With Screen Time, Time Allowances set how long you use your apps each day, while Schedules set when during the day you can use them.
You might build schedules for weekdays and weekends, with time windows for things like work, dinner, and the evening. Time Allowances can cover categories like Entertainment, Games, or Social Media, and you choose when they’re available during your schedule. Each time window shows which Time Allowance categories are available, so you can see at a glance which types of apps you can use. You can also set how long you use specific apps and websites.
Note: You need watchOS 27, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, visionOS 27, or later on all your Apple devices to use Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances. If you’re setting up these features in a Family Sharing group, every device must be upgraded to watchOS 27, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, visionOS 27, or later.
Set up a Screen Time schedule for device use
A custom schedule for your iPad manages which apps you can use at different times of the day. In your schedule, each time window shows icons for the Time Allowance categories that are available, so it’s quick to tell which kinds of apps you can use during that part of your day.
- Start the Settings app on your iPad.
- Tap Screen Time, tap Screen Time Schedule, and then turn on Schedule.
- Tap Add Schedule, tap the days of the week you want to create a schedule for, and tap the Done button.
- Tap the Time Window and then do any of the following:
- Create a new name: Tap the current name and then enter the new name.
- Change the start or stop time: Tap the time, then select a new value.
- Select Time Allowance categories: Tap a category. If you don’t see any categories, you can create some. See Set how long you can use apps and websites.
- View the apps and contacts that are always allowed: Tap Always Allowed.
- Delete the time window: Tap Delete this Time Window.
Set how long you can use apps and websites
Time Allowances help you manage the time you spend in apps across categories such as Games, Entertainment, and Social Media. Within each category, you can use apps until they reach either the category’s allowance or the daily total, and the Time Allowance covers both an app and any associated website it declares.
- Start the Settings app on your iPad.
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Tap Screen Time, then tap Time Allowances.
If you want to turn on this feature for your child, tap your child’s name.
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Do any of the following:
- Use Time Allowances during certain times in your schedule: Turn on Match Screen Time Schedule.
- View the Time Allowances you’ve set for different time windows: If you’ve added Time Allowances to windows in your Screen Time schedule, you can view them by tapping the name of the Time Window.
- Increase or decrease the amount of time you can spend on your device: Drag the slider left or right or tap the Minus button or the Plus button.
- Increase or decrease the amount of time you can spend in an app category: Under Time Allowances, tap a category and then drag the slider left or right or tap the Minus button or the Plus button.
- Create a new Time Allowance category: Tap Manage Categories and tap the Plus button, then select a category. If you have a Screen Time schedule, you can add the category to a time window.
- View your average daily use of a category: Tap Manage Categories, then tap a category.
- View your average daily use of apps within a category: Tap Manage Categories, tap a category, and then tap an app.
Choose apps and contacts to allow at all times
Regardless of any Screen Time schedules or Time Allowances you’ve set, you can choose apps to use and contacts to communicate with at all times. For emergencies, for example, you may want to put family members or the Health apps in Always Allowed.
- Start the Settings app on your iPad.
- Tap Screen Time, then tap Always Allowed.
- Do any of the following:
- Add contacts or apps: Tap Add People or Add Apps.
- Remove contacts or apps: Tap Edit. Tap the Remove button on the app or contact you want to remove.
See also
