How to Limit Screen Time on Windows 11: Step-by-Step Guide
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key takeaways
To limit screen time on Windows 11, you can use Microsoft Family Safety, which requires your child can only sign in with their own Microsoft account.
For stronger protection, more flexibility, and easier setup, Cisdem AppCrypt is a better option.
Staring at computer for long periods of time can have negative effects to our health. Sometimes we get caught up in something interesting on our computer and lose track of time. Some parents are also concerned about their child’s digital health and want to limit their screen time on computer. This article will tell you how to limit screen time on Windows 11. Help you and your family develop healthy screen time habits.
Cisdem AppCrypt
Limit Screen Time on Windows PC
- Limit access to specific websites or webpages
- Block categories of sites with 1 click, such as social media, games sites
- Block URLs containing specific words
- Let you block all websites except a few
- Lock individual apps with password
- Offer a schedule feature to block websites and lock apps at certain times
- Require password to enter/quit/uninstall AppCrypt
- Help limit screen time and establish healthy screen time habits
- Use little or no CPU
- Compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone and iPad
How to check your screen time on Windows 11
Before setting screen time limit on Windows 11, first you can check your screen time to help you understand your usage habits and make necessary adjustment. Here are the detailed steps on how to check screen time on Windows 11:
1. Press Windows + I on your keyboard to open Settings.
2. Go to System > Power & battery.
3. Scroll down to the Battery section. Select Battery usage. Then you’ll see a graph about your device usage, including the screen on, screen off and sleep time.
4. Scroll down the window. Click the drop down menu next to Sort by. Choose In use. This will show you the time you have spent on each app.
How to limit screen time on Windows 11 with Microsoft Family Safety
Children often have less control over their screen time, especially when they find an interesting game or movie. If you notice that your child has lost interest in other activities, becomes upset when you ask them to stop using computer, it may be time to set screen time limits.
To help parent better manage their child's screen time, Windows provides a built-in feature called Family Safety, which makes it easy to set screen time limits on child’s computer. If you want to set screen time limits for yourself, check out the second method.
How to create a family safety account for child/a family member
If your child doesn’t have a separate Microsoft account, you need to create one for him to better manage his online activities. And make sure he can only log into his own account. To create a child account:
1. Open Settings on Windows.
2. Click Account in the left menu. Select Family & other users from the Account settings section.
3. Click Add account.
4. Click the Create one for a child button on the pop-up Microsoft account window.
5. Enter the email address for child’s account and then choose an email service (outlook.com or hotmail.com). Click Next.
6. Set a password for the account. Click Next.
7. Enter your child’s name. Select the country and birth date. Click Next.
8. Confirm your settings and click Close.
How to set screen time limits on Windows 11 with Family Safety
Now the account for your child is created. You can add him to your family group and set screen time limit on Windows 11 for his account.
1. Go to Settings > Accounts. Click the Add someone button.
2. Enter your child’s email address and click Next.
3. Select the Member option and click Invite.
4. Log into your child’s email and accept the invitation.
5. Then you’ll get a notification that your child has joined your family. Under Your family, you can see your child’s account for you to manage. Click on your child’s profile picture.
6. Select Screen Time from the left menu. Here you can see how much time your child spends on their devices each day.
7. Scroll down and find the Use one schedule on all devices option. Turn on the toggle if you want to set screen time limit on all the devices of your child.
You can also set screen time limit for each devices separately. Under the Windows 11 device name, click Turn limits on.
8. Click the day that you want to limit screen time for. Use the slider to select the time limit. You can also set a schedule of available times for when he can use the device.
9. Click Done.
How to set time limits on apps and games on Windows 11 with Family Safety
Above are how to set overall screen time limit on Windows 11. Family Safety also let you set time limit for specific apps. Below are steps.
1. Go to Screen Time settings. Switch Devices to Apps and games tab.
2. Turn on the toggle Apps and game limits.
3. Click the app’s name that you want to set time limit on under Installed apps and games.
4. Click the Set a limit button.
5. Use the slider to set a time limit for how long you allow your child to use this app. You can also set a schedule for it.
6. Click Done.
How to limit screen time on Windows 11 with Cisdem AppCrypt
Are you addicted to the Internet? In this digital age, it’s easy to get lost in interesting, colorful, and time-wasting websites and apps. Excessive screen time can have negative effect on our bodies. To manage screen time and build a health digital habit, Cisdem AppCrypt helps. It is an easy-to-use productivity tool that can be effectively used to limit screen time on Windows 10 or later. It helps:
- Reduce screen time for adults.
- Set limits on child’s screen time.
- Develop healthy screen time habits for your family.
- Limit access to unwanted or inappropriate websites.
- Limit time spent on social media, games, and more.
- Set time limit for specific apps.
(This method works for both admin and non-admin accounts.)
Below are how to set screen time limit on Windows 11 via this tool:
1. Download and install Cisdem AppCrypt on your Windows PC.
Free Download Windows 10 or later
2. Launch it. Set a password. Remenber to check the box next to Launch at System Startup.
3. Find the lock icon on the task bar. Right-click on it and select Open Main Window.
4. Enter the password to access this screen time management tool.
5. Go to the App Lock tab. Drag and drop the shortcut icons of your frequently used applications to the program. Or click the plus icon and select the application's ink/exe file from the program files folder. Click Open.
Then go to the Web Block tab. A window will pop up asking you to install extensions for different browsers. Follow the prompts to download and install the extension.
Enter the domain names of inappropriate or distracting websites into the block list. You can also select a category of websites to block, such as social media, games site, etc.
6. To limit screen time on Windows 11, click Schedule on the upper right corner of AppCrypt's main window. By default, this tool blocks the apps and websites in the block list permanently. You can click Add Schedule to create a new schedule. Set your desired screen time limits.
After following the steps above, you can better control your screen time every day.
FAQ
Can I put parental controls on Windows 11?
Yes. You can put parental controls on Windows 11 by installing a professional parental control app (such as Cisdem AppCrypt) on your children’s computer and manage their online activities.
How to set time limits on apps in Windows 11?
You can use Microsoft Family Safety or Cisdem AppCrypt to set time limits on specific apps in Windows 11. With Microsoft Family Safety, you should make sure that your children can only sigh in with their own accounts. Otherwise, they can bypass the restrictions.
How to set time limits on websites in Windows 11?
Cisdem AppCrypt allows you to set time limits on specific websites in Windows 11 too. For example, you can limit access to online gaming sites or social sites that you or your child may easily get addicted to.
Conclusion
In 2025, the global average screen time is over 7 hours. Too much screen time can lead to sleep problems, obesity, depression, anxiety, and more. In this article, I introduced 2 reliable tools to help you limit screen time on Windows 11. Hope it helps!
Norah Hayes likes to share her tips on how to improve focus and stay motivated at work. She believes it is essential to eliminate all online distractions during work hours.
Ethan Long joined Cisdem in 2015 as a developer and now serves as the editorial advisor for Cisdem AppCrypt. He actively tests and uses Cisdem AppCrypt and other screen-time management tools to ensure AppCrypt meets its promises in real-world scenarios.
Tommy
Family Safety doesn't work effectively with an admin account! Since you mentioned that the second method supports admins, I'll give that a try.