How do I open screen time in system settings?

Click the Apple menu in the upper left corner of the screen, then click System Settings (on macOS Ventura and later) or System Preferences (on older macOS). Look for Screen Time in the sidebar or main settings list. Click it. If you are on your child's account, you will see their Screen Time data. If you are on your own admin account, you can switch to your child's account settings using the account selector at the top.

How do I set a screen time passcode?

At the top of the Screen Time settings, find the "Use Screen Time Passcode" option and turn it on. You will be asked to create a 4-digit passcode. Choose a number your child does not know. This passcode is required to change any Screen Time settings or override app limits when they are reached. Keep it somewhere you will remember.

How do I set app limits?

Click "App Limits" in the Screen Time sidebar, then turn it on. Click the plus (+) button to add a new limit. You will see categories like Games, Social Networking, Entertainment, Education, and more. Click a category to expand it and either limit the whole category or specific apps. Set the daily time limit — for example, 1 hour for Games. The limit resets every day at midnight.

How do I schedule downtime?

Click "Downtime" in the Screen Time sidebar and turn it on. Set a start and end time — for example, 9 PM to 7 AM. During Downtime, only apps you specifically allow (called "Always Allowed" apps) will work. Everything else will be locked and show a message that Downtime is active. Phone, Messages, and FaceTime are allowed by default during Downtime so your child can still reach you in an emergency.

How do I turn on content & privacy restrictions?

Click "Content & Privacy" in the Screen Time sidebar and turn it on. Here you can set the web content filter — choose "Limit Adult Websites" to automatically block most inappropriate content, or choose "Allowed Websites Only" to create a whitelist of sites your child can visit. You can also restrict the ability to change account passwords, use the camera, or make purchases in the App Store.

How do I review the weekly screen time report?

Every week, you will see a summary at the top of the Screen Time settings showing total daily average screen time and which apps were used most. Tap "See All Activity" for a detailed day-by-day breakdown. This report is a useful starting point for conversations with your child — rather than just saying "less screen time," you can discuss specific patterns like spending 3 hours on games on school nights.

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Screen Time is a built-in feature on Mac computers (and iPhones and iPads) that lets you understand and limit how the device is used. On a Mac, parents can set Screen Time for a child's user account to control how many hours per day they spend in specific app categories, schedule times when most apps are locked, filter websites, and see a detailed report of how the device has been used.

Screen Time replaced the older "Parental Controls" system in macOS. It offers more flexibility and works across all Apple devices if your family uses Family Sharing — meaning you can manage your child's Mac, iPhone, and iPad screen time all from one place.

For Screen Time to work as a parental control, your child should have their own user account on the Mac. This is the right approach because each user account has its own Screen Time settings and report. If your child uses your admin account, Screen Time is harder to enforce because they would be able to turn it off.

Setting a Screen Time passcode is essential. Without one, a child could go into System Settings and turn off Screen Time themselves. With a passcode, only the parent can make changes.

Screen Time reports show you which apps were used and for how long, which websites were visited, and how many notifications were received. This is useful for having informed conversations with your child about their screen habits, rather than simply imposing restrictions.

Screen Time requires macOS Catalina (10.15) or later. Most Macs bought after 2019 support it.