How to set effective Screen Time limits on iOS?

Any success? I've tried everything on here with no luck. They can ignore limit for the day which defeats the purpose of even putting it on.

This solution was offered on a previous support page. I have not had to do it myself, but it may help:

1. Turn off screen time for the device that is needing to be blocked for downtime (childs device)
2. Make sure all pictures have synced with iCloud or they will be lost (scroll to bottom of photos app to check if any pending) sign out of iCloud on all devices that can either approve screen time requests or have screen time limitations (child and parents)
3. reset the same devices (not erase content, just reset all settings by going to settings > transfer or reset iPhone > reset > reset all settings)
4. sign back in to iCloud on all devices
5. turn screen time back on and set downtime limits
6. everything should be working normally now and stay as is

I just discovered that kids can ignore the limits set for apps. I couldn’t believe it. Are you serious people? This is the reason to go away from apple entirely and I gave been exclusively using your products for 20 years . What a disappointment.

barden55 wrote:

Apple doesn’t want to fix screen time downtime because that’s less eyeballs on all their ads and they can keep addicting our kids to mindless games and videos, less eyeballs means less money for Apple at the expensive our kids. The government needs to get involved to enforce these rules! Shameful really because this is a highly technical company that can do lots of amazing things that make them money, but can’t do a **** thing to protect our kids. Shame on all of them!

There is one HUGE problem with your complaint. Apple makes ZERO money on the ads that the developers use in their apps that pop up while playing those games. Apple only takes a commission on any in-app purchase that is available in the app or the purchase price of the app if there is one. If you want to take a stance against these developers, don't download any of their apps that include ads. You can also prevent your children from downloading any app in the App Store.

This is what fixed the issue with my son’s downtime. It’s always worked until today. I had turned scheduled downtime off for the school holidays and manually blocked at at different times but when I turned it back on yesterday he was able to ignore the downtime request. I’ve just checked after reading this reply and ‘block at downtime’ was toggled off so I’ve turned it back on and now it’s working correctly again! Thanks for the tip!

gwilym227 is incorrect. I am a child and my parents use the screen time limit option. "Ignore limit" can be prevented by changing the settings on your phone with your screen time password. Search on google how to do it. Adding apps to the allowed list is restricted on the child's device because of the screen time limit you have to type in before changing any of the screen time settings. Either you children habe figured out this password, or you put in your settings for them to have access to this. As a child, I have also tried everything to get past the limit. I have even changed the time and date to when there will be screen time, but somehow my parents have disabled this.

I hope these solutions help.

Your best regards, a child with a screen time limit.

Apple doesn’t want to fix screen time downtime because that’s less eyeballs on all their ads and they can keep addicting our kids to mindless games and videos, less eyeballs means less money for Apple at the expensive our kids. The government needs to get involved to enforce these rules! Shameful really because this is a highly technical company that can do lots of amazing things that make them money, but can’t do a **** thing to protect our kids. Shame on all of them!

Same here. All devices updated to 16.5. Screen time is completely broken. I toggle something off and watch it toggle back on before my very eyes.

I SECOND THIS 100%.

App limits work sometimes, other times not_at_all.

This is arguably THE MOST IMPORTANT APP on the computer, period.

I specifically ditched our 2015 iMac and bought a new M2 iMac for my 3 kids so that I could have foolproof control over their digital world. I am now spending my valuable time troubleshooting this buggy set of screen controls. Every phone call to support has me doing the same old thing old removing, re-adding, re-installing.... each call costs me an hour. I'm not going to the dark side but if I could, I would have 1 infinite way STAND the f down for a week and all hands focus on this piece of smoldering goo called screen time.

I have to agree. I’m seriously considering leaving apple at this point. I have a few friends who have done so and haven’t looked back since. I’ve been with apple forever, but I’m on the verge. What a disappointment apple.

Hello, i had the same problem, but i discover the fix! Before you ad the apps or the limit you should set the screen time passcode and then go to apps limit! This will fix it!✌️

That’s ridiculous though, it shouldn’t be such a pain in the ***!

Turn on 'Block at Downtime'.

If it's already 'on', then turn it off and then on again. It would work.

With newer iOS go into app limits click on the app limit you want to require a passcode for to ignore the limit and click the “block limit” option to on. Now in order to ignore the limit it will require your screen time password