How to Set Up Screen Time on iPhone: Complete Parent's Guide (2025)

Apple Screen Time is built into every iPhone and iPad — and it's completely free. In this step-by-step guide for setting up Screen Time on iPhone, we'll show you exactly how to protect your child, manage their app usage, and maintain healthy screen habits without needing to subscribe to expensive third-party apps.

What Is Screen Time?

Screen Time is Apple's built-in parental control feature available on all iPhones, iPads, and Macs running iOS 12 and later. It's a powerful tool that lets parents monitor their child's device usage and set boundaries without paying for additional software.

With Screen Time, you can:

•       View detailed usage reports showing which apps your child uses and for how long

•       Set time limits for specific apps or app categories (Social Media, Games, Productivity, etc.)

•       Schedule Downtime for bedtime, school hours, or family time

•       Restrict access to age-inappropriate content

•       Control who can contact your child via calls, messages, and FaceTime

•       Prevent app installation and in-app purchases

Unlike third-party apps, Screen Time is native to iOS, meaning it's more difficult to bypass and doesn't drain battery. It's the perfect starting point for most families.

How to Enable Screen Time (Step-by-Step)

Setting up Screen Time takes just a few minutes. Follow these steps:

1.     Open the Settings app on your child's iPhone.

2.     Tap "Screen Time" (it's near the bottom of the Settings menu).

3.     Tap "Turn On Screen Time" button.

4.     Select "This is My Child's iPhone" — this tells Apple you're setting up parental controls on a child's device.

5.     Create a Screen Time Passcode (a 4-digit code). This is crucial — use a code different from your device's regular passcode.

6.     Optional: Set up Family Sharing — this lets you manage Screen Time remotely from your own iPhone, which is highly recommended.

7.     Tap "Continue" and follow the prompts to customize your settings.

💡 Pro Tip: Set a Screen Time Passcode your child doesn't know. Use a 4-digit code different from the device's regular passcode. Store it somewhere secure.

Setting Up App Limits

App Limits let you cap how much time your child can spend in specific apps or categories each day. For example, you might allow 1 hour of gaming and 30 minutes of social media daily.

How to set app limits:

8.     Go to Settings → Screen Time → App Limits.

9.     Tap "Add Limit."

10.  Select the app category (e.g., Social Networking, Games) or choose specific apps.

11.  Set the daily time limit (e.g., 1 hour).

12.  Choose which days the limit applies (every day, weekdays only, etc.).

13.  Tap "Add" to save.

Scheduling Downtime

Downtime blocks all apps except those you specifically allow (like Phone, Messages, or homework apps) during set hours. Perfect for bedtime, school, or family dinner.

How to set up Downtime:

14.  Go to Settings → Screen Time → Downtime.

15.  Toggle "Scheduled" to on.

16.  Set the start and end time (e.g., 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM).

17.  Choose whether to apply it every day or on specific days.

18.  Under "Always Allowed," add any apps that should remain accessible during Downtime (e.g., Phone for emergencies).

Content & Privacy Restrictions

Content & Privacy Restrictions let you block age-inappropriate content, control iTunes/App Store purchases, and restrict certain device features.

Key settings to configure:

•       Allowed Apps: Disable Siri, Safari, or other apps you don't want your child using

•       Content Restrictions: Set age ratings for movies, TV shows, music, books, and apps

•       Web Content: Choose "Limit Adult Websites" or "Allowed Websites Only" for the youngest children

•       iTunes & App Store Purchases: Require a password for all purchases or disable them entirely

•       Privacy: Prevent location, contacts, photos, microphone, and camera access changes

[Screen Time vs Third-Party Apps

Screen Time is excellent for basic controls, but it has limitations compared to dedicated parental control apps like Bark or Qustodio:

Want to skip all setup entirely? FlexiSPY EXPRESS comes with everything pre-configured — just hand it to your child.