Where to find your screen time data
Both iPhone and Android track how much time you spend on your device and in each app. On iPhone, this data lives in Settings under Screen Time. On Android, it's called Digital Wellbeing and lives in Settings under Digital Wellbeing and parental controls. Both show you the same basic information: total time on device today, which apps you used most, and how many times you picked up your phone.
The data updates throughout the day, so you can check it anytime to see your current usage. Neither system requires you to turn anything on first — the tracking happens automatically the moment you start using the device.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone users find screen time data in Settings > Screen Time, which shows daily totals and app-by-app breakdowns.
- Android users access the same information through Settings > Digital Wellbeing and parental controls.
- Both systems track pickups (how many times you unlocked your phone) and show which apps consumed the most time.
- You can view data for today, the past week, or the past month on both platforms.
Checking screen time on iPhone
Open Settings and tap Screen Time. The first screen shows your total time on device for today at the top, with a graph below showing your usage hour by hour. Below that, you'll see a list of every app you used today, ranked by time spent, with the minutes shown next to each one.
To see data from other days, tap the "Day" button at the top and switch to "Week" or "Month". The weekly view shows your average daily usage and which days you used your phone most. The monthly view gives you a longer trend. Tap any app name to see when you used it throughout the day.
Checking screen time on Android
Open Settings and search for "Digital Wellbeing" or scroll down to find Digital Wellbeing and parental controls. Tap it, then tap the circle graph at the top showing your total time on device. This screen shows today's usage by default, with each app represented as a slice of the circle, sized by how much time you spent in it.
Swipe left on the graph to see yesterday's data, or tap the date at the top to jump to a specific day. Scroll down to see the full list of apps ranked by time. Tap any app to see a detailed breakdown of when you used it and how many times you opened it.
Understanding what the numbers mean
Screen time is the total time your screen was on and you were actively using the device. This does not include time when your phone was locked or the screen was off. Both systems count time in the background too — if an app is running while you're using another app, it still counts toward that app's total.
Pickups (or "unlocks" on some Android phones) is how many times you turned on your screen or woke your phone. A high pickup count with lower total screen time means you're checking your phone frequently but not spending long periods in any single app. A low pickup count with high screen time means you're spending long stretches focused on one or two apps.
Viewing data by category
Both iPhone and Android group apps into categories like Social, Entertainment, Productivity, and Health. On iPhone, scroll down past the app list to see category totals. On Android, tap "Show categories" or look for a category breakdown below the app list. This helps you see whether you're spending most of your time on social media, games, messaging, or work apps.
The category view is useful if you want to understand your habits at a higher level — for example, whether you're spending more time on entertainment or communication — rather than tracking individual apps.
Checking screen time for other people on your device
If you set up Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing on a child's device and created a parent account, you can view their usage from your own phone. On iPhone, open Settings > Screen Time, tap the name of the child at the top, and you'll see their screen time data. On Android, open Digital Wellbeing, tap "Set up parental controls" if you haven't already, and you can view linked child accounts from the main screen.
This requires that you set up the parental controls connection when you first configured the child's device. If you didn't set it up then, you'll need access to the child's device to enable it.
What to do if screen time data looks wrong
If your total seems too high or too low, check whether background app refresh is on. Some apps continue running in the background even when you're not actively using them, and both systems count this time. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh to see which apps are allowed to run in the background. On Android, check Settings > Apps > Permissions > Background activity.
If the numbers still seem off, restart your phone. Screen time data sometimes fails to sync properly across the system, and a restart usually fixes it. If you recently updated your operating system, wait 24 hours before worrying — the system sometimes takes time to recalculate totals after an update.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see screen time data from weeks or months ago?
iPhone keeps data for the past month and shows it in the monthly view. Android's Digital Wellbeing typically shows the past week and current day clearly, though some Android versions keep longer history. Neither system stores data beyond a few months, so if you need a record from longer ago, you'll need to take screenshots now.
Does screen time include time when my phone is locked?
No. Screen time only counts when your screen is actively on and you're using the device. If your phone is in your pocket or on a table with the screen off, that time does not count toward your total, even if apps are running in the background.
Why is one app showing way more time than I remember using it?
The app is likely running in the background while you use other apps, or you left it open without closing it. Both systems count background time. Check your Background App Refresh settings on iPhone or Background activity permissions on Android to see which apps are allowed to run when you're not actively using them.
Can I reset my screen time data?
On iPhone, you cannot reset Screen Time data without resetting your entire device. On Android, Digital Wellbeing does not offer a reset option either. Both systems automatically clear data after a month or so, depending on your device.
Does screen time track time spent on my computer or tablet?
No. Screen Time on iPhone only tracks that specific iPhone. If you have an iPad, it has its own separate Screen Time data. Android Digital Wellbeing only tracks that specific Android phone. To see usage across multiple devices, you would need to check each device separately.