Where to find screen time on your phone or tablet

Your device tracks how much time you spend in each app and on your phone overall. On iPhones and iPads, this information lives in Settings under Screen Time. On Android phones, it's called Digital Wellbeing. Both show you the same basic data: total time spent, which apps you used most, and how many times you picked up your device.

The exact steps depend on what device you have. iPhone and iPad users should open Settings, tap Screen Time, and look at the top of the screen for your daily average. Android users open Settings, search for "Digital Wellbeing," and tap it to see the same information. The data refreshes at midnight each day, so what you see is always yesterday's total plus today so far.

Key Takeaways

  • iPhones and iPads show screen time in Settings under the Screen Time section, which displays your daily total and app-by-app breakdown.
  • Android phones use Digital Wellbeing, found in Settings, to track the same information in a similar layout.
  • Both systems reset their daily count at midnight and show you which apps consumed the most time.
  • You can set time limits on individual apps if you want to receive a warning when you've spent too long in one place.

Checking screen time on iPhone and iPad

Open Settings and scroll down until you see Screen Time. Tap it. At the top of the screen, you'll see a large number showing your average daily screen time over the last seven days. Below that is a bar graph showing each day of the week. Tap the graph to switch between a seven-day view and a single-day view if you want to see just today's total.

Scroll down to see which apps you used most. The list shows every app you opened, ranked by time spent. Tap any app name to see a more detailed breakdown — how many times you opened it, when you opened it most, and notifications you received from it. This detail helps you understand whether you're spending time actively using an app or just getting interrupted by notifications.

Checking screen time on Android

Open Settings and search for "Digital Wellbeing" using the search box at the top. Tap Digital Wellbeing and Device Care. On the main screen, you'll see a large circle showing your total screen time for today. Below that is a list of apps ranked by time spent, just like on iPhone. The data updates throughout the day as you use your phone.

Tap the circle graph to see a timeline of your usage broken down by hour. This shows you when during the day you used your phone most — whether it's concentrated in the morning, spread throughout the day, or heavy in the evening. Tap any app in the list to see how many times you opened it and when you used it most.

Understanding what screen time actually measures

Screen time counts the minutes your screen is on while you're actively using your device. It does not count time when your phone is in your pocket or on a table. It also does not count time you spend on a computer or tablet if you're checking screen time on your phone — each device tracks itself separately. If you want to know your total time across all devices, you have to add the numbers yourself.

The app-by-app breakdown counts time in the foreground only. If you have Spotify playing in the background while you use another app, the time goes to the app you're actively looking at, not Spotify. Some apps like messaging or email may show higher numbers than you expect because notifications count as "opening" the app even if you just glance at them for a second.

Setting limits on individual apps

Both iPhone and Android let you set time limits that send you a warning when you've spent too long in one app. On iPhone, open Screen Time, scroll to App Limits, and tap Add Limit. Choose which apps you want to limit, set a time (for example, 30 minutes), and choose which days the limit applies. When you hit the limit, you'll see a warning and the app will slow down, though you can tap "Ignore Limit" to keep using it.

On Android, open Digital Wellbeing, tap App Timers, and tap the plus sign to add a new timer. Select the app, set your time limit, and confirm. When you reach the limit, the app icon will gray out on your home screen and you won't be able to open it until the next day. You can still override this by tapping the grayed-out icon, but the friction makes it easier to notice you're going over.

Why your screen time might seem wrong

Screen time numbers sometimes surprise people because they count differently than you might expect. A video call counts as screen time, but a phone call does not — your screen is off during a voice call. Watching videos in an app counts, but if you're using your phone as a flashlight or GPS with the screen on but not actively interacting, that still counts as screen time. Reading a long article in a browser counts as time in the browser app, not as time reading.

If you notice your screen time is much higher than you thought, check which apps are at the top of the list. Often it's a social media app, email, or messaging app that you check many times throughout the day in short bursts. The total adds up faster than you realize because you're not sitting down for one long session — you're picking up your phone 50 times for two minutes each.

Viewing screen time across multiple devices

If you use both an iPhone and an iPad, or multiple Android devices, each one tracks its own screen time separately. There is no built-in way to see a combined total across devices. You would need to manually add the numbers together, or use a third-party app that syncs data across your devices — though these apps require you to grant them access to your screen time data.

If you want to track your computer usage as well, your computer has its own screen time or activity monitor. On Mac, open System Preferences, go to Screen Time, and you'll see the same type of breakdown. On Windows, open Settings, go to System, then Focus Assist or App Usage, depending on your Windows version. These are separate from your phone's tracking and don't sync together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does screen time track time when my phone is locked?

No. Screen time only counts minutes when your screen is actively on and you're using your device. If your phone is in your pocket or sitting on a table locked, that time doesn't count. However, if your screen is on but you're not touching it, it still counts toward your total.

Can I see screen time from past weeks or months?

iPhone shows a seven-day average and lets you tap the graph to see individual days going back about a month. Android shows today's total and a timeline by hour, but doesn't store historical data the same way. If you want to track trends over months, you'd need to take screenshots or use a third-party app.

Why does my screen time include time I was sleeping?

If your phone was on and unlocked during the night, or if notifications turned your screen on, that time counts. You can use Focus modes on iPhone or Do Not Disturb on Android to prevent notifications from waking your screen, which will lower your screen time count during sleep hours.

Does screen time count video calls?

Yes, video calls count as screen time because your screen is on. Voice calls do not count because your screen is off. FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet, and other video apps all count toward your total when you're actively in a call.

Can I reset my screen time data?

On iPhone, you can turn off Screen Time entirely in Settings, which clears the data, but you'll lose all tracking. On Android, Digital Wellbeing doesn't have a reset option — the data stays until you uninstall and reinstall the system app, which most people shouldn't do. Both systems start fresh each day at midnight.