Windows 10 has an in-built Screen Time management feature which lets you set time limits for PC usage for kids. There’s even a command line trick to set a time limit for adults as well, but what the in-built feature lacks is the control for setting time limits on a program level as well.

If you’re addicted to a game and don’t have the will power to overcome your addiction, it’s a god idea to set a time limit for the game on your PC. The same applies to entertainment websites such as Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and others.

While the inbuilt Windows 10 time limit feature doesn’t let you block programs on a time basis. You can use third-party software like the HomeGuard Activity Monitor to set time limits to certain games and apps on your PC. It’s a paid software with a 15-day trial period. If you find it helpful in reducing addiction to a certain game or app, you might want to get the lifetime license for the software for $40.

→ Download HomeGuard Activity Monitor

How to set time limit to Games on Windows 10 using HomeGuard

  1. Download and install the HomeGuard Activity Monitor on your PC using the link above.
  2. Once installed, open the program and go to its Options » Monitoring Settings.
  3. From the Monitoring and Blocking Settings window, click Programs from the left panel » select the program you want to set time limit to from the list of Installed Applications on your PC, and click the >> button to add it to the Blocked Applications list. Now click on the app that you added on the block list, then untick the Always blocked checkbox and then click the Blocking Times button.
  4. Now select the time zones you want the application to be blocked. You can drag the mouse cursor with left-click to select the blocked times in bulk. In the screenshot below, I have selected the app to be blocked for most of the day except for 6 PM to 8 PM.
    • If you don’t want to set a time zone for the app, but would like to set total allowed time for the app on a per day basis, then click the Total Time Allowed tab and set the time you want to allow the app to run on a given day.

That’s it. Once you set a time limit for an app/game using the HomeGuard software, the app won’t run on your PC beyond the set limits.

The HomeGuard software has a ton of other related features as well to help you stay productive during your work time. We hope it proves helpful. Cheers!