What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens and Apple's iOS 27 guide.
howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-schedule-downtime-on-iphone/ · Checked October 2026 · iPhone 17e · iOS 27.0.1
In this guide
Open Settings, tap Screen Time, then Screen Time Schedule, which replaces Downtime on iOS 27. If asked, tap Turn on App and Website Activity. Then turn on Schedule, tap Add Schedule, pick the days and set the time window.
7 of 7 steps with real screenshots · 4 official sources below
- Device
- iPhone
- Shown on
- iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Screen Time › Screen Time Schedule
- Real screenshots
- 7 of 7 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 4 official, linked below
Step by step
Open Settings and tap Screen Time
Scroll down the Settings list to the purple hourglass.
Watch these steps
Tap Screen Time Schedule
On iOS 27 Downtime is called Screen Time Schedule, with the line Available device hours.
Turn on App and Website Activity
On our iPhone 17e App and Website Activity was off, so Screen Time Schedule opened the App & Website Activity page, listing Weekly Reports, Schedule and Time Allowance.
Tap Turn on App and Website Activity. Not Now leaves it off.
Turn on Schedule
Turn on Schedule. On our iPhone 17e the page then showed an Allowed Every Day group with one time window, All Day, 00 – 23:59, followed by Add Time Window and Add Schedule.
Apple says to tap the time window to rename it, change its start or stop time, or choose which Time Allowance categories can be used in it. If you see no categories, Apple says to tap Manage Categories under Time Allowances.
Optional: add a schedule for some days
Tap Add Schedule. On our iPhone 17e the Add Schedule sheet showed No days selected and the days M T W T F S S.
Tap the days you want and confirm with the tick. The sheet notes that a new schedule inherits the existing one until you change it.
Tap Always Allowed
Go back to Screen Time and tap Always Allowed. On our iPhone 17e it said Not Set Up while App and Website Activity was off.
Tap Add Apps or Add People
Add anything you need at all times. Apple's example is family members or the Health app, for emergencies.
On our iPhone 17e, with App and Website Activity on, Always Allowed already listed 4 Apps (FaceTime, Maps, Messages, Phone) and 0 People.
What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens and Apple's iOS 27 guide.
Watch these steps
What we saw on our device
- Turn on App and Website Activity: On our iPhone 17e App and Website Activity was off, so Screen Time Schedule opened the App & Website Activity page, listing Weekly Reports, Schedule and Time Allowance.
- Turn on Schedule: On our iPhone 17e the page then showed an Allowed Every Day group with one time window, All Day, 00 – 23:59, followed by Add Time Window and Add Schedule.
- Optional: add a schedule for some days: On our iPhone 17e the Add Schedule sheet showed No days selected and the days M T W T F S S.
- Tap Always Allowed: On our iPhone 17e it said Not Set Up while App and Website Activity was off.
- Tap Add Apps or Add People: On our iPhone 17e, with App and Website Activity on, Always Allowed already listed 4 Apps (FaceTime, Maps, Messages, Phone) and 0 People.
If you do not see this option
- No Downtime row On iOS 27 it is called Screen Time Schedule and uses time windows. Apple's iOS 26 guide still describes Downtime, with Scheduled, Every Day or Customise Days, and Turn On Downtime Until Tomorrow. Our iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1 showed a Screen Time Schedule row with the line Available device hours. Source: Use Screen Time on your iPhone · Source: Set Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances in Screen Time on iPhone · Source: Set schedules with Screen Time on iPhone (iOS 26) · Source: Create, change, or remove a Screen Time passcode on iPhone
- Screen Time Schedule not available Apple's iOS 27 guide says that to use Screen Time Schedules you need iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, visionOS 27 or later on all your Apple devices. In a Family Sharing group, all devices must be upgraded. Source: Use Screen Time on your iPhone · Source: Set Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances in Screen Time on iPhone · Source: Set schedules with Screen Time on iPhone (iOS 26) · Source: Create, change, or remove a Screen Time passcode on iPhone
- Always Allowed shows Not Set Up On our iPhone 17e Always Allowed said Not Set Up while App and Website Activity was off. After we turned it on, the page listed 4 Apps with Add Apps and 0 People with Add People.
If this does not work
- Screen Time Schedule opens a different page If App and Website Activity is off, you see the App & Website Activity page instead. Tap Turn on App and Website Activity, then tap Screen Time Schedule again.
- An app still opens during the window Check Always Allowed, and check which Time Allowance categories you chose for that time window. Apple says both stay available in it. Source: Use Screen Time on your iPhone · Source: Set Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances in Screen Time on iPhone · Source: Set schedules with Screen Time on iPhone (iOS 26) · Source: Create, change, or remove a Screen Time passcode on iPhone
- Screen Time asks for a code A Screen Time passcode has been set. Enter it. To change it, Apple says to tap Screen Time, Change Screen Time Passcode, then Change Screen Time Passcode, and enter the current passcode first. If you have forgotten it, Apple says Screen Time Passcode Recovery, if you set it up, lets you reset the passcode with your Apple Account. Source: Use Screen Time on your iPhone · Source: Set Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances in Screen Time on iPhone · Source: Set schedules with Screen Time on iPhone (iOS 26) · Source: Create, change, or remove a Screen Time passcode on iPhone
About this guide
On iOS 27, Downtime is replaced by Screen Time Schedule. Our iPhone 17e describes it as Available device hours. You split the day into time windows and choose which Time Allowance categories can be used in each. Apps and contacts in Always Allowed stay available at all times.
Screenshots: iPhone 17e, iOS 27.0.1, dark mode.
Good to know
To stop the schedule, tap Screen Time Schedule and turn off Schedule.
A Screen Time passcode means the code must be entered before your Screen Time settings can be changed.
Screen Time must be on first: How to turn on Screen Time on iPhone.
On a Mac: How to set up Screen Time on a Mac.
In short: Settings, Screen Time, Screen Time Schedule, Schedule on, Add Schedule, set the time window. Add the apps you need to Always Allowed.
- Apple Support: Use Screen Time on your iPhone
- Apple iPhone User Guide: Set Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances in Screen Time on iPhone
- Apple iPhone User Guide: Set schedules with Screen Time on iPhone (iOS 26)
- Apple iPhone User Guide: Create, change, or remove a Screen Time passcode on iPhone
Links checked in October 2026. Menus and features can change after software updates. These steps match the version named at the top.
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