When it comes to screen time for teens, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has moved beyond a single daily number. Its guidance asks what your teen watches and does, what screens crowd out, and how they calm down and sleep. It also suggests setting family rules together, with your teen's input.
You may remember the 2-hour screen time limit that was recommended in years past. The AAP now says rules like that don't address everything children and teens need for a healthy relationship with media. Its newer approach, called the 5 C's, comes from the AAP Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health.
Content is a big part of it. The AAP says research shows that content quality shapes whether kids have positive or negative relationships with media.
The AAP also suggests changing the question. Rather than just focusing on reducing screen time, ask what your family wants to get back, such as family time, more sleep or time outdoors.
Here is the AAP's framework, using the questions it suggests for parents of older teens (ages 15 to 17):
Child. Who is your teen, how do they react to media, and why do they use it? Children are all different, so they don't all get the same risks and benefits.
Content. What is worth their attention? Encourage your teen to shape their feeds with the "I'm not interested" button, word filters, or by turning off recommended content.
Calm. How do they calm their emotions or get to sleep? Help them build options beyond the phone, like talking to someone they trust, a walk, reading, music or art.
Crowding out. What does media get in the way of? Sleep, homework, meals and friendships are good places to look.
Communication. How can you talk about media in a way that raises a smart, responsible user? The AAP recommends ongoing conversations, not one big talk.
Start with sleep. The CDC says teens aged 13 to 17 need 8 to 10 hours of sleep. The AAP advises avoiding phones and gaming devices in the bedroom at night, which it links with poor sleep.
Charge phones outside the bedroom. If your teen uses their phone as an alarm, the AAP suggests plugging it in across the room. A basic alarm clock is another option.
Make the last hour free of social media. Mayo Clinic suggests keeping social media off-limits during family meals and for an hour before bed.
Plan the wind-down. The AAP suggests helping your teen build a sleep routine so media doesn't delay or interrupt sleep.
Follow the same rule yourself. The AAP points out that teens are quick to notice "do as I say, not as I do" rules.
If you want the science on screens and evening light, our sister site has a guide to blue light and sleep.
The AAP notes that phone and social media use can interrupt times when teens want to concentrate, such as during class or homework. It suggests talking through tools like do-not-disturb or focus mode, so teens are in control of when devices grab their attention.
Agree on a homework setup, such as a Focus mode turned on, or the phone left in another room for the first block of work.
Let your teen choose the order: a short break first, or homework first. Try one way for two weeks, then review.
Keep car rides and meals device-free, as the AAP suggests, so your teen has your full attention. That means your phone too.
The AAP suggests starting with open-minded questions and talking about your own stresses with social media. Mayo Clinic suggests asking how social media makes your teen feel and encouraging them to tell you when something online worries or bothers them.
Example conversation starters:
"Which apps leave you feeling better, and which leave you feeling worse?"
"What would you do with an extra hour in your day?"
"Has anything online bothered you lately?"
"What's one phone rule you think I should follow too?"
The AAP also suggests including teen input on family rules and giving more independence as your teen shows more responsibility. For a step-by-step way to write the rules down, see the Honest Little Apps guide to family screen time rules, or try the AAP's free Family Media Plan tool.
This is an example only. Build your own version with your teen and adjust it around school, sports and jobs.
After school: snack and a 30-minute break, phone allowed.
Homework: Focus mode on, or the phone in the kitchen until the first assignment is done.
Dinner: no phones at the table, adults included.
One hour before bed: social media off.
Bedtime: phones charge outside the bedroom.
Apple says Screen Time makes it easy to see how your child uses their iPhone and iPad. It works through Family Sharing, and children in the group need their own Child Account. Apple recommends setting it up from a parent's device:
Open the Settings app.
Tap Family, then tap your child's name.
Tap Screen Time, then follow the onscreen instructions to set up parental controls for your child.
In iOS 27, the main tools include:
Time Allowances: a daily time budget across app categories such as entertainment, games and social media, which you can fine-tune by category.
Screen Time Schedules: which apps your teen can use at different times of day, like before, during and after school, with separate weekday and weekend routines.
Content & Privacy Restrictions and Allowed Contacts: age ratings for content, and who your teen can message or call.
Apple notes these updated controls need every device in your Family Sharing group on the latest software; otherwise you can keep using the previous version. Go through the settings with your teen so they match the plan you agreed on.
Mayo Clinic suggests talking to a healthcare professional if your teen:
Uses social media even when wanting to stop.
Uses it so much that school, sleep, activities or relationships suffer.
Often spends more time on social platforms than they meant to.
Lies in order to use social media.
The AAP adds that if a teen has symptoms of depression or anxiety and struggles to use coping strategies, talk with their doctor about getting more support. This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
The AAP's current guidance for teens doesn't set one number. A practical start is to protect 8 to 10 hours of sleep, homework time and meals, then agree on the rest together.
The AAP advises avoiding phones and gaming devices in the bedroom at night, because it is linked with poor sleep. If the phone doubles as an alarm, charge it across the room.
Mayo Clinic suggests keeping social media off-limits for an hour before bed. Work backward from a bedtime that allows 8 to 10 hours of sleep.
Yes, if your teen's account is part of your Family Sharing group. Go to Settings, tap Family, tap your child's name, then tap Screen Time.
If your teen wants to manage their own limits, Time Debt: Screen Time lets you pick distracting apps, categories and websites with Apple's picker, set separate weekday and weekend daily limits, and shields those apps when the day's allowance runs out. Protected hours, which can cross midnight, let you decide in advance whether borrowing extra minutes is allowed. There is no account and no ads, rules and history stay on the device, and its family features include no remote monitoring.
Get Time Debt free on the App Store
Teens and social media use: What's the impact? (Mayo Clinic)
Use Screen Time to manage your child's iPhone or iPad (Apple Support)