To limit screen time for kids, set a clear daily limit for each age, turn on app limits and downtime on the phone, and agree on simple routines at home. Start with the free tools on the device. Google Family Link works on Android, and Apple Screen Time works on iPhone. Small limits that you keep every day work better than strict rules that you drop after a week.
- Why do most screen time limits fail?
- What is a healthy screen time limit by age?
- How do you set limits on Android with Family Link?
- How do you set limits on iPhone with Screen Time?
- What routines make limits stick?
- How do you write a family screen time agreement?
- What do you do when your child pushes back?
- When should you change or loosen the limits?
- Frequently asked questions
Last updated: October 2026
This guide is for parents and guardians. It is about your own child and a device your family owns. You set the limits with your child, not in secret, and you adjust them as your child grows.
How we check facts. We use the official help pages from Google and Apple for every setting in this guide. We do not claim hands-on testing. Some links on this site may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Why do most screen time limits fail?
Most limits fail because they start too hard. A child who plays games for four hours a day will fight a sudden limit of thirty minutes. The rule feels like a punishment, not a plan. After a few hard days, many parents give up.
Limits also fail when they are vague. Telling a child to use the phone less gives no clear line. A clear limit names the hours, the apps, and the times of day. Your child should be able to repeat the rule back to you in one short sentence.
A third problem is that parents set limits only on the phone. Games move to a tablet, a school laptop, or a game console. Talk about total screen time for fun, across all screens. School work on a screen does not need to count in the same way.
What is a healthy screen time limit by age?
There is no single magic number for every child. Health experts give general guidance, and families adjust it to fit school, sleep, and play. Young children need more time for play, talk, and sleep. Older children can handle more, but they still need breaks and a clear stop time at night.
Use the table below as a starting point, not a strict law. It follows general expert guidance on balanced days for kids. If your child sleeps well, does school work, plays outside, and still has time with family, your limit is close to right.
| Age | Fun screen time goal | Key focus | Good tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ages 2 to 5 | About 1 hour a day of high quality shows or apps | Watch together and talk about what you see | Timers, app limits, no screens at meals |
| Ages 6 to 12 | 1 to 2 hours a day, with clear start and stop times | Protect homework, play, and sleep | Family Link app limits, Screen Time downtime |
| Teens 13 to 17 | Agreed limits, often 2 to 3 hours of fun use | Social apps, gaming balance, and late night use | App limits, downtime at night, weekly reports |
For children under two, keep fun screen time very low. Video calls with family are fine and help a child connect. For all ages, keep at least the last hour before bed free of fast games and short videos. Sleep matters more than any single show.
Look at the whole day, not only the phone. A child who trains for sport for two hours can handle a bit more screen time. A child who sits all day at school and then sits with a tablet all evening needs more movement breaks.
How do you set limits on Android with Family Link?
Google Family Link is free and covers daily limits, app limits, and downtime. Open Family Link on your phone and pick your child. The app shows how much time your child used today and which apps took the most time.
Daily limits and app limits
To set a daily limit, open your child profile in Family Link and tap Controls, then Daily limit. Turn it on and pick the hours for school days and weekends. To limit one app, tap App limits, pick the app, and set its own time. When the time ends, the app stops for the day.
You can also mark key apps as Always allowed. Calls, messages to family, and school apps can stay open. This keeps the limit fair. Your child can still reach you when a game has used up its time.
Downtime and bedtime on Android
Downtime locks most of the device during set hours. In Family Link, go to Controls and Downtime, and set the start and end time. Many families set downtime from dinner to morning. You can also set a bedtime schedule that locks the device at night.
For full steps to set up supervision first, read our Android parental controls guide. It walks through creating the child account and linking the device. Once supervision is on, the limits in this article take only a few minutes.
How do you set limits on iPhone with Screen Time?
Apple Screen Time is built into iPhone and iPad. If you use Family Sharing, you manage your child from your own phone. Go to Settings, then Family, then your child name, then Screen Time. Set a Screen Time passcode that only you know.
App Limits and Downtime on iPhone
Tap App Limits and Add Limit to pick app groups like Games or Social. Set the time for each group and tap Add. Tap Downtime to block most apps during set hours, for example from 8 pm to 7 am. You can choose apps that stay allowed, such as Phone and Messages.
Your child sees a warning before time runs out. They can ask for more time, and you approve or deny it from your phone. This small step starts a talk instead of a fight. Our iPhone parental controls guide covers every Screen Time screen in order.
Use the weekly Screen Time report to adjust. If one game takes all the time, limit that game alone. If school apps get blocked by mistake, move them to Always Allowed. Good limits feel fair because they target the real problem.
What routines make limits stick?
Tools set the limit, but routines keep it. A limit works when the day has other good things in it. Plan sport, reading, chores, and family time first. Screens then fill the gaps, not the whole day.
Keep phones out of bedrooms at night. Charge all family phones in one spot in the kitchen or living room. This one habit fixes late night scrolling for kids and adults. It also ends the fight about phones at bedtime.
Make meals screen free for everyone. Parents follow the same rule, or kids will not take it as fair. Short and steady habits beat long lectures. After two or three weeks, most kids stop testing a routine that never changes.
Screen time plan at a glance
- Pick one daily limit for fun apps and games.
- Set downtime for meals, homework, and night hours.
- Keep Always Allowed apps for calls and school.
- Charge phones outside bedrooms at night.
- Check the weekly report together, not every day.
- Loosen one limit when your child earns trust.
Put this plan where everyone can see it. A note on the fridge works well. When a rule is written and shared, you argue less about what was agreed. You can also compare paid tools in our roundup of the best parental control apps if the free tools are not enough.
How do you write a family screen time agreement?
Write a short agreement with your child. Keep it to one page and use plain words. List the daily limit, the downtime hours, and the places where screens are not allowed. Add what happens when someone breaks a rule, and keep the result fair and short.
Let your child help write it. Kids follow rules they helped to make. Ask what limit feels fair for school days and weekends. You may not agree on the first number, but the talk itself builds trust.
Review the agreement every few months. As kids grow, limits should grow with them. Our guide on how to monitor your child phone safely helps you set the wider rules around the device. For app level safety talks, see our social media safety guide for kids.
What do you do when your child pushes back?
Pushback is normal, so plan for it. Stay calm and repeat the reason for the limit in one line. You protect sleep, school, and family time. Do not turn the talk into a long debate late at night.
Offer a choice inside the limit. Your child can pick which apps get time first, or which hour is game time. Choice inside a clear frame lowers fights. If your child earns trust for a few weeks, add a small bonus on weekends.
If fights happen every day, the limit may be too sudden. Cut time in steps over two weeks instead of all at once. Praise the days that go well. Kids repeat what gets noticed, so notice the good days more than the bad ones.
Watch for signs that screen time hides a bigger issue. A child who cannot stop may feel stress, boredom, or pressure from friends online. Talk first, and add support if you need it. Limits help, but they do not replace a good talk.
When should you change or loosen the limits?
Loosen limits when your child shows steady good habits. They stop on time, sleep well, and keep up with school. Raise the limit a little and watch for a few weeks. Freedom that grows with trust teaches self control.
Tighten limits for a short time if sleep or grades drop fast. Keep the change short and clear, for example two weeks. Then review together. Short and fair changes work better than open ended bans.
If cost is a worry, start free. Our list of best free parental control apps shows what free tools cover well. For most families, Family Link and Screen Time are enough to run the plan in this guide.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions parents ask us most about screen time.
How much screen time is too much for a child?
It depends on age and on the rest of the day. As general guidance, about one hour a day suits ages 2 to 5, one to two hours suits ages 6 to 12, and teens do best with agreed limits that protect sleep and school. If sleep, mood, or grades slip, the current amount is too much.
What is the best app to limit screen time for kids?
Start with the free built in tools. Google Family Link is best for Android and Apple Screen Time is best for iPhone. Both set daily limits, app limits, and downtime, and both show weekly reports.
How do I limit screen time without fights?
Agree the limit with your child, write it down, and change it in small steps. Give choice inside the limit, such as which apps get time first. Stay calm, keep the rule the same every day, and praise good days.
Should screen time limits be different on weekends?
Many families allow a bit more time on weekends. Keep the same downtime at night so sleep stays on track. If Monday feels hard, the weekend limit may be too high.
Can my child bypass screen time limits?
Some kids try workarounds, like using a browser or a second account. A Screen Time passcode or a supervised Family Link account blocks most tricks. Talk about why the limit exists, because trust stops more tricks than tools do.
