You have Respite on your phone and want the same limits on your laptop, or you have just bought a new phone and do not want to start again. This guide takes about five minutes. If you want the background first, read one Respite account across your phone and browser.

What you need

  • Respite on at least two of: Android, iPhone, and the Chrome (or Chromium) extension
  • The same Google or Apple account for all of them
  • Respite Plus if you want more than one device syncing at a time

How do I sync Respite between devices?

  1. Update everything. Use the latest app on Android and iPhone. For the browser, update the extension to the version with sign-in; older store versions have no sign-in.
  2. Sign in on the first device. In the phone apps, go to You, then Account and devices, and choose Google or Apple. In the extension, open its sign-in page from the settings.
  3. Sign in on the second device with the same account. If you use Apple on one and Google on the other, add both sign-in methods to the account first, from Account and devices, so they point at one account.
  4. Pick which limits to keep. If the account already holds limits and the device has its own, Respite asks you to choose between the account’s and the device’s.
  5. Wait a moment. Limits, settings and history arrive in the background.

Why is only one device syncing?

A free account syncs one device. When you sign in on a second device, Respite pauses sync there and shows it. You have two choices:

  • Upgrade to Respite Plus, bought in the iPhone or Android app, and all devices sync.
  • Move the slot to the device you want, which free accounts can do about once a week.

How do I match iPhone apps with my other devices?

Apple’s Screen Time keeps app names private even from Respite, so an iPhone cannot tell the browser which app is which. Instead:

  1. Open You, then Account and devices, then Match your apps.
  2. Under “On this iPhone”, pick an app. Respite shows its guess for the matching app on your other devices (“Looks like …”).
  3. Confirm, or choose a different one.

When all apps are matched Respite says “Everything is matched.” A limit set on either device now applies to both.

What does Count all devices toward limits do?

Turn it on, and a daily limit counts your total time on an app or site across every synced device. Without it, each device counts its own time. Turning it off takes effect at midnight. This is the setting that makes “30 minutes of YouTube” mean 30 minutes, not 30 per screen.

Troubleshooting

  • Sync is paused. Usually a free account on a second device, or a sign-in that expired. Sign in again from Account and devices.
  • I signed in with different accounts. They are separate accounts with separate data. Add the other sign-in method to one account, or use the combine option when Respite offers it.
  • Limits are doubled or missing. Check which limit set you chose on sign-in, and that apps are matched.
  • I want to stop. Remove the device, or sign out.

What about my privacy?

Your usage history stays on your device unless you turn on sync, and sync only runs for signed-in accounts. We do not show ads or sell data, and each platform’s privacy policy lists what it handles; start with the privacy policy for iPhone, Android and Chrome.

Next step

Open Account and devices on your phone and sign in. Download Respite on your other devices first if you have not.