Apple's Screen Time page contains several controls, so "turn off Screen Time" can mean different things. You might want to stop activity reporting, remove a daily app limit, pause a Downtime schedule, or remove the passcode that protects the settings.
Do not switch off everything if only one rule is getting in the way. Keeping the activity report can still help you distinguish distracting feed time from useful phone time for reading, study, planning, notes, navigation, and communication.
Turn off everything
How to turn off Screen Time completely
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap Screen Time.
- Scroll to the bottom of the Screen Time page.
- Tap Turn Off App & Website Activity.
- Confirm that you want to turn it off.
Apple calls this the easiest way to turn off Screen Time. In its current iPhone guide, Apple says turning off App & Website Activity also turns off reporting, Downtime, App Limits, and Always Allowed.
The wording can vary on an earlier iOS version, but the current setting is under Settings, Screen Time. These steps were checked against Apple's iPhone Screen Time guide on August 28, 2026.
What stops when you turn off App & Website Activity
Activity reporting stops
You will no longer get the normal app and website activity summary used to review time, pickups, and notifications.
Downtime turns off
Your scheduled time away from apps no longer operates as part of Screen Time.
App Limits turn off
Daily limits for apps and categories stop applying through Screen Time.
Always Allowed turns off
The list used to keep selected apps available during Downtime or limits is no longer active.
Turning off Screen Time does not uninstall your apps. It also does not cancel an App Store subscription. Screen Time is an Apple setting, while subscriptions are managed separately through your Apple Account.
How to turn off only one Screen Time setting
If reporting is useful but one control is inconvenient, disable that control instead of App & Website Activity.
Stop a Downtime schedule
Open Settings, Screen Time, Downtime, then turn off Scheduled. Your activity report and App Limits can stay on.
Delete one daily limit
Open Settings, Screen Time, App Limits. Swipe left on the limit, then tap Delete. Other limits can remain.
Stop sharing across devices
In Settings, Screen Time, turn off Share Across Devices. Each device then keeps separate Screen Time settings instead of sharing limits, schedules, and reports.
Remove the Screen Time passcode
Tap Change Screen Time Passcode, then Turn Off Screen Time Passcode. This removes settings protection, not Screen Time itself.
Turning off Screen Time is different from removing its passcode
A Screen Time passcode protects the settings you chose. Removing that passcode makes those settings easier to change, but it does not automatically stop App & Website Activity, reports, Downtime, or App Limits.
Apple's current Screen Time passcode guide says to open Settings, Screen Time, tap Change Screen Time Passcode, then choose Turn Off Screen Time Passcode. You need the current passcode for your own Screen Time settings.
If you forgot the code, use Apple's recovery process rather than repeatedly guessing. The guide to what a Screen Time passcode does explains how it differs from the code used to unlock your iPhone.
Should you turn off Screen Time or keep the report?
Turn it off completely if you no longer want Apple to collect the Screen Time activity report and you do not use its schedules or limits. Remove one setting if the report is still useful but a particular rule no longer fits.
A report can be useful even when reducing the total is not your goal. Check whether the time supported something you intended to do. An hour of reading, language practice, study, planning, or notes should not be judged the same way as an hour lost to a feed.
If the report itself looks wrong, do not disable it just to hide the number. First check why Apple Screen Time may not be working and why the total may look unexpectedly high.
How to turn Screen Time back on later
- Open Settings.
- Tap Screen Time.
- Tap App & Website Activity.
- Tap Turn On App & Website Activity.
Turning reporting back on does not mean every old schedule and limit will fit your current routine. Review Downtime, App Limits, Always Allowed, and Share Across Devices before relying on them again. Use the full Screen Time report after a few completed days to understand the new baseline.
If limits are the problem, improve the decision before access
Sometimes people turn off Screen Time because a limit is badly timed, too broad, or easy to dismiss. In that case, the better fix may be to protect useful apps and add friction only before the distracting sessions you want to change.
For example, keep reading, flashcards, calendars, notes, maps, banking, and important messages practical. Add a reason and duration before opening the feed that repeatedly takes longer than intended. The goal is better phone time, not a lower number at any cost.
Build better phone time
Use intention instead of judging every minute
Timo helps you choose distracting apps to reduce, useful phone time to grow, a reason before access, and a duration for each session. It is designed for people who want fewer automatic sessions without making a useful iPhone impractical.
Timo requires an active Pro subscription to use its app features. Pricing, trial details, and subscription terms are shown before purchase through Apple's In-App Purchase system.
Download on the App Store Compare stop scrolling apps Phone Time Audit WorksheetQuestions people ask
How do I turn off Screen Time on my iPhone?
Open Settings, Screen Time, scroll down, then tap Turn Off App & Website Activity and confirm.
Can I delete one App Limit without turning off Screen Time?
Yes. Open App Limits, swipe left on the limit, and tap Delete. Your report and other limits can remain active.
Can I turn off Downtime but keep Screen Time reports?
Yes. Open Downtime and turn off Scheduled. Keep App & Website Activity on for reporting.
Does removing the Screen Time passcode turn off Screen Time?
No. It removes settings protection. Screen Time reporting and controls can remain active.
Does Timo require a subscription?
Yes. Timo requires an active Pro subscription to use its app features.