RescueTime for iOS Overview
RescueTime for iOS tracks your iPhone time and blocks distracting apps during Focus Sessions.
Setup takes a few minutes, and granting the right permissions is what makes it work. One thing to note: on iOS, your phone activity stays on your phone. Apple does not allow it to be sent to RescueTime's servers, so it appears only on the Mobile tab of your iOS Dashboard, separate from your desktop data.
Install RescueTime from the App Store
Search for RescueTime in the App Store and install it on your iOS device.
Create your account, or sign in
Open the app, enter your name, email, and password, then tap Create Account. You can also sign up with a Google or Apple account. Already use RescueTime on your computer? Tap Sign In and use your existing login.
iOS does not have a free Lite plan. The iPhone app requires a paid plan: Solo Focus, or Solo+ if you want Timesheets. You can choose a monthly or annual plan during sign-up.
Confirm your email
If you created your account on the phone, RescueTime sends a confirmation email. Until you click the link, your account shows an email confirmation notice. Confirming makes sure you can recover your account and receive your reports.
Grant three permissions
After sign-up, RescueTime walks you through the permissions it needs. Tap Continue on each prompt and follow the iOS steps.
💡 Nothing tracking? The cause is almost always Screen Time access. You can review any permissions at any time in Settings.
Understanding the navigation bar
Everything is reachable from the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen.
Home
Your Dashboard: reports, goals, focus streak, and Productivity Pulse. This is where the Desktop and Mobile tabs live, covered below.
Timeline
A chronological view of your day for project tracking with Timesheets. This is where offline activity is added with the blue button at the bottom-right of the screen.
The RescueTime button
Starts a Focus Session or the Timer. Use Focus Sessions to block distracting apps on your phone.
Feed
Your daily review, focus opportunities, and other timely nudges about your day.
Settings
Your account, permissions, appearance, and work settings.
Starting a Focus Session
Tap the RescueTime button, enter what you are focusing on, choose a duration, and tap start. While the session runs, the apps you chose to block are blocked.
To choose what gets blocked, go to Settings > Configure Blocking. RescueTime opens Apple's own picker, where you can block All Apps & Categories or select specific categories like Social, Games, or Entertainment. Tap Done when finished.
Blocking needs Screen Time access. Because iOS app blocking runs through Apple's Screen Time system, it will not work unless Screen Time access is granted.
Settings
Settings are grouped into App, Account, and Work Settings.
App Settings
Configure Blocking (which apps to block), Saved Timers (quick-start timers for recurring tasks), and Appearance (light, dark, or system theme).
Account Settings
Your account details, subscription, and Data & Privacy controls.
Work Settings
Your work profile, work schedule, and focus preferences. These match what you set on the RescueTime website.
Mobile and desktop are kept separate
On iOS, Apple's rules keep your iPhone activity on your iPhone. It is not uploaded to RescueTime's servers, which means it cannot be combined with your computer data.
You will see this on the Home screen as two tabs: Desktop shows the activity synced from your computer, and Mobile shows what you have done on your connected iOS devices. Your phone app breakdown is found only under Mobile.
💡 Where to look. If your phone time doesn't appear in your website reports, that is expected. Check the Mobile tab on your iPhone instead. Desktop reporting on the website is unaffected.