Admin rights for 14 y/o? Apple says "std" for screen time but not convenient

[OSXphoto]

When I set up a new M1 MBAir for my 14 y/o child, I gave her admin rights. The main reason is that as an admin she can update apps in App Store without coming to me for a password every time.

This time Big Sur prompted me to make her account standard type. I still have screen time set up on her account and Big Sur advised to make the account standard. So I hesitantly did. I now also have an administrator account set up on the same device.

But now she needs admin rights for even basic settings such as the display auto off time (now in the Battery section).

Anyone dealt with this yet?

 

[0128672]

Standard is the default for new accounts. Just click the checkbox on her account for "allow user to administer this computer" and the account type will be changed to admin.

 

[OSXphoto]

Thanks, yes I know how to turn her account into an administrator account. I just don't understand why Apple now suddenly advises against this if the account is under screen time guarding.

 

[0128672]

Thanks, yes I know how to turn her account into an administrator account. I just don't understand why Apple now suddenly advises against this if the account is under screen time guarding.

I'm curious where Apple has stated this. Can you point to a source for that information?

 

[chrfr]

I'm curious where Apple has stated this. Can you point to a source for that information?

When you start the process of enabling a screen time passcode, the OS pops up a message recommending that the user be converted to a standard user.
It's also addressed here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210387#passcode

 

[0128672]

When you start the process of enabling a screen time passcode, the OS pops up a message recommending that the user be converted to a standard user.
It's also addressed here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210387#passcode

Thanks. That recommendation makes sense when enabling screen time in many scenarios.

 

[0128672]

@OSXphoto, apparently I misunderstood your initial question, which was why Apple recommended a standard user account type rather than admin when screen time is enabled in Big Sur. I read your initial post as asking how to change the account type.

My guess is that in many instances when screen time is enabled, it might also be paired with a family setup, so a standard account would make sense in that case.

 

[chown33]

Can you describe the reason you have Screen Time enabled on her account?

Is it mainly (or only) so time spent in apps will be tracked? Or is it in any way done as a means to limit the time spent?

Both things (tracking and limiting) are done by Screen Time. They aren't separate or separable.

Set up Screen Time for yourself on Mac

On your Mac, turn on Screen Time to learn how you spend time on your devices.

support.apple.com

However, if you aren't interested in limiting the time spent, and don't much care if the tracking might be disabled by her (acting in the role of an Admin user), then you have no reason she shouldn't be an Admin user.

The sole rationale I can see behind making someone a non-Admin user under Screen Time is to prevent them from changing the tracking or limiting. If you don't care, then being an Admin user should have no unexpected consequences.

As an example, if I wanted to track my time for a few weeks on a machine where I'm the sole user, then obviously I'm both an Admin user and someone under Screen Time tracking. Yes, I could create a non-admin user, track it with Screen Time, and use that user to see what I was doing during those few weeks. That's a lot of effort just to have a "recommended configuration" where a user (me 2) being tracked by Screen Time isn't an admin (me 1).

I don't have a link to Apple's previous descriptions about using Screen Time, so I don't know what they might have stated previously about admins and Screen Time. They may have said something before about the conflict between being an admin user and simultaneously being limited by Screen Time, where those limits are established by an admin user.

 

[OSXphoto]

Thanks all! Highly appreciated.

The reason for setting screen time on my daughter's devices is that sometimes she has a hard time disciplining herself to school work. But initially I only set limits that she could ignore. So I put her in charge of her own discipline. I felt this would be the best road to maturity.

There was this one time about a year ago when the games got the better of her and she was averaging 5 hours a day. She felt miserable when I brought it up and she immediately asked me to set stricter limits that she could not ignore. She is still in charge of what I set. I believe that soon we can remove screen time altogether.

But I also have two younger daughters so this topic still interests me.

 

[OSXphoto]

Actually this is the first time this message from Apple came up. On her old macbook Air, I did upgrade to Catalina once, so she did experience some months on an OS that had Screen Time. Maybe I missed the message back then, or maybe I simply ignored it but forgot about it.

Anyway, I don't know what she could do as an Admin to circumvent the Screen Time rules. She's not tech savvy enough to know and she is not motivated to go and investigate.

I suppose the best thing now is to wipe the computer and start over, making a new "1st account" with her iCloud account.

 

[chown33]

Anyway, I don't know what she could do as an Admin to circumvent the Screen Time rules. She's not tech savvy enough to know and she is not motivated to go and investigate.

The computer has no way to determine whether someone with Admin access is tech savvy, motivated, or any other personal trait. All it does is look at the privilege level (Admin or not), look at what the user has permission to do (configure Screen Time or not), and reach the logical conclusion that an Admin user with Screen Time limits is capable of removing or altering their own limits. That's all it's doing, and that's all the cautionary note means.

 

[OSXphoto]

The computer [...] and reach the logical conclusion that an Admin user with Screen Time limits is capable of removing or altering their own limits.

This is the info I was looking for. I could not find this anywhere in the Apple kb. Following Apple warns for this, it should have been obvious but I've never tried it myself as my account isn't under Screen Time regime.
Thanks!