Set daily app time limits
App time limits, an exclusive Bark Phone feature, let you control your child's daily app and site usage. For example, setting a maximum of 30 minutes for Instagram means that if your child uses Instagram for more than 30 minutes, they won't be able to access it until the next day. If you instead want to schedule when they can use Instagram (e.g. from 6-7pm on weekdays), learn about routines.
To manage your child's Bark Phone time limits:
-
On the new UI, tap your child's name on your dashboard and scroll down to Daily Limits.
-
On the classic UI, tap the Screen Time tile on your dashboard and scroll down to Time Limits.
Things to note:
- Limits apply during all routines.
- Limits reset at 3:30am.
- Verify your time zone so there's no confusion.
- Limits can be temporarily adjusted to accommodate special occasions.
- Your kid gets a 2 minute warning before they reach a time limit.
Temporary overrides (or bonus time)
Have a day off from school or want to reward your kid with an extra hour of free time? Add a temporary override to your kid's app time limits.
- On the new UI, tap your child's name. On the classic UI, tap the Screen Time tile.
- Scroll down to Time Limits.
- On the new UI, tap on the pencil to edit the limit. On the classic UI, tap the limit.
- Tap Override just for today.
- You will then see the temporary override reflected in your kid's Bark Phone time limits:
All Apps Limit
When you set a limit for All apps, Bark will count all app usage towards their daily limit and suspend access to all apps (with the exception of the Phone app) when they've reached the limit.
Specific App Limit vs. Category Limit
You can set a time limit for a specific app or set limits for all apps within a category.
For example, you could set a time limit of 2 hours for the gaming category, meaning any app within that category (like Minecraft or Roblox) would contribute towards the time limit.
When a time limit is reached...
- Apps become grayed out and inaccessible until 3:30 a.m. in your time zone.
- A message will let the child know.
Daily time limits vs. Routines
Daily time limits are a handy feature that lets you set a max amount of time your kid can spend on apps and sites each day. If you want to keep their app usage in check and make sure they don't exceed a specific number of minutes or hours, daily time limits are your go-to solution!
On the other hand, routines offer a different approach. With routines, you can schedule specific blocks of time throughout the week when your kid has access to particular apps and sites. It's great when you want to establish a structured schedule for their app usage and create dedicated time slots. For example, this could look like "no YouTube from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every school day." it's up to you!
So, whether you want to set boundaries on overall app usage or create a consistent routine for specific app access, you now have the tools to make the right choice for your kid's digital experience!