macOS Screen Time: Cross-Device App Limits with iPhone Sync (2026)

macOS Screen Time syncs with iOS via iCloud — limits you set on your iPhone automatically apply on your Mac, and vice versa. It's the free cross-device solution for Apple users. The key limitation: website blocking only works in Safari. If you use Chrome or Firefox, you need a supplement for all-browser coverage.

Last verified: May 27, 2026 · Setup time: 10 minutes · Requires: macOS Ventura+ and same Apple ID on iPhone

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Enable Screen Time on Mac

Apple Menu → System Settings → Screen Time

Sign in with your Apple ID when prompted. Toggle Screen Time on. Usage data begins collecting immediately.

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Enable cross-device sync

System Settings → Screen Time → Share Across Devices — toggle on.

Also enable on iPhone: Settings → Screen Time → Share Across Devices.

Once enabled:

• App limits set on either device apply to both.
• Usage stats aggregate across devices in the Screen Time dashboard.
• Downtime schedules sync across all Apple devices on the account.

The Screen Time passcode is shared across devices — you only need to set it once (on iPhone or Mac, it applies everywhere).

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App Limits on Mac

System Settings → Screen Time → App Limits → Add Limit (+)

Select apps from the list (Mac apps not on iPhone appear here — Slack, Steam, productivity apps). Set a daily time cap. Enable Block at End of Limit if the toggle is shown.

Useful Mac-specific limits to consider:

• Email clients (Mail, Spark) — limit checking email outside designated windows.
• News readers (Reeder, NetNewsWire) — limit passive consumption.
• Games (any App Store games, Steam on native Mac).
• Communication apps (Discord, Slack) — limit outside working hours.

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Downtime on Mac

System Settings → Screen Time → Downtime

Same schedule as iOS. During Downtime, apps outside “Always Allowed” show a lock icon when you try to open them.

Enable Block at Downtime — without it, macOS Screen Time only warns rather than enforcing.

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Website blocking — Safari

System Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy → Web Content

Select Limit Adult Websites to activate the block list plus custom additions. Under Never Allow, add sites you want blocked in Safari:

• reddit.com
• twitter.com
• Any other site you compulsively visit

Allowed Websites Only mode creates an allowlist — only explicitly approved domains work in Safari. Useful for deep-work sessions if you’re willing to curate your allowlist.

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The Chrome/Firefox gap

macOS Screen Time’s web filtering is Safari-only. Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Brave aren’t intercepted.

Workarounds:

• uBlock Origin in each browser — blocks specific sites and tracker scripts.
• Cold Turkey Blocker ($39 one-time) — blocks sites at the system level, affects every browser and the Mac YouTube app simultaneously. The standard recommendation when Screen Time’s Safari-only limit is insufficient.
• FocusMe — similar to Cold Turkey with a richer scheduling UI.
• Hosts file editing (free, manual) — add entries to /etc/hosts redirecting domains to 127.0.0.1. Works in all browsers, survives reboots, but requires command-line comfort and manual maintenance.

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When macOS Screen Time isn’t enough

Situation	Solution
Need to block websites in Chrome/Firefox	Cold Turkey or uBlock Origin
Screen Time limits keep being overridden	Have someone else set the passcode; or use Cold Turkey
Need cross-device sync including Windows	Freedom
Need app + website blocking on a schedule	FocusMe (Mac + Windows)