Where to find and delete Screen Time history
Screen Time is Apple's built-in tool that tracks how much time you spend in apps and on your device. It keeps a record of this activity so you can see patterns over days and weeks. If you want to clear this history, you can delete it from Settings on iPhone and iPad, or from System Settings on Mac — but the process differs slightly between devices, and some history cannot be removed once it passes a certain age.
The history Apple stores includes daily and weekly breakdowns of app usage, notifications received, and pickups (how many times you unlocked your device). Once you delete Screen Time history, it is gone permanently. Apple does not back it up to iCloud, so deletion is final.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone and iPad, Screen Time history lives in Settings > Screen Time and can be deleted by turning Screen Time off and back on, or by resetting your device.
- On Mac, Screen Time history is in System Settings > General > Screen Time and clears when you turn the feature off.
- Deleting Screen Time history does not affect parental controls or downtime schedules if they are active on your device.
- Once deleted, Screen Time history cannot be recovered, so make sure you want to remove it before proceeding.
- If you have a Screen Time passcode set, you will need it to turn off Screen Time or reset the history.
Delete Screen Time history on iPhone or iPad
The simplest way to clear Screen Time history on iPhone or iPad is to turn the feature off and then turn it back on. Open Settings, tap Screen Time, then tap Turn Off Screen Time at the bottom of the screen. If you have set a Screen Time passcode, you will be asked to enter it. Confirm that you want to turn it off.
Once Screen Time is off, wait a few seconds, then go back to Settings > Screen Time and tap Turn On Screen Time. The history will be cleared, and the app will begin tracking fresh data from that moment forward. Your downtime schedule and app limits will remain in place if they were active before you turned the feature off.
If you have forgotten your Screen Time passcode and cannot turn off Screen Time, your only option is to erase your device and set it up as new. This is a more drastic step and will remove all data unless you restore from a backup — but a backup will also restore your Screen Time history. If you need to erase your device, go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
Delete Screen Time history on Mac
On Mac, Screen Time history is cleared by turning off the feature. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, then System Settings. Click General in the sidebar, then Screen Time. Click the toggle next to Screen Time to turn it off. If you have a Screen Time passcode, you will be prompted to enter it.
Once you turn off Screen Time, the history is deleted. To start tracking again, return to the same location and toggle Screen Time back on. Unlike iPhone and iPad, Mac does not require you to turn the feature off and back on — straightforward disabling it clears the record.
What happens to parental controls when you delete history
Deleting Screen Time history does not affect parental controls, app limits, or downtime schedules. If you have set up Screen Time to manage another person's device (such as a child's iPhone), turning off Screen Time on that device will disable the controls. However, if you are deleting history on your own device and parental controls are not active, your limits and schedules will remain exactly as they were.
If you are trying to clear history while parental controls are active, you will need the Screen Time passcode to proceed. The person who set up parental controls is the only one who can provide this code. If you do not have it, you cannot delete the history without erasing the device.
Why you might want to delete Screen Time history
Screen Time history is private to your device and is not shared with Apple or synced across your devices unless you back up your phone or tablet. Some people delete the history to start fresh with a new tracking period, or to remove a record of heavy usage during a particular week. Others clear it when selling or giving away a device to a family member.
Keep in mind that deleting Screen Time history is permanent. If you think you might want to review the data later, consider taking a screenshot of your weekly report before you delete it. Screen Time reports show your usage by app, category, and time of day, and this information can be useful for understanding your habits even after the detailed history is gone.
Resetting Screen Time without a passcode
If you have set a Screen Time passcode and forgotten it, you cannot turn off Screen Time or delete the history through Settings. Your options are limited: you can erase your device completely, or you can contact Apple Support to explore whether they can help you reset the passcode.
If you choose to erase your device, go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings on iPhone or iPad. On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. This will remove everything on the device, including Screen Time history, but it will also delete all your other data unless you have a backup. If you restore from a backup afterward, the Screen Time history will return.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting Screen Time history affect my app limits?
No. App limits, downtime schedules, and communication limits remain active even after you delete the history. Deleting history only removes the record of past usage — it does not change any rules you have set up. If you want to remove limits as well, you must do that separately in Screen Time settings.
Can I delete Screen Time history for just one app instead of all of it?
No. Screen Time does not offer a way to delete history for individual apps. You can only clear all history at once by turning Screen Time off and back on (iPhone and iPad) or by turning it off (Mac). If you want to hide a specific app's usage, you would need to delete the app itself.
Will deleting Screen Time history remove it from my iCloud backup?
Screen Time history is not backed up to iCloud, so deleting it from your device does not affect any backups. However, if you restore your device from an older backup that was made before you deleted the history, the history will return to your device.
What if I deleted Screen Time history by accident?
Once deleted, Screen Time history cannot be recovered from your device. Your only option is to restore from a backup made before the deletion. If you have iCloud backups turned on, you can go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage and check the date of your most recent backup to see if it contains the history you want to restore.
Does my child's Screen Time history get deleted if I turn off parental controls?
Yes. If you turn off Screen Time on your child's device, their usage history is deleted. If you turn off parental controls from your own device (using Family Sharing), the controls stop working but the history on their device remains until they or you delete it manually.