In iOS 12, Apple's digital health push includes a couple of special new features for iPhone and iPad users who want to cut down on their app usage: App Limits and Downtime. In this article, we'll show you how to use them.

App Limits allows you to set specific time limits on a particular app category (games, for example). When you've spent the designated time using the app category, iOS sends you an alert notifying you of the fact. Of course, you're free to ignore these alerts, but the idea behind them is that they'll help you manage your time better.

how to set app limits in ios 12
The second feature, Downtime, enables you to set a daily schedule for when you'd rather not use your iOS device at all. Once activated, the feature restricts device usage to phone calls and any apps you've specifically exempted from Downtime. Like App Limits, you can override these restrictions – they're more like good guidance than anything else, and can still help if you honestly want to self-regulate your mobile usage.

How to Set Individual App Limits in iOS 12

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap Screen Time.
  3. Tap the Screen Time graph for this device. Alternatively, tap All Devices.
    ios 12 app limits

  4. Scroll down to the Most Used list and tap an app you want to set a limit for.
  5. Tap Add Limit at the bottom of the menu.
    IMG 0075

  6. Select a time limit using the hour and minute wheels. If you want to set different limits for particular days of the week, tap Customize Days.
  7. Tap Add to apply the app limit.

How to Set App Category Limits in iOS 12

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap Screen Time.
  3. Tap App Limits.
  4. Tap the categories in the list that you'd like to include in the limit, or select All Apps & Categories.
    ios 12 app limits 1

  5. Tap Add in the upper right of the screen.
  6. Select a time limit using the hour and minute wheels. If you want to set different limits for particular days of the week, select Customize Days.
  7. Tap Back when you're done.
  8. Add another limit if desired, or tap Screen Time to return to the main Screen Time menu.

When you're approaching a designated limit, iOS will alert you in advance with a standard notification. When you finally reach the limit, the alert will take over the screen.

ios 12 app limit warnings
If you want to override the custom limit, simply tap Ignore Limit. You can then select either to Reminded Me in 15 Minutes or Ignore Limit for Today.

To delete app category limits and individual app Limits at any time, go to Settings -> Screen Time -> App Limits, tap on the limit you want to remove, then tap Delete Limit.

How to Use Downtime in iOS 12

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap Screen Time.
  3. Tap Downtime.
    ios 12 downtime

  4. Slide the Downtime toggle to enable it.

  5. Select a Start and End time using the dropdown hour and minute wheels.

How to Exempt Certain Apps From Downtime

If there are particular apps which you'd like to remain accessible during Downtime, you can add these to your Allowed Apps list, located in Settings -> Screen Time -> Always Allowed.

ios 12 downtime 1
Simply tap the green plus buttons beside apps that you want to add to the list, or the red minus buttons to remove them.

Related Forum: iOS 12

Top Rated Comments

aardwolf Avatar
74 months ago
Only if you give them the passcode you set up when you enable Time Limit.
No, I just tested it. There is no passcode required to tell it to ignore the time limit.

Edit: Oh, you're right! You have to turn on the Content and Privacy Restrictions (under a different menu item) to make it prompt them for a password.

This will actually let me give my daughter an iPad now. :-)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eroyce Avatar
74 months ago
They were SO close to having something that works for kids. As it works now, the kids can just ignore the limit...
If your kids have separate devices and their own appleID set up as part of the family, they will need to request permission from you to extend their time limit.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Billberryjuice Avatar
72 months ago
A few things this still needs:

- bug fixes: not tried it on many other apps but on Safari when the limit has run out and I “ignore for 15 minutes”, instead of getting 15 minutes it will lock down again basically every time I change page or tap on something (on iPhone 6S). Looking at the Screen Time data, I guess this is something to do with the way it logs time for individual sites.

- A simpler way to set restrictions on individual apps: the current way almost feels like it’s unintentional by the way it’s hidden, completely unintuitive

- Categories editing

- Finer Downtime control: what if I want different rules for the weekend? The app restrictions allow custom limits by day, why not here? Ideally they would add even finer control than this (e.g. the ability to set two or more Downtime slots per day)

- Better implementation of “Share Across Devices”: on my main iPhone I spent ages adding apps to Always Allow, setting up Downtime and app limits, and turned on SAD, before moving on to my other phone and iPads - switching on SAD on another device should have picked up the settings I already changed on the first device and brought them to the second - nope, the opposite happens and the settings on the first seem to be wiped away. Thankfully, a way around this is to turn SAD off again on the first device and its own settings should come back. It looks like the way to get your settings to apply across all devices (without redoing them n times) is to turn on SAD on all the other devices *first*, then turn it on on the device that you changed all the settings of, as it seems the last one you switch it on for pushes its settings to all the others.

- Second thing on Share Across Devices: it seems that the only way to see all of your devices in your Screen Time bar chart is to enable SAD across all of them - but what if I want to set different limits for each but still be able to see the data from all of them in one place? Currently this doesn’t seem possible.

- (edit) Third thing on Share Across Devices: turning it on caused some old Apple apps to appear on my home screen for my iPhones in random places (e.g. top right corner) - one was iTunes Store and the other I forget but both were promptly deleted again. I can only guess why this happened but clearly wasn’t intentional!


TLDR: I like it but it needs some work.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KC in KC Avatar
74 months ago
They were SO close to having something that works for kids. As it works now, the kids can just ignore the limit...
As a parent, there has to be way to completely ban an application. Currently, you have to assign at least 1 minute of time. This is not a good parental control.

Also, there is too much "security" based on Apple's view of app categories. If I want my child to use one "Social Networking" app and not others, there isn't a good way to do that except granting "Always Available". Then the downtime limits don't apply.

It looks like Our Pact or other parental controls will still be required in IOS 12.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jutdon84 Avatar
74 months ago
They were SO close to having something that works for kids. As it works now, the kids can just ignore the limit...
Only if you give them the passcode you set up when you enable Time Limit.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shareef777 Avatar
72 months ago
All I can say is it’s about damn time. This feature is AMAZING! I’m able to lock down my two younger sons iPads and my daughters iPhone. They can request more time (similar process to requesting app purchases), and I can grant an extra 15min, 1hr, or remainder of the day. Single greatest iOS feature addition since the App Store!!!
[doublepost=1537408914][/doublepost]
would be good to know how this works with family sharing. Eg can kids be set up so they can't ignore the limits? If they hit a limit can they request an extension from the parent?
Yep, they can request more time per app, and you can approve for an additional 15min, 1hr, or remainder of the day.
[doublepost=1537408946][/doublepost]
They were SO close to having something that works for kids. As it works now, the kids can just ignore the limit...
You can set a password to prevent that.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
apple wallet drivers license feature

Apple Said iPhone Driver's Licenses Would Expand to These 8 U.S. States… Two Years Ago

Thursday March 14, 2024 7:33 am PDT by
In just four U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports, businesses, and venues. Adoption of the feature has been slow since Apple first announced it in September 2021, with IDs in the Wallet app only available in Arizona,...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
OLED iPad Air

iPad Air Next on Apple's OLED Tablet Roadmap Following iPad Pro

Friday March 15, 2024 3:30 am PDT by
The iPad Air will be the next Apple tablet to adopt OLED display panel technology following its upcoming OLED iPad Pro models, according to an updated forecast from research firm Omdia (via The Elec). "In 2028, we expect the iPad Air to go OLED as well, with the iPad Air using single-stack and the iPad Pro using two-stack tandem OLEDs," said Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo, speaking on...
Walmart MacBook Air M1

Walmart Begins Selling MacBook Air With M1 Chip for $699 in U.S.

Friday March 15, 2024 6:57 am PDT by
Walmart today announced that it has started selling the MacBook Air with the M1 chip in the U.S., with pricing set at a very reasonable $699. The laptop can be ordered now on Walmart.com, and it will be available soon at select Walmart stores. This is the first time that customers can purchase a Mac that is sold directly by Walmart, the company said in a press release. Some other retailers...