{"id":896,"date":"2023-02-13T12:00:17","date_gmt":"2023-02-13T11:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/blog\/?p=896"},"modified":"2025-10-28T09:47:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T08:47:31","slug":"screen-time-for-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/blog\/screen-time-for-mac\/","title":{"rendered":"Screen Time for Mac: Everything You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Image source: <\/em>Damian Patkowski<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Being aware of how we spend our time can help us be more productive and focused. By revealing patterns of behavior, it can also help us to find a balance between the time we spend on different activities. But how do we know where our time is going? Using a time tracking tool such as Screen Time for Mac is a useful place to start. (But, it\u2019s not the only option!)<\/p>\n

Screen Time was an iPhone and iPad feature first, but it\u2019s been available across all Apple devices, including Macs, for some time. Mac Screen Time first came out with macOS 10.15 Catalina, and has continued to be available on all subsequent versions, including macOS 11 Big Sur, macOS 12 Monterey and macOS 13 Ventura.<\/p>\n

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Table of Contents<\/h2>\n

TOC<\/p>\n

What is Screen Time for Mac?<\/h2>\n

\"\"Image source: <\/em>Trust \u201cTru\u201d Katsande<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Screen Time Mac is a built-in feature that tells you how much time you spend on your device every day and which apps you use the most.<\/p>\n

This information can be surprising, even shocking, to some of us \u2014 and if we use it correctly, it can also be lucrative. Do we really<\/em> spend that much time on social media, for example? And what about all those hours we\u2019re on our email? Are there billable hours<\/a> hidden in that time that we could be charging for?<\/p>\n

Screen Time\u2019s high-level overview of where our time goes is just the beginning, however. This useful tool also offers insight into which apps are notifying you the most (emails and WhatsApp desktop notifications are often the biggest culprits here). And it tells you which apps you go to first after waking your computer up (these are called \u201cPickups\u201d).<\/p>\n

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Perhaps most importantly, Screen Time allows you to schedule time away from your screen, and to limit the time you spend on apps. Having some downtime, particularly at night, can help to improve the quality of your sleep<\/a>. And limiting your apps can help you avoid those you find particularly distracting.<\/p>\n

You can even set detailed limits so that you can\u2019t use certain apps or websites during your working hours. This is handy if you\u2019re prone to shopping on Etsy when you should be sending invoices, or editing your photos when you should be writing a proposal. Make these apps available after 5pm and give your productivity a boost.<\/p>\n

(And yes, you can add more screen time to an app limit when it expires. When you hit your limit, Screen Time will give you the option to \u201cIgnore Limit\u201d. You can either choose to have your time again, get a reminder in 15 minutes, or ignore your limit for the rest of the day.)<\/p>\n

How do I set up Screen Time on Mac?<\/h2>\n

Whether you\u2019re on your Mac, your iPhone or your iPad, Screen Time can always be found under your System Preferences. If, when you click on \u201cScreen Time,\u201d you find that it is turned off at the top, simply click on the toggle to turn it on so that you can start tracking your time.<\/p>\n

Once Screen Time is activated and you\u2019ve been using it for a while, a lot of the most useful time-tracking data you\u2019re looking for will be found in the \u201cApp Usage\u201d tab. This will give you:<\/p>\n