Why Catto asks for Screen Time permission

What the permission enables, what stays on your iPhone, and what to check when app blocking is not working.

The short answer

Catto uses Apple’s Screen Time capabilities to connect time in the apps you select to your cat and to provide optional app blocking. Permission is needed for those features. Downloading Catto alone does not give it control over your other apps.

What you choose

During setup, you authorize Screen Time and pick the apps you want Catto to work with. Your daily limit and blocking preferences describe the boundary. Catto is designed around selected distracting apps, so you can keep important tools outside that selection.

Your cat reflects the time that feeds them; Catto’s limit is not a claim that every minute on your phone is the same. Reading directions and accidentally watching another ten videos can serve very different purposes.

What stays on the device

Selected app identities and Screen Time selections stay on your device. Catto does not send your selected app list or browsing history to its servers. The app also uses services for purchases and product analytics, which are separate from your selected apps. Read the privacy policy for those data flows and the optional advertising measurement disclosure.

Screen Time permission and advertising tracking permission are different decisions. Permission to help manage apps is not permission to track you across other companies’ apps and websites.

If blocking does not appear

Check authorization. Make sure Screen Time permission is still enabled for Catto. A denied or revoked permission prevents Screen Time features from working.
Check the selection. Confirm the app you are testing is among the apps selected in Catto.
Check the boundary. Confirm blocking is enabled and that your daily limit has been reached or the scheduled nap is active.
Check flexibility. An extra allowance or a flexible blocking choice can affect when the shield appears.
Open Catto again. Review the current setup before testing the selected app once more.

If it still behaves unexpectedly, contact support with your iOS version, Catto version, and the steps you took. You do not need to send us your private app list or screenshots containing personal information.

You remain in control

You can change your selections and preferences, or revoke permission in iPhone settings. Removing authorization stops the features that depend on it. Deleting local data and cancelling an App Store subscription are separate actions; see data deletion and our support page for the appropriate steps.