You can use Time Machine, the built-in backup feature of your Mac, to automatically back up all your files, including apps, music, photos, email, documents and system files. When you have a backup, you can restore files from your backup if the original files are ever deleted from your Mac or the hard disk (or SSD) in your Mac is erased or replaced. Entirely disallow the use of specific apps in the Apps tab's Limit Applications on this Mac option. Limit the entire use of the computer in the Time tab. However, what I would like to do is limit how long a specific app can be used. You will need to manually enter the start time of the break and then request a daily repeat of the same break using the same time. Personally, I need a way to set an alert that begins when I start it and lasts for 5 minutes and then repeats every 5 minutes until I stop it manually, but I haven't found anything that can do this. We make Stack Overflow and 170+ other community-powered Q&A sites.
Use Screen Time to see how much time you and your kids spend on apps, websites, and more. Then make informed decisions about how you use your devices, and set limits if you'd like to.
Turn on Screen Time
Follow these steps in macOS Catalina or later:
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Screen Time.
- Click Options in the lower-left corner.
- Click Turn On.
- To be able to see usage information for every other device signed in to iCloud with your Apple ID, select “Share across devices” on each Mac. And on each iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > Screen Time and turn on the same setting.
If you're using Family Sharing to manage a child account, you can turn on Screen Time directly from each of your child's devices. Or follow these steps to do it from your Mac:*
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Family Sharing.
- Click Screen Time in the sidebar, then select your child's name from the list on the right.
- Click the Open Screen Time button to return to Screen Time preferences.
- Choose your child's name from the menu in the upper-left corner.
- Click Options in the lower-left corner.
- Click Turn On.
Before deciding whether to select “Use a Screen Time Passcode,” learn about Screen Time passcodes.
Use a Screen Time passcode
Set a passcode so that only you can change Screen Time settings and allow more time when app limits expire. If you're a parent, use this feature to set up enforceable content, communication, and privacy limits for your child.
If you're using Family Sharing to manage a child account, follow these steps:*
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Screen Time.
- Choose your child's name from the menu in the upper-left corner.
- Click Options in the lower-left corner.
- Select “Use Screen Time Passcode,” then enter a passcode when prompted.
- If you're using the latest macOS, you're offered the option to enter your Apple ID to enable Screen Time passcode recovery, in case you forget your Screen Time passcode.
If you're not using Family Sharing to manage a child account, follow these steps:
- Make sure that you're on the same Mac used by the child, and are logged in to the standard account used by the child. If you're not sure what to do, just continue with the steps below: Screen Time will help you.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Screen Time.
- Set up Downtime, App Limits, Communication Limits, and Content & Privacy with all of the limits that you want for your child.
- Click Options in the lower-left corner.
- Select “Use Screen Time Passcode,” then enter a passcode when prompted.
- If you're using the latest macOS, iOS, or iPadOS, you're offered the option to enter your Apple ID to enable Screen Time passcode recovery, in case you forget your Screen Time passcode.
If you're setting a passcode while logged in to your administrator account, an alert explains that you should do this from a standard account. If you haven't set up a standard account for your child, you can either do that and log into their account, or choose from these options:
- Allow this user to administer this computer. If you choose this option, the passcode affects the current user, even though they're also an administrator of this Mac. This isn't recommended, because administrators have macOS privileges that could allow them to work around passcode restrictions.
- Don't allow this user to administer this computer. If you choose this option, you're prompted to enter your account password in order to modify your configuration. You're then guided through the steps to create a new administrator account—for use by the parent. The administrator account you're currently logged in to is converted to a standard account—for use by the child.
Learn what to do if you forgot your Screen Time passcode.
Track usage
Use the App Usage, Notifications, and Pickups features in the Screen Time sidebar to see how much time you spent using apps and websites.
Each feature offers several views:
- To see usage for only one of your devices, choose a device from the menu at the bottom of the window.
- To switch between days, click within the weekly chart, or use the arrow buttons above the chart. To see total usage by week, including how much more or less time you spent compared to last week, choose This Week from the date menu at the top of the window.
- To see usage for a child account, choose the child's name from the menu in the upper-left corner.
App Usage
See how much time you spent using each app. Click Categories to view usage by categories such as social networking, productivity, or entertainment. To see an app's category, click the information icon that appears when your pointer is over an app in the list. Or click the app limit icon to quickly create a new app limit for that app or category.
Notifications
See how many notifications you received from each app. Remember, you can use the devices menu at the bottom of the window to separate the notifications received on your Mac from the notifications received on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Pickups
See how many times you picked up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, and which app you checked first after picking up the device.
Limit usage
Use the Downtime, App Limits, Communication Limits, Always Allowed, and Content & Privacy features in the Screen Time sidebar to schedule downtime and set limits on apps and websites. Limits apply to this Mac and all of your other devices that are using Screen Time and have “Share across devices” turned on.
To set limits for a child account, choose the child's name from the menu in the upper-left corner, then set up each feature.* Or do it from each of your child's devices.
Downtime
Schedule periods during which you can use only the apps that you've allowed. A downtime notification appears 5 minutes before downtime starts. After downtime starts, the app shows a message saying that you've reached your limit on the app.
- Click OK to close the app and honor the limit you've set. Or click Ignore Limit, then choose One More Minute, Remind Me in 15 Minutes, or Ignore Limit For Today.
- If you've set a Screen Time passcode, Downtime includes an additional setting: Block At Downtime. When this setting selected and you click Ask For More Time when downtime starts, entering the passcode allows you to approve the app for 15 minutes, an hour, or all day. Child accounts can click One More Minute once, or click Ask For More Time to send their request to the parent account for approval.
App Limits
Set the amount of time you want to be able use apps. You can set limits on specific apps, or entire categories of apps.
An app-limit notification appears 5 minutes before a limit is reached (expires). After the limit is reached, the app shows a window saying that you've reached your limit.
- Click OK to close the app and honor the limit you've set. Or click Ignore Limit, then choose One More Minute, Remind Me in 15 Minutes, or Ignore Limit For Today.
- If you've set a Screen Time passcode, App Limits includes an additional setting: “Block at end of limit.” When this setting is selected and you click Ask For More Time when a limit is reached, entering the passcode allows you to approve the app for 15 minutes, an hour, or all day. Child accounts can click One More Minute once, or click Ask For More Time to send their request to the parent account for approval.
Communication Limits
Control who your children can communicate with throughout the day and during downtime. These limits apply to Phone, FaceTime, Messages, and iCloud contacts. Communication to known emergency numbers identified by your wireless carrier is always allowed. To use this feature, you must have Contacts turned on in iCloud preferences.
Always Allowed
Allow use of certain apps even during downtime or when an app limit has been set for “All Apps & Categories.” Phone, Messages, FaceTime, and Maps are always allowed by default, but you can change that here.
Content & Privacy
Restrict content, purchases, and downloads, or configure privacy settings. If you attempt to use one of the restricted items, you see a message explaining why you can't do it. For example, if you visit a blocked website, the message says that the website was blocked by a content filter. If you're using a Screen Time passcode, the message includes the option to click Add Website. You can then enter the passcode to allow the website. Child accounts can send a request for approval to the parent account.
![Stackexchnage Stackexchnage](/uploads/1/3/4/1/134154286/617166256.jpg)
Approve Screen Time requests
Requests
![Timer app mac stack exchange rate Timer app mac stack exchange rate](/uploads/1/3/4/1/134154286/877979676.png)
The Screen Time sidebar includes a Requests section when you have unanswered requests from a child account. From here you can manage all requests from your child. Approve the request for 15 minutes, an hour, or a day. Or click Don't Approve.
Requests for approval also arrive as notifications, and you can approve directly from the notification:
Learn more
- With Ask to Buy, you can give kids the freedom to make their own choices while still controlling their spending.
* If you used your iPhone to set up an Apple Watch for a family member, you need a device using iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 to set up or adjust Screen Time for that watch.
As someone who works from home and writes a lot, I spend a crazy amount of time in front of the screen. The rising amount of screen time should be no surprise to any of us, but excess screen time can really mess with our vision and energy.
One of negative impacts I’ve personally experienced is digital eye strain (“DES”).
Basically, when I stare at a screen uninterrupted, for too long, my eyes feel fatigued and my brain is fried.
When I got LASIK, my doctor recommended that I practice the 20-20-20 method: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away, for 20 seconds.
I wanted an automated way to do this and found a Mac (desktop) app called Time Out.
I’ve been using this app on my Mac for over 6 years, and my eyeballs have thanked me for them.
The simple beauty of the Time Out app
Every 20 minutes, this screensaver shows up on my screen.
The beauty of this is that it takes over my entire screen, and forces me to do something else. Unlike Screen Time (which sets limit on specific apps or general hours), this better fits my needs to take regular breaks.
Want to get started? First, grab your free copy of Time Out. ((I’m not an affiliate, just a fan)
They do have annoying banners asking you to support them, so I paid to get rid of them.
They do have annoying banners asking you to support them, so I paid to get rid of them.
The app is relatively intuitive to set up, but can get pretty annoying without some configuration.
My recommended Time Out settings
Timer App Mac Stack Exchange App
Once you open Time Out, the first thing you should do is go to “General” options and select Automatically start Time Out when you log in to the computer. That way, you’ll make sure you get your breaks.
Next: set up and name your breaks.
There should be a default break already that you can edit, or hit the “+” sign in the top left corner to create one. You’ll see that I created two breaks called “20” and “Wind down:
Timer App Mac Stack Exchange Rate
My default configuration that lasts continuously:
- Set the break for 20 seconds or longer. (I use 30 just to move around a bit more)
- Set the break to trigger every 20 minutes (or less)
- Use the default “From: last due” which just means the break triggers every 20 minutes.
- Just so it’s a no brainer, leave the “Available” dropdown on “Every Day.”
Notice that I’ve unchecked all the rest of the settings below. These aren’t helpful and make things a bit more complex.
Next, set the appearance for the break
You can select from cheesy screensavers under the “Theme” dropdown, but I like to set Custom text so I can write my own messages, like the earlier screenshot example.
You’ll also notice that I’ve unchecked all the complicated options below. The “Show button to postpone” or “skip break” were too tempting when I had them turned on.
It’s also possible to set “App exclusions,” meaning that when there are certain applications open (like Zoom), the program will skip the break automatically.
What if I’m in a lot of meetings?
Some might find this feature necessary if they’re doing a lot of teleconferences. I set Zoom to to “Skip When Frontmost” meaning that when my Zoom window is active (not just in the background), then the break will skip.
I’m actually on Google Meets a lot, which doesn’t have a dedicated app to add in the Exclusions settings.
How did I deal?
I simply let my break run, sometimes mid meeting. If I happen to be speaking or presenting, I tell my coworkers my screensaver is on (they’ve seen it when I’m screensharing), and it only lasts 20-30 seconds. I’m kinda fanatic about this, because when I quit the app, I often forget to relaunch it….and wonder why my eyes are so fatigued by the end of the day. No bueno.
If you have better self control than I do, then you can play with turning on the “Show button to postpone” or “Skip break” settings.
Another workaround is to set specifically-timed breaks that skip over your recurring meeting times.
Eyes on the prize
Vision is just about the most important sense we have, so this little mighty app goes a long way in making sure I give my eyes a rest.
I’ve yet to explore other environmental adjustments like blue light filter glasses and better lighting. (Got suggestions that made a difference for you? Drop a comment).
If you’re lazy like me and want a simple, “set it and forget it” option, I hope this free app and the settings above help you out.
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