Qustodio and Screen Time limits

Screen Time limits work uniformly across Apple’s built-in apps and third-party apps. iOS does not apply a fundamentally different set of Screen Time rules simply because an app is developed by Apple or by a third party.

Whether you set a time limit for a third-party app such as Qustodio, WhatsApp, or Telegram, or for Apple's built-in apps such as Messages or Apple TV, the restrictions are governed by the Screen Time settings configured by the user or parent.

For example, if a parent sets a daily Screen Time limit of one hour for WhatsApp, Telegram, Messages, and Apple TV individually, the same one-hour limit applies to each app. Once the allotted time for an app is exhausted, Screen Time restricts access according to the configured settings, regardless of whether the app is developed by Apple or a third party.

The important distinction is that Screen Time applies the restrictions based on the configured limits, not on who developed the app. However, the exact behaviour can depend on how the limits are configured. For instance, an App Limit can apply to an individual app or a group of apps, and options such as Block at End of Limit can affect what happens when the allotted time expires.

Therefore, it would be incorrect to assume that Apple's built-in apps automatically receive more favourable Screen Time treatment than third-party apps. When the same type of limit and equivalent settings are applied, the restrictions are intended to work consistently across both categories of apps.

Screen Time limits apply to both Apple's built-in apps and third-party apps. Whether the app is Qustodio, WhatsApp, Telegram, Messages, or Apple TV, the restrictions are determined by the limits and settings configured by the user or parent.

For example, if a one-hour daily App Limit is set separately for WhatsApp and Messages, each app has its own one-hour allowance. However, if both apps are included in a single combined App Limit, their usage counts towards the shared limit.

The important point is that the distinction is not between Apple apps and third-party apps, but between the Screen Time settings applied to them. The same principle applies to both, although the exact behaviour depends on the configuration and the iOS version.