Set up Communication Limits in Screen Time on Mac
In Screen Time on your Mac, you can set limits for communications during screen time and downtime. The limits you set apply to phone calls, FaceTime, Messages, and iCloud contacts. A parent or guardian can also request permission to manage a childβs iCloud contacts.
Before you can set up Communication Limits, you need to turn on Screen Time. See Set up Screen Time for yourself or Set up Screen Time for a child.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)If youβre a parent/guardian in a Family Sharing group, click the Family Member pop-up menu, then choose a family member.
If you donβt see the Family Member pop-up menu, make sure youβre signed in to your Apple Account and using Family Sharing.
Click Communication Limits.
Go to During Screen Time, then select an option below βAllow communication with.β
Everyone: Allow one-on-one and group conversations during screen time with anyone, including unknown numbers.
Contacts only: Allow one-on-one and group conversations during screen time only with people in the family memberβs contacts.
Contacts and groups with at least one contact: Allow one-on-one conversations during screen time only with people in the family memberβs contacts, and allow group conversations that include at least one person in the family memberβs contacts.
Go to During Downtime, then select an option below βAllow communication with.β
Contacts Only: Allow one-on-one and group conversations during screen time only with people in the family memberβs contacts.
Specific contacts: Allow one-on-one and group conversations during downtime only with specific people in the family memberβs contacts. To specify the allowed contacts, click Select Contacts, then use
and 
to modify the list.
Note: The available options vary, depending on the current settings for allowed communication during screen time.
If you want to let your family member edit their contacts, turn on βAllow contact editing.β
If you want to manage a childβs iCloud contacts, turn on Manage [childβs] iCloud Contacts.
To manage a family memberβs iCloud contacts, click Edit, then add, remove, or edit contacts.
You donβt see the Edit button until your family member accepts the request to manage their contacts. Until then, Pending is displayed. See Respond to contact management requests in Screen Time.
If your family member denies the request to manage their contacts, the Pending status is no longer displayed.
