How to limit screen time on Windows 10 step-by-step

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Did you know that the average Australian spends more than 5.5 hours each day staring at a screen? That’s almost half of our waking hours.

If you’re looking to minimise your own or your family’s screen time, Microsoft Family Groups on Windows 10 has just the solution – a powerful time-limiting tool that empowers you to achieve a healthier screen schedule. 

What is Microsoft Family Groups?

Microsoft Family Groups helps parents and kids stay safer and more connected on the computer, Xbox, Android phone, and any other device running Microsoft Family Safety. 

The free, browser-based app gives you access to reports on your child’s computer use and family members’ location and allows you set website and game restrictions and screen time limits. 

How to limit screen time on Windows 10

Here’s how to limit screen time on Windows 10.

First, you’ll need to setup a family group. You can do this directly on Windows 10 or online. If you’re not sure how, follow these instructions.

Then, to set screen time restrictions, select the family member you want to limit from the main page of your Microsoft Family account. Under that person’s name, click ‘Screen Time.’

Toggle on the ‘Window 10’ option in the ‘Device Limits’ menu. This will open the screen time schedule. 

In the weekly calendar view, click on a day to edit its schedule. 

Here, you can create one or more time blocks in which screen time is permitted. Use the ‘From’ and ‘To’ menus to carve out your screen time schedule. 

When you are done, click ‘Save.’ Repeat the process for each day you’d like to assign screen limits to. 

As well as the screen time schedule, you can limit screen time by using the ‘Time Limit’ feature. This restricts the total amount of time a user in your family group can spend using Windows 10. For example, you might set the time limit to one hour between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm.