Smartphones are now an integral part of our daily lives so we must strive to manage screen time on the iPhone to avoid negative consequences on our physical and mental health. Therefore, we must find a balance between screen time and other activities like exercise, social interaction, and work or school tasks. In this blog, we'll delve into the various ways you can manage screen time on your iPhone and take control of your phone usage.

Why Should You Manage Screen Time On iPhone?

We must manage our screen time for a number of reasons.

A study by Northwestern College in Iowa links excessive screen time to sleep disruption, social isolation, poor physical health, mental health issues, and reduced academic performance in students and educators. 

By managing your screen time, you can take control of your phone usage and avoid negative consequences. In addition, managing screen time can help you be more productive, focused, and present in your daily life. It can also help you make time for other important activities and relationships, rather than becoming overly reliant on screens for entertainment and connection. 

Overall, managing screen time is important for maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

What Is iOS Screen Time Anyway?

iOS Screen Time is a built-in tool on iPhones that allows users to track their screen time, set limits for specific apps or categories of apps, and schedule downtime when the phone will be locked and certain apps will be unavailable. 

Here are the main features of iOS Screen Time:

Screen Time Statistics

iOS Screen Time provides users with detailed statistics on their screen time, including the total amount of time they have spent on their phone, the top apps they have used, and the number of times they have picked up their phone.

To set up screen time statistics on your iPhone, follow these steps:

Step 1: On your iPhone, open the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on "Screen Time."

Step 3: Review your screen time statistics, including the total amount of time you have spent on your phone and the top apps that you have used.

Step 4: You can also tap on "See All Activity" to view a more detailed breakdown of your screen time by day, app, and category.

Step 5: To view screen time statistics for other devices that are linked to your iCloud account, tap on "Devices" and select the device you want to view.

Step 6: To customize the data that is included in your screen time statistics, tap on "Options" and choose which types of data you want to include.

Step 7: To reset your screen time statistics, tap on "Reset Statistics" and confirm your choice. This will reset all of your screen time data for the current period.

By setting up screen time statistics on your iPhone, you can track your phone usage and get a better understanding of how you are using your phone. This can be helpful for identifying patterns and habits, and for setting limits and goals for managing your screen time.

Screen Time App Limits

App Limits is a feature that allows users to set limits for specific apps or categories of apps. This feature can help you avoid the overuse of certain apps so you can manage your screen time and organize your days for success.

To set up app limits on your iPhone, follow these steps:

Step 1: On your iPhone, open the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on "Screen Time."

Step 3: Tap on "App Limits."

Step 4: Select an app or category of apps from the list and set a daily limit for the amount of time you want to allow yourself to use it.

Step 5: You can also customize app limits for different days of the week and set up notifications to alert you when you are approaching your limit.

By setting up app limits on your iPhone, you can reduce your screen time and avoid overusing specific apps. By blocking certain addictive apps, you can prioritize crucial daily tasks while preventing the development of technology addiction.  

Downtime on Screen Time

Downtime is another innovative feature that allows users to schedule a daily period of time when their phone will be locked and certain apps will be unavailable. This feature allows you to create healthy boundaries around phone usage and ensure that you are not constantly connected to your phone.

To set up downtime on your iPhone, follow these steps:

Step 1: On your iPhone, open the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on "Screen Time."

Step 3: Tap on "Downtime."

Step 4: Set a daily schedule for when you want your phone to be locked and certain apps to be unavailable.

Step 5: Customize downtime for different days of the week if desired.

Always Allowed on Screen Time

The Always Allowed feature allows users to specify a list of apps that will be available during downtime. It allows access to important apps, such as phone or messaging, while still limiting access to other apps.

To set up the Always Allowed feature in iOS Screen Time on your iPhone, follow these steps:

Step 1: On your iPhone, open the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on "Screen Time."

Step 3: Tap on "Always Allowed."

Step 4: Select the apps that you want to allow during downtime.

By setting up the Always Allowed feature in iOS Screen Time on your iPhone, you can specify a list of apps that will be available during downtime. Just remember to choose apps wisely and to be mindful of your phone usage even when the Always Allowed feature is in place.

Screen Time Content & Privacy Restrictions

The Content & Privacy Restrictions feature allows users to set limits on certain types of content, such as explicit music, movies, and apps, as well as limit the amount of personal information that is shared with apps.

To set up the Content & Privacy Restrictions feature in iOS Screen Time on your iPhone, follow these steps:

Step 1: On your iPhone, open the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on "Screen Time."

Step 3: Tap on "Content & Privacy Restrictions."

Step 4: Enable the Content & Privacy Restrictions feature by turning the switch to the on position.

Step 5: Tap on "Content Restrictions" and choose the types of content that you want to restrict. Options include explicit music, movies, and apps, as well as ratings for other types of content.

Step 6: Choose the types of personal information that you want to limit apps from accessing. Options include location, contacts, and photos, among others.

By setting up the Content & Privacy Restrictions feature in iOS Screen Time on your iPhone, you can control the types of content and personal information that are accessible on your phone. Taking this approach will protect yourself and others from inappropriate content and for maintaining privacy.

Parental Controls on Screen Time

iOS Screen Time also offers a number of parental controls, including the ability to set limits for children's screen time, restrict certain apps and content, and control the types of websites that can be accessed.

To set up parental controls in iOS Screen Time on your iPhone, follow these steps:

Step 1: On your iPhone, open the Settings app.

Step 2" Tap on "Screen Time."

Step 3: Tap on "Content & Privacy Restrictions."

Step 4: Enable the Content & Privacy Restrictions feature by turning the switch to the on position.

Step 5: Tap on "Content Restrictions" and choose the types of content that you want to restrict for children. Options include explicit music, movies, and apps, as well as ratings for other types of content.

Step 6: Tap on "Apps" and choose which apps you want to allow or restrict for children.

Step 7: Tap on "Website Content" and choose which websites you want to allow or restrict for children. Options include specific websites, categories of websites, or all websites except for a specific list.

By setting up parental controls in iOS Screen Time on your iPhone, you can control the types of content and activities that are accessible to children on your phone. Hence, it will prevent your kids from viewing inappropriate content while helping them develop healthy habits around phone usage. 

How Opal Can Help You Manage Your Screen Time On iPhone

Opal is a screen time management app that can help users track and limit their phone usage in a way that is tailored to their needs and goals. By using Opal, you can experience a range of benefits that can help you manage your screen time more effectively.

In fact, according to our internal study, 94% of Opal members report being less distracted thanks to the app, and 93% are more productive as a result. Also, 90% of Opal members boast an improvement in their mental well-being as it helps with the feeling of being anxious or overwhelmed when using your smartphone. All in all, Opal users can appreciate an innovative app for combating phone addiction, boosting productivity and reducing stress, all while saving them at least one hour per day.

Opal is a powerful and valuable tool for managing screen time on an iPhone to avoid wasting time. 

Ready to take back control of your time?