Grey Bars in ScreenTime

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Level 1

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Grey Bars in ScreenTime

Seen this asked a few times, but still cannot find a definite answer from Apple.

This is a big problem for parents when trying to control kids. The main reason why Screen Time was designed and released in the first place!

From my research all I can say it is either time spent on FaceTime as this category isn't shown (but maybe come under "Messages") or is when the phone is sat active with the screen on with any interaction from the user. However sometimes I see periods of up to 45minutes when my daughters Screen Time shows grey.

Also her "Other" section is shown as ORANGE.

Now here is what I have just noticed since writing the above on my laptop. I've had my iphone unlocked in the Settings menu looking at my Screen Time. This time has been recorded as GREY lines, but my ORANGE section is now called "Productivity" and not "Other". The category for "Settings" shows 25mins which corresponds to the graph. SO I AM STILL CONFUSED and WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER.

Posted on Jan 6, 2021 4:21 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

SravanKrA

Community+ 2024

Level 10

419,672 points

Jan 6, 2021 4:24 AM in response to ShepUK72

Understanding Screen Time Graph (Grey Bar explained)

All apps have been assigned to certain categories in iTunes. Screen Time has chosen top 8 categories and have put all remaining categories in a category called "Others".

There are 9 Categories in Screen Time

Social Networking: FaceBook, Hangout, Instagram
Games : Scrabble, PUBG
Entertainment: Netflix, Amazon Music
Creativity: Photos, Google Photos
Productivity: HDFC Bank
Education: SkyView, Learn Python
Reading & Reference: Kindle, NDTV
Health & Fitness: BeatO, Health, Activity
Others : Big Basket,

The graph displays top 3 (Time used by user) category legends in X axis. Anything other than these legend categories is Grey bar in the graph

For example:

If the user has used Social Networking, Reading and Reference and Others category apps for the maximum time during a time span. The graph will show these three categories in the X axis as legends and remaining categories (Remaining apps which has used less than 6 min account for what is being shown in Grey Colour.

See the pic below explained

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Answer 2

ShepUK72 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 6, 2021 9:11 AM in response to SravanKrA

@SravanKrA really appreciate your reply and it makes a lot of sense.

One question I would like to ask is why once the duration you named as "This is other than Other" exceeds the ORANGE Other, which in your example it clearly does, why doesn't the app swap the colours and show the 1hr 41 to be ORANGE and the 6 mins GREY? Probably this would be less confusing for users and I guess not a hard software modification for the app developers.

Thanks again.

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Grey Bars in ScreenTime

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