Screen Time Not Working on iPhone? Fixes That Work
Limits not kicking in? Usage totals look wrong? Six fixes for iPhone Screen Time, in order, from checking the basics to switching it off and on again.
Limits not kicking in? Usage totals look wrong? Here’s what to try, in order.
Note (On iOS 27?)
Apple renamed parts of Screen Time in iOS 27: App Limits is now Time Allowances, and Share Across Devices and Turn Off App & Website Activity are under Manage Screen Time. The steps below use the iOS 26 names, which you’ll still see if any of your Apple devices isn’t on iOS 27 yet.
1. Check the basics
- Block at End of Limit is on for that limit.
- The app isn’t in Always Allowed.
- Your Screen Time passcode is set. Without it, “Ignore Limit” bypasses everything, and Block at End of Limit doesn’t appear.
2. Turn Share Across Devices off and on
If you have an iPad or Mac on the same Apple Account, data can clash. Toggle Share Across Devices off, restart, then back on.
3. Restart your iPhone
Boring, but it fixes a surprising amount.
4. Update iOS
Screen Time bugs are often fixed in point updates. Settings, then General, then Software Update.
5. Delete and re-add the limit
Remove the app limit and set it up again.
6. Turn Screen Time off and on
Last resort, as this resets your history. Settings, then Screen Time, then App & Website Activity, then Turn Off App & Website Activity. Restart, then turn it back on.
Using a screen time app?
Most third-party apps, including Snitch, rely on Apple’s Screen Time system, so these fixes can help them too. Also check the app still has Screen Time access: the list of Apps with Screen Time Access is at the bottom of Settings, then Screen Time.
If Snitch still isn’t behaving, email us at info@getsnitch.co.uk. Every app has bugs, and we’d rather hear about ours.