Screen Time - Do limits apply per category or per app within?

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Level 1

8 points

Screen Time - Do limits apply per category or per app within?

Hello,

I'm trying to understand the way Screen Time works (or not).

I set up a 2 hours limit on the Social category on my daughter's iPhone 8 (fully updated), and did specify to "block at end of limit".

She uses Instagram, SnapChat, TikTok, etc.

While she doesn't spend 2 hours per app, the aggregate exceeds the limit set for the category.

Am I to understand that the limit applies, not to the category as a whole (Insta+Snap+TikTik = 2h), but to apps within that category?

If so, it means that I should set limits for each app individually instead, then (which is a pain).

Thanks for your input.

Posted on Oct 22, 2020 8:23 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

fcdmntl Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 27, 2020 9:33 AM in response to jdo_apple

Hi.

Thanks for the reply.

Maybe because English not being my mother tongue, I don't think I find what I'm looking for.

I'll try to rephrase.

If I set a 2 hours limit for the "Social" apps Category, does the limit apply:

to the apps within the category INDIVIDUALLY? or
to all the apps combined?

In other words:

will the user be allowed 2 hours for Instagram, 2 hours for TikTok, etc.? or
will the user be allowed 2 hours for all the apps (Instagram + Tiktok + ... = 2 hours)?

Thanks again

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Answer 2

fcdmntl Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 28, 2020 2:12 AM in response to MoonJ.

Alright, so that confirms that the app limit doesn’t actually work.

I did set up a 2h limit for the whole Social apps category, and that limit is consistently exceeded (despite me having checked the “block at time limit” parameter).

Thanks anyway for the replies.

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Answer 3

MoonJ.

Community Specialist

Oct 27, 2020 11:02 AM in response to fcdmntl

fcdmntl,

Thanks for the follow up questions. In Settings > Screen Time > [Your Childs Name] > App Limits > Add Limit, you can either add individual apps or the the entire category. If you set 2 hours for an individual app, then that time would before the app you chosen. If you select 2 hours for the Social category, then it's for all apps combined in that category. Please let us know if that answers your questions.

Take Care!

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Answer 4

jdo_apple

Community Specialist

Oct 27, 2020 9:23 AM in response to fcdmntl

Hello fcdmntl,

It sounds like you have some questions about Screen Time. We know how important this question is for you and you’re in the right place for answers. App limits are for the entire category and not the individual apps. So if you do limit Social app to two hours, then after the two hours they'll no longer be accessible until the daily reset at midnight.

Here's a resource that can help:

• Use Screen Time on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Specifically, use these steps:

• App Limits

Cheers!

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Screen Time - Do limits apply per category or per app within?

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