How to get started with Screen Time schedules on iOS 27
iOS 27 introduces a new way for parents to control what kind of apps or websites their child can access and when.
If you're a parent who would like to manage a child's iPhone device and control when certain apps can be used, it's now possible to use Screen Time to schedule access to both apps and websites. This is perfect if you have apps that you'd still like your child to have some access to, but don't need to block entirely.
While scheduling access to apps is a good start for setting up effective parental controls, screenshot monitoring is a more powerful way to understand how apps are being used while Screen Time allows them. Apps like LivingRoom for Families can monitor the entire screen on a child's iPhone.
Prerequisites
First, we strongly recommend setting up an Apple Family Group if you plan on using scheduling on a child's device. See our dedicated guide for setting up Apple Family for help getting started.
Next, Apple's new scheduled features were introduced as part of Apple's OS 27 release, so unfortunately, both the parent's and child's devices need to be upgraded to iOS 27 first. If you've already upgraded to iOS 27 on both your child's and your own devices, then it's worth double-checking if you have any other devices that still need to be updated (yes, that includes devices your child will not use). You may want to double-check Apple's support doc and carefully review the devices listed; if necessary, you can update or temporarily sign out of devices that aren't possible to upgrade.
How to Get Started with Scheduling on Screen Time
To access your child's Screen Time Schedule, view their Family Sharing settings by going to Settings > Family, and then select your child's name. You can do this on your own iPhone or their device, as long as you're both added to the same Family Group.
From your child's Family Sharing settings, tap on Screen Time Schedule.
It's important to know what role scheduling plays in Screen Time.
First, if you ever need to block something completely, it's better to use Ask to Browse or Time Allowances instead. This goes for both apps and websites.
Scheduling allows a parent to say what kind of content is allowed and when it's allowed. By itself, apps aren't actually blocked, so it may make sense to also use Time Allowances to block apps. It's a better fit if you'd like to prevent your child from accessing distracting apps during specific times of the day.
For example, you might prefer that your child can only play games on their iPhone outside of school hours. You could set up a schedule like the one below:
If you need to change which apps are considered games (there are some apps that you might want to control directly), you can manage categories in the Time Allowances section instead. Time Allowances lets you create your own categories too.
How to Use Time Allowances
First, view these options in your child's Family Sharing settings. You should see the Time Allowances option:
Time Allowances should be used to set a hard limit for an app or a category of apps that you'd still like your child to have some access to. It is possible to block a category, but if you need to block an app, there's actually a better way you can do this with Screen Time now that I'll walk you through later.
Time Allowances generally don't allow parents to easily block a single app because, instead of managing each app independently, apps are managed by category. By default, you should have something like the image below:
You can also manage categories yourself, either by moving apps to a different category or creating and managing your own categories altogether. Start by tapping the Manage Categories button:
From here, you could tap the plus icon near the top to create a new category...
...or edit one of the available categories instead. For example, you can add an app to the Entertainment category by tapping the plus icon near the top:
You could even set a time limit of zero for an entire category, but it's worth noting that you can also block apps and websites more directly.
Block an App or Website Completely
There is another section you should know about called Apps & Websites that allows parents to set much firmer rules about the kinds of features, apps, and websites their child can access. View these options in your child's Family Sharing settings. You should see an Apps & Websites option:
Here, you can actually see what has been specifically allowed or blocked:
To block an app, find it in the Approved list (most apps are approved by default once they are downloaded):
Tap on the app, scroll down, and tap Block App:
If you instead need to block a website, you can do this by starting from the main Apps & Websites page.
Tap the Blocked button, like this:
Then tap the plus icon near the bottom right. You can then enter the website URL you'd like to block, and it should sync to your child's device after a few seconds in most cases.
For websites specifically, you might also consider using Ask to Browse instead, so your child needs to send you an approval request before they can access a website. Without approval, all websites are blocked.