Review Screen Time on Mac and iPad

Questions

  • How do I turn on Screen Time on my Mac?
  • How do I check my Screen Time on my iPad?
  • How do I see which apps I use the most?
  • How do I view my weekly Screen Time report?
  • How do I see how many times I pick up my iPad?
  • How do I find out which apps send me the most notifications?
  • Where is Screen Time in macOS settings?
  • How do I share Screen Time data across my Mac and iPad?

Environment

These instructions apply to Bowdoin-issued MacBook Pro computers running macOS Sequoia (15.x) or macOS Tahoe (26.x) and Bowdoin-issued iPads running the current version of iPadOS. Screen Time is a self-monitoring tool built into Apple devices. Bowdoin IT does not enforce Screen Time limits on student devices. These instructions are about reviewing your own usage data, not setting parental controls.

Resolution

Screen Time tracks how you use your devices and delivers a weekly summary. Most people have never opened theirs. The weekly readout is not there to make you feel bad. It is a snapshot of your habits: which apps get the most time, how often you pick up your device, and which apps send the most notifications. That information helps you decide whether the way you are spending your time matches what you intend.

Turn on Screen Time on Mac

  1. Open System Settings from the Apple menu or the Dock.
  2. Select Screen Time in the sidebar. Scroll down if the option is not immediately visible.
  3. Click App & Website Activity.
  4. Click Turn On App & Website Activity. Screen Time begins tracking your usage immediately.

Review your usage report on Mac

  1. Open System Settings > Screen Time.
  2. Click App & Website Activity. A graph shows your usage for the current day, broken down by app category (Social, Productivity, Entertainment, and others).
  3. Click See All Activity to view a more detailed breakdown:
    • App usage shows total time per app, ranked from most to least used. Switch between daily and weekly views using the tabs at the top.
    • Notifications shows which apps sent the most notifications over the selected period. An app sending dozens of notifications per day is worth reviewing in your notification settings.

Share Screen Time data across devices on Mac

  1. In System Settings > Screen Time, toggle on Share across devices.
  2. Screen Time data from your Mac, iPad, and iPhone (if applicable) will combine into a single report. This gives you a complete picture of your total device usage rather than separate reports per device.

Turn on Screen Time on iPad

  1. Open Settings on the iPad Home Screen.
  2. Tap Screen Time.
  3. Tap Turn On Screen Time, then tap Continue.
  4. When asked, tap This is My iPad (not the child setup option).

Review your usage report on iPad

  1. Open Settings > Screen Time.
  2. Tap See All App & Website Activity. A graph at the top shows total usage for the day.
  3. Scroll down to see individual app rankings. Tap Show Categories or Show Apps & Websites to switch between a category view and an app-by-app view.
  4. Switch between daily and weekly views by tapping Day or Week at the top of the screen.
  5. Below the app list, review additional data:
    • Pickups shows how many times you picked up your iPad and which app you opened first each time. The first app you reach for after a pickup is often the one with the strongest pull on your attention.
    • Notifications shows notification counts per app. An app that sends more than 20 notifications a day is a good candidate for having its notifications turned off or moved to a scheduled summary.

Share Screen Time data across devices on iPad

  1. Open Settings > Screen Time.
  2. Toggle on Share Across Devices.
  3. Usage data from all Apple devices signed in with the same Apple ID will appear in a single combined report.
Note: Screen Time delivers a weekly summary notification every Sunday. Glance at it each week. The goal is not to hit a specific number but to notice patterns and trends over time.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.

Additional Resources

 

 

AI-assisted content: This article was drafted with the assistance of an AI writing tool and reviewed by Bowdoin IT staff for accuracy.
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