Are you or your kids glued to your smartphones? Do you want to scale back? Apple's Screen Time feature allows you to see how much time you spend on your phone and what you're looking at most.
To help kick your smartphone habit, you can set up different options to block certain apps or limit the time you spend with them on your iPhone or iPad. Since the feature is cloud-based, it can show you how much time you spend on all your Apple mobile devices collectively.
Screen Time has been around since 2018, but Apple updates the feature regularly. In iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, third-party developers can now add more controls and options for parents, paving the way for greater use and flexibility.
If you're ready to tackle tech addiction, or just keep a closer eye on how much time you spend staring at your phone, here's how to get started.
Update Your Device
I've been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I've written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, Popular Science, Time, Fortune, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for CNET as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I've also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.
If you are using an iPhone 6S or higher, we encourage you to update to iOS 15, so we can screen-capture your activity in the Safari app!
Turn on Screen Time
Disable Safari
Control Apps
Disable Siri
Limit Adult Content
Turn on Screen Time
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone® or iPad®.
- Tap “Screen Time.”
- Tap “Turn on Screen Time.”
- Tap “Continue.”
- Tap “This is my iPhone.”
- Tap “Use Screen Time Passcode.”
- Enter a 4-digit passcode (the Covenant Eyes member should not know this code). Re-enter the code for verification.
- In March 2020, Apple released a new feature for iOS 13 and above called Screen Time Passcode Recovery. This feature allows you to reset the Screen Time Passcode via an Apple ID.
SUGGESTION 1: The ally can enter in his/her own Apple ID. The passcode can then be reset using the ally’s Apple ID. Allies can create a free Apple ID on Apple’s website, even if they don’t have an Apple device.
SUGGESTION 2: The ally can change the member’s Apple ID password before setting up the Screen Time Passcode. This way the struggling member will be less able to “recover the passcode” and access the Screen Time settings.
SUGGESTION 3: You can select “Cancel” and opt out of Screen Time Passcode Recovery. The ally or whoever entered the code is then responsible for remembering it. Please note Covenant Eyes does not see or know your Screen Time Passcode, so if it’s lost or forgotten, you must contact Apple Support. - Whether you skipped Passcode Recovery or not, Use Screen Time Passcode should change to Change Screen Time Passcode!
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Disable Safari
For the best accountability experience, use Screen Time to disable Safari and make Covenant Eyes your only browser.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone® or iPad®.
- Tap “Screen Time.”
- Tap “Content and Privacy Restrictions.”
- Tap “Allowed Apps” and enter your Screen Time Passcode.
- On the Allowed Apps screen, tap the switch to the right of Safari. This will disable Safari for this device.
- Now set Covenant Eyes as your default browser so that links automatically open in the Covenant Eyes browser app!
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Disable Installing/Deleting Apps
To prevent the member from installing inappropriate apps and/or browsers via the App Store, we recommend disabling the option to install apps. If you want to safeguard Covenant Eyes from being uninstalled, you can also disable the ability to delete apps.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone® or iPad®.
- Tap “Screen Time.”
- Tap “Content & Privacy Restrictions.”
- Now, tap “iTunes & App Store Purchases” and enter your Screen Time passcode.
- Select “Installing Apps” and then select “Don’t Allow” to disable the ability to install apps. If you want to safeguard the Covenant Eyes app from being uninstalled, you can disable the ability to delete apps by selecting “Deleting Apps” and then “Don’t Allow.
- Select the “<Back” option in the upper left-hand corner.
- You’ll return to the iTunes & App Store Purchases screen and be able to view the changed setting.
Disable Siri
Siri is Apple’s built-in voice assistant! You can ask Siri about the weather, search the web, send texts, make phone calls, and more. Since you can use Siri to search the web, some members find it helpful to disable Siri.