You can limit screen time on Android for free with tools already on the phone. Use Digital Wellbeing app timers for yourself, and Google Family Link for a child’s phone or tablet, where the limits can’t simply be switched off.
Digital Wellbeing app timers
Most Android phones and tablets have Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls; the name varies slightly by brand.
- Open the Dashboard to see which apps take the most time.
- Tap an app, then App timer, and set a daily limit, for example one hour for TikTok or YouTube.
- When time runs out, the app’s icon greys out until midnight.
Focus mode pauses chosen apps on demand: handy during homework or work hours.
These timers are for self-control. Anyone who knows the phone can change them, so they won’t stop a determined child.
Bedtime mode
Bedtime mode (called Sleep mode on some phones) turns the screen grey, silences notifications and dims the display at a set time.
- Set a schedule, such as 9 pm to 6 am on school nights.
- Choose whether it starts while charging.
A grey screen makes games and videos far less tempting, which helps both adults and teenagers wind down.
Family Link daily limits
For children, use Google Family Link, Google’s free parental control app.
- Install Family Link on your phone and add your child’s Google account (or create one for them).
- Set a daily limit for each day of the week; school days can be shorter than weekends.
- Add Downtime so the device locks overnight.
- Set app limits for individual apps, or block apps entirely.
- Use Bonus time when they’ve earned extra.
The child can still make calls and use apps you mark as “always allowed”. During school holidays, it’s a simple way to set a routine: homework and chores first, then games unlock.
Full setup, including content filters, is in parental controls on Android. Samsung tablets have extra options covered in Samsung parental controls, and you can lock down downloads and browsing with Play Store and Chrome parental controls.
Apps worth considering
The built-in tools cover most homes. Before paying for another app:
- Family Link is free and works on most Android phones and tablets.
- Samsung Kids gives young children a locked, child-friendly space with its own time limits.
- Paid apps add web filtering reports or multi-device dashboards, but avoid apps that ask for unusual permissions or come from unknown developers.
Rules work better than apps alone: agree limits together, keep devices out of bedrooms at night and charge them in the sitting room.
Quick answers
Open Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls, tap an app and set an App timer. For children, use Family Link daily limits.
Yes. Digital Wellbeing is built in, and Google Family Link is free for parents and children.
On TVs running Google TV you can add a kids profile with screen-time limits and a bedtime from the profile settings. Older Android TV models have fewer controls, so check the TV’s settings.
