How to Set a Kids Phone Bedtime Schedule on Android and iPhone

What time should a kids' phone lock at night?

A bedtime phone schedule for kids should start an hour before they sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics says to keep screens out of children's bedrooms, especially at night, and to "turn off all screens at least 60 minutes/1 hour before bedtime". The NHS's Healthier Together site gives the same hour for children aged 5 to 11 and for teenagers. The Sleep Foundation also suggests a technology curfew one hour before bedtime.

So if bedtime is 9:30 PM, a phone curfew for kids means the phone goes quiet at 8:30 PM. Set the end time for when your family gets up, whether that is for school or before Fajr.

How do you set a kids phone bedtime schedule on iPhone?

Apple has two sets of steps, depending on the iOS version your family's devices run.

iOS 26 and earlier: Screen Time Downtime. Apple's steps are: tap your child's name, tap App & Website Activity and turn it on, tap Downtime, then tap Scheduled. Select Every Day or Customize Days and set the start and end times.

iOS 27: Screen Time Schedule. Apple's iOS 27 steps are: open Settings, tap Family, tap your child's name, tap Screen Time Schedule, turn on Schedule, then scroll down and tap Add Schedule. Apple's iOS 27 pages describe school-day windows called Before School, School and After School, plus a custom window. They never use the word bedtime, so check what your child's phone offers. New schedules need every device in your family on iOS 27 or later.

During downtime, only calls, messages, and apps you choose to allow are available. By default, FaceTime, Maps, Phone and Messages stay available so your child can reach you.

How do you set a kids phone bedtime schedule on Android?

Android uses Google's Family Link. Google's steps are: open the Family Link app, select your child at the top left, and tap Screen time Schedules at the bottom left. Turn on Downtime or School time, then tap Weekly schedule. Select the days, set the start and end time, and tap Done. Downtime and School time work on Android 7 and up.

When Downtime starts, your child can't see notifications and can't unlock the device or use any apps, except apps you have set as unlimited time apps. Calls are always available. For your child to text during Downtime, their messages app must be an unlimited app.

Google also has an on-device option that needs no Family Link. It requires Android 17 or later, and when the device enters downtime, it is locked.

How do kids get around a bedtime lock?

On iPhone, the default lock is soft. Apple says Screen Time limits can be ignored once reached, and with Block at Downtime off, your child sees a reminder but can choose to keep using their apps. On iOS 26 and earlier, turn on Block at Downtime so restricted apps cannot be opened. Then set a Screen Time passcode, which locks your child's Screen Time settings so they can't change them on their own.

Your child can still send a request for more time, and you can approve 15 minutes, an hour or the whole day.

On Android, your child can tap Ask for more time on their device. Google says they then enter the password for the parent's account. You can also add bonus time while the device is locked or about to lock.

Can Sunnah Lock set a bedtime schedule?

Sunnah Lock takes a different approach from a whole-phone lock: you choose which apps close at night. I built it, so weigh that accordingly.

On Android, you can block any app by time of day, by a daily usage limit or by location. When a blocked app is opened, it closes straight away and shows a reminder. Settings sit behind a PIN, so only the person who knows it can change or remove a block. Lockdown Mode runs a strict session where every blocked app is enforced with no exceptions.

On iPhone, Sunnah Lock blocks distracting apps, websites and whole categories, and iOS itself enforces the block. It has block templates for Masjid, Home, Night, Work and Seeking Knowledge, so the Night template is a starting point for a bedtime block.

Free to download on Android and iPhone. Some features need a paid plan.

Coming soon. Sunnah Lock for Windows is on the way. Join the waitlist to hear when it launches.

Which bedtime setup should you pick?

You want the whole phone to go quiet at night: start with Family Link on Android or Screen Time on iPhone, using the steps above.

You want chosen apps closed on Android: get Sunnah Lock on Android. Set a time schedule and keep the settings behind a PIN.

You want a Night block on iPhone: get Sunnah Lock on the App Store and start from the Night template.

The problem is one app, not the whole phone: see how to block YouTube, TikTok or Roblox.

The bottom line

A bedtime lock only works if your child cannot argue it away at 10 PM. On iPhone that means turning on Block at Downtime and setting a passcode. On Android it means keeping your account password to yourself.

If you want chosen apps closed on a schedule, install Sunnah Lock on Android or get it on the App Store. Sunnah Lock for Windows is coming soon, and you can join the waitlist today.

Related reading: Best app blocker for Muslims in 2026 and 5 best Cold Turkey alternatives in 2026. To block one app, use the step-by-step block guides.

Frequently asked questions

What time should a child's phone lock at night?

The American Academy of Pediatrics says to turn off all screens at least an hour before bedtime. The NHS's Healthier Together site says the same for children aged 5 to 11 and for teenagers. For a 9:30 PM bedtime, that is 8:30 PM.

Can my child get around Screen Time Downtime on iPhone?

By default, yes. On iOS 26 and earlier, Apple says limits can be ignored unless you turn on Block at Downtime. Set a Screen Time passcode as well, so your child cannot change the settings. They can still send you a request for more time.

Does Family Link lock the phone at bedtime?

Yes. During Downtime, your child can't see notifications or unlock the device, except for apps you have marked as unlimited. Calls are always available, and your child can ask for more time with your account password.

Do calls still work during a bedtime lock?

On iPhone, calls, messages and apps you choose to allow stay available, and FaceTime, Maps, Phone and Messages are always allowed by default. On Android, calls are always available, and texting needs the messages app set as an unlimited app.

Can I set a phone bedtime without Family Link?

On Android 17 or later, Google has an on-device option, and the device is locked when downtime starts. On iPhone, the schedule lives in Screen Time.

Can I block only some apps at night instead of the whole phone?

Yes. Sunnah Lock on Android blocks any app on a time schedule, and on iPhone it has a Night template.