A separate time limit for one app
Not every game or app needs a full block — sometimes giving it its own daily minute budget is enough. Here is how the per-app time limit works in Time Guardian.
Why a separate limit for one app
Sometimes the issue isn't screen time in general, just one specific game or app where the child loses track of time. Blocking it entirely can feel too harsh — the child may reasonably still want to use it, just for less time. A separate time limit per app in Time Guardian gives a third option: the app stays available, but only until its own daily minute budget runs out.
How to set it up
- Open the Parent Panel (timeguardian.pl/app) on your phone, Monitor tab.
- In the "Separate app time limit" section, enter the program's file name, e.g. minecraft.exe.
- Enter the number of minutes per day (0-1440) and save.
- "Show limits list" displays every configured limit along with today's usage for each.
What happens when the limit runs out
The program counts time while that specific app is the foreground window. Once that day's total reaches the configured limit, the app is closed automatically. If the child tries to relaunch it the same day, the program closes it again right away — the limit holds for the rest of the day, not just on the first time it's hit.
The limit tracks the app in the foreground
Only time while the app's window is active (in the foreground) counts, not time it spends running in the background. Checks run every 5 seconds — the same mechanism the program already uses to detect and close blocked apps.
How this fits with regular blocking and the daily limit
This is a third, independent layer of control alongside what Time Guardian already offers:
- Daily time limit — how many minutes per day the computer can be used at all.
- App blocking — a specific app is closed immediately, always.
- Per-app limit (new) — a specific app stays available, but only until its own minute budget runs out, independent of the rest of the daily limit.
All three work at the same time and don't conflict.
Time Guardian: limits, blocking, and now per-app limits too
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See Time GuardianFrequently asked questions
How is a per-app limit different from blocking an app?
Blocking ("Block app") closes the program immediately and always. A time limit lets the app be used until its own daily minute budget runs out — only then is it closed.
What happens once the limit is used up?
The app is closed automatically and stays blocked for the rest of the day — including if the child tries to relaunch it. The limit resets the next day.
Can I set limits for more than one app?
Yes — you can set a separate limit for any number of apps at the same time, each with its own minute budget.
How do I enter the app name?
The same way as when blocking an app: the program's file name, e.g. "minecraft.exe" or "steam.exe" (the .exe extension is optional).
Does this replace the overall daily time limit?
No, it works alongside it. The overall daily limit still applies to the whole computer; a per-app limit additionally restricts one specific app, even while the rest of the daily limit remains.