Guide · iPhone Screen Time

How to Set App Limits on iPhone (iOS 27 and Earlier), and Make Them Stick

By The ScreenWorth team · October 23, 2026 · 7 min read

Short answer

In iOS 27, Apple renamed App Limits to Time Allowances: go to Settings → Screen Time → Time Allowances → Manage Categories, tap +, choose a category (or Custom to pick specific apps), set the time and tap Done. On iOS 18 and earlier, go to Settings → Screen Time → App Limits → Add Limit, pick apps or categories, set a time and tap Add. Limits reset at midnight. When time runs out you can still tap Ignore Limit, and that’s why limits stop working for many adults. A Screen Time passcode only helps if someone else holds it. ScreenWorth replaces the free override with a choice: walk away for free, or pay a small price you set in advance for 15 more minutes.

How to set app limits in iOS 27 (Time Allowances)

Open Time Allowances. Open Settings → Screen Time → Time Allowances. If asked, tap Turn on App and Website Activity.
Set a daily total (optional). Tap All to set one daily budget across every app.
Add a category. Tap Manage Categories, then the + button. Pick a built-in category such as Social Media, or Custom to choose specific apps.
Set the time. Pick a schedule if asked, tap Continue, set the amount with the slider or the + and − buttons, and tap Done.
Match your schedule. If you use a Screen Time Schedule (the new name for Downtime), check that Match Screen Time Schedule is on in Time Allowances.
Keep apps you need. Under Always Allowed, tap Add Apps for apps that should never be limited, like Maps or Messages.

In a Family Sharing group, the new Screen Time needs every device to run iOS 27, iPadOS 27 or macOS 27.

How to set app limits on iOS 18 and earlier (App Limits)

Open App Limits. Open Settings → Screen Time → App Limits and turn on App Limits.
Add a limit. Tap Add Limit. Select whole categories, or expand a category to pick individual apps, then tap Next.
Set the time. Choose the daily time. Tap Customize Days for different weekday and weekend limits.
Block at the end. If you have a Screen Time passcode, turn on Block at End of Limit. Then tap Add.

What happens when you hit an app limit

When time runs out, the app’s icon dims and opening it shows a limit screen. In iOS 27 it reads “You’ve used all your available time allowance.” The Ignore Limit button is still there. Without a Screen Time passcode, it gives you more time straight away. On iOS 18 and earlier, the options are One More Minute, Remind Me in 15 Minutes and Ignore Limit for Today. With a passcode, Ignore Limit asks for the code before approving 15 more minutes or the rest of the day.

Screen Time limit not working? Check these

The app is in Always Allowed. Always Allowed apps ignore every limit. Remove it there.
No passcode, or no Block at End of Limit. Without them, the limit is a reminder that one tap dismisses.
You use the app on another device. Turn on Share Across Devices under Manage Screen Time so your iPad and Mac count too.
The website is still open. Limiting the app doesn’t block the site in Safari. Add it under Content & Privacy Restrictions → Web Content → Never Allow.
Mixed iOS versions in your family. The iOS 27 Screen Time needs every device in a Family Sharing group on iOS 27 or later.
It reset. Limits reset every day at midnight.

Why app limits stop working for adults

Screen Time was designed for parents. When you set limits for yourself, you also know the passcode, so “Ignore Limit” is never more than four digits away. You set the limit when you were calm, and at 11 PM the urge gets a free way out. Habi’s 2026 review puts it bluntly: “The ‘Ignore Limit’ button makes every restriction optional.”

How to make an app limit stick: ScreenWorth

ScreenWorth is built on the same Screen Time technology but changes what happens at the limit. You pick the apps and a daily allowance (or start with a plan like Reset: 60 minutes a day of social and video). When the allowance runs out, the app locks and you choose:

Walk away for free. Always one tap.
Unlock 15 more minutes at a price you chose up front. On the default setting it’s $0.49, then $0.99, $1.49, $1.99 and $2.99, resetting at midnight. Light and Strong levels are cheaper or steeper.

Paying feels most real right next to the thing you’re buying (Prelec & Loewenstein, 1998), so a small price at the exact moment of the urge is often enough to make you stop. Free to download. Free to walk away. You only pay if you decide extra time is worth it. ScreenWorth never charges automatically, and its weekly receipt leads with how many times you walked away.

FAQ

How do I set a time limit on an app on iPhone?

In iOS 27, go to Settings → Screen Time → Time Allowances → Manage Categories, tap +, choose a category or Custom to pick specific apps, set the time and tap Done. On iOS 18 and earlier, use Settings → Screen Time → App Limits → Add Limit.

Where did App Limits go in iOS 27?

Apple renamed App Limits to Time Allowances, and Downtime to Screen Time Schedule. Always Allowed kept its name.

How do I remove “Ignore Limit” on Screen Time?

You can’t remove the button, but you can make it require a passcode: set a Screen Time passcode, and on iOS 18 and earlier turn on Block at End of Limit. If you set limits for yourself, have someone else choose the passcode, or use an app like ScreenWorth that makes going over cost a small, optional amount.

Why is my Screen Time limit not working?

The most common reasons: the app is in Always Allowed, there’s no passcode (so Ignore Limit is one tap), Share Across Devices is off, or you’re using the website instead of the app.

Do app limits reset every day?

Yes. Screen Time limits reset at midnight.

Sources

We make ScreenWorth. Menu names can differ slightly between iOS versions. Spot something wrong or out of date? Email hello@screenworth.co and we’ll fix it.