Screen Time is a powerful feature on Apple devices, designed to help users track and limit their device usage, including setting restrictions on specific apps. While incredibly useful, sometimes bugs or other factors can prevent it from functioning correctly. This guide will help you troubleshoot and resolve issues when Screen Time is not working on your iPhone or iPad, getting it back on track.
How to resolve Screen Time issues on Apple devices
Follow these steps to diagnose and fix common problems preventing Screen Time from working correctly.
- Reboot your device to refresh Screen Time.
- If your device has no home button: Simultaneously hold down one of the volume buttons on the left and the button on the right. Drag the Power Off slider, wait 30 seconds, then hold down the right-side button to turn it back on.
- If your device has a home button: Hold down the button on the right side until the Power Off slider appears. Drag the slider to the right, wait 30 seconds, then hold down the same button on the right side to turn your device back on.
- Refresh settings by disabling and re-enabling Screen Time. Go to Settings > Screen Time. Scroll to the bottom and tap Turn Off Screen Time. If prompted, enter your Screen Time passcode. After it’s off, return to Settings > Screen Time and turn it back on.
- Turn off Low Power Mode. Navigate to Settings > Battery. Toggle off the switch next to Low Power Mode.
- Update your device software. Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, download and install it.
- Verify the date and time settings are correct. Open Settings > General > Date & Time. Toggle on Set Automatically to ensure accuracy based on your time zone. Alternatively, toggle off Set Automatically and manually adjust the date and time if incorrect.
- Check that the Downtime feature is enabled. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Downtime. Confirm the setting is toggled on (it should appear green).
- Confirm that Communication Limits are enabled and configured. Access Settings > Screen Time > Communication Limits. Review and adjust the settings for who can be contacted during allowed and blocked times.
- Enable “Share Across Devices” for Family Sharing. In Settings > Screen Time, after setting your desired restrictions, scroll down and toggle on Share Across Devices (it should turn green). This applies restrictions to all devices in your Family Sharing plan.
- Sign out of your Apple ID and then sign back in. Go to Settings and tap your name at the top. Scroll down and tap Sign Out. Enter your Apple ID password, and choose to keep a copy of your iCloud data. Tap Sign Out again. Wait 5 minutes, then return to Settings and tap Sign In. Re-enter your Apple ID and password, and any verification code.
- Check Apple’s server status. Visit Apple’s System Status page. Scroll through the list to find Screen Time. If you see a red triangle with “Outage,” the service is currently down.
- Reset all of your device settings as a last resort. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone/iPad > Reset. Then, tap Reset All Settings. Warning: Do NOT select “Erase All Content and Settings.” This will reset all your preferences to default without deleting your data.
What to do next?
Once Screen Time is functioning again, take a moment to review your settings and ensure they align with your intended usage limits. You might want to explore the various features within Screen Time, such as App Limits, Content & Privacy Restrictions, and Always Allowed apps, to fully customize your digital well-being experience.
Consider setting a Screen Time passcode to prevent unauthorized changes, especially if you’re managing usage for family members. Regularly updating your device’s software as new versions become available will also help prevent future bugs and ensure optimal performance of Screen Time and other features.
