Where to find Screen Time on your Mac

Screen Time is built into macOS and lives in System Settings. Open System Settings (the gear icon in your dock or Applications folder), then click General in the left sidebar. Scroll down and select Screen Time. If you do not see it, you are running an older version of macOS — Screen Time was added in macOS 10.15 Catalina.

The first time you open Screen Time, macOS asks whether you want to set it up for yourself or for a child. Choose the option that matches your situation. If you are setting limits for yourself, you control everything. If you are setting limits for a child, you will need to create a separate child account or link an existing one, and you will manage those limits from your own account.

Once Screen Time is open, you see a dashboard showing how much time you (or the selected user) have spent on apps and websites today. This is where you adjust downtime, app limits, and communication restrictions.

Key Takeaways

  • Screen Time is in System Settings under General, and you can set limits for yourself or manage them for a child account.
  • Downtime blocks all apps except phone, messages, and health apps during the hours you choose.
  • App Limits let you set a daily time budget for specific apps or categories without blocking them entirely.
  • You can set different limits for weekdays and weekends, and you can pause any limit when ready if you need to override it.
  • If you forget your Screen Time passcode, you will need to reset your Mac or use your Apple ID to recover it.

Setting up Downtime to block apps during certain hours

Downtime is the strictest Screen Time tool — it blocks almost everything during the hours you choose. When Downtime is active, you can only use Phone, Messages, Health, and apps you have marked as "Always Allowed." Everything else shows a lock screen.

To set Downtime, click the Downtime tab in Screen Time. Toggle Downtime on, then set your start and end times. You can use the same times every day, or click Customize Days to set different hours for weekdays and weekends. For example, you might block everything from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weeknights, but allow until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

When Downtime starts, any app that is not on your Always Allowed list will lock. You can request more time by clicking Ask for More Time, which sends a notification to whoever manages the account (or to you, if you manage your own). If you set a Screen Time passcode, you can also unlock an app when ready by entering the passcode, but this logs the override.

Creating App Limits for specific apps or categories

App Limits let you set a daily time budget for individual apps or entire categories — like Social Media, Entertainment, or Productivity. Unlike Downtime, the app does not lock when you hit the limit; instead, you get a warning and can choose to keep using it or stop.

Click the App Limits tab, then click the + button. Choose whether you want to limit a single app or a category. If you choose a category, the limit applies to all apps in that group. Set your daily time budget in minutes or hours. You can also customize which days the limit applies to — for instance, you might allow 2 hours of gaming on weekends but only 30 minutes on school nights.

When you reach your limit, the app shows a warning screen. You can click Ignore Limit to keep using it, or Done to close it. If you set a Screen Time passcode, ignoring the limit logs the override, and you can review these in the Screen Time dashboard.

Marking apps as Always Allowed during Downtime

By default, only Phone, Messages, and Health apps work during Downtime. If there are other apps you need to access — like a work communication tool or a meditation app — you can add them to the Always Allowed list.

In the Screen Time window, click Always Allowed (or scroll to find it in the sidebar). You see two sections: Allowed Apps and Contacts. Click the + button under Allowed Apps to add any app from your Mac. The app will now work even when Downtime is active. You can remove an app by clicking the − button next to it.

The Contacts section lets you choose which people can reach you during Downtime via phone or messages. By default, all contacts can reach you. You can restrict this to specific people if you want.

Setting a Screen Time passcode to prevent changes

If you are managing Screen Time for a child, or if you want to prevent yourself from changing your own limits on impulse, set a Screen Time passcode. This passcode is separate from your Mac login password.

In the Screen Time window, click Options (or look for a settings icon). Select Use Screen Time Passcode and enter a four-digit code twice. Write this code down and store it somewhere safe — if you forget it, you cannot change your Screen Time settings without resetting your Mac or using your Apple ID.

Once the passcode is set, anyone who tries to turn off Downtime, change App Limits, or adjust Always Allowed apps will need to enter the passcode. If you manage a child account, the child cannot bypass these limits without your passcode.

Adjusting limits for weekdays versus weekends

Most people want stricter limits on school or work nights and looser limits on free days. Screen Time lets you set different schedules for weekdays and weekends.

When you create a Downtime schedule or App Limit, look for the Customize Days option. Click it to see seven day buttons. By default, the same limit applies to all days. Click individual days to toggle them on or off, or click Weekdays and Weekends to explore different rules to each group. For example, you can set Downtime from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekdays, but 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekends.

You can also set different App Limits for different days. A teenager might have a 1-hour social media limit on school nights but a 3-hour limit on Saturday.

Removing or pausing Screen Time limits

If you set your own Screen Time limits and want to turn them off, open Screen Time in System Settings, click the limit you want to remove, and toggle it off. If you set a passcode, you will need to enter it.

To pause a limit temporarily without removing it entirely, click the limit and select Pause or Turn Off Until Tomorrow. This is useful if you need to override a limit for a specific reason but want it to come back automatically. Some limits have a Pause for 15 Minutes option as well.

If you manage Screen Time for a child and want to remove their account from Screen Time entirely, you will need to delete the child account from Family Sharing in System Settings. This is a bigger step than just turning off limits, so make sure that is what you intend.

Recovering a forgotten Screen Time passcode

If you forget your Screen Time passcode, you have two options: use your Apple ID to reset it, or reset your entire Mac.

When you try to change a Screen Time setting and enter the wrong passcode three times, macOS offers to reset it using your Apple ID. Click Reset Using Apple ID, sign in with your Apple ID credentials, and you can set a new passcode. This works only if you remember your Apple ID password.

If you do not have access to your Apple ID, you will need to reset your Mac using Recovery Mode. This erases your Mac and reinstalls macOS, so it is a last resort. Back up your data first, then restart your Mac and hold Command + R to enter Recovery Mode. From there, you can erase the drive and reinstall macOS, which will clear the Screen Time passcode.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set different Screen Time limits for different apps on the same day?

Yes. Each App Limit is independent, so you can set a 1-hour limit on social media, a 2-hour limit on gaming, and a 30-minute limit on video streaming all on the same day. The limits do not add together — each app or category has its own budget.

What happens if I ignore an App Limit warning?

The app stays open and you can keep using it. If you set a Screen Time passcode, the override is logged in your Screen Time dashboard, and whoever manages the account can see it. Downtime limits are stricter — apps lock completely and you cannot ignore the warning without entering the passcode.

Can I set Screen Time limits for apps on my iPhone from my Mac?

Yes, if you use Family Sharing. Open Screen Time on your Mac, select a family member's name, and you can manage their iPhone, iPad, and Mac limits from one place. The limits sync across all their devices.

Does Screen Time track which websites I visit?

Screen Time tracks time spent in Safari and other browsers by category (Social Media, Entertainment, Productivity), but it does not show you a list of specific websites visited. You can set limits by category, but not by individual website.

What is the difference between Downtime and App Limits?

Downtime blocks almost all apps during specific hours — it is an all-or-nothing approach. App Limits let you set a daily time budget for specific apps or categories, but the app does not lock when you hit the limit; you just get a warning. Use Downtime for strict offline periods and App Limits for managing how much time you spend on specific things.