We have been using screen time successfully for several years to manage our kids devices. Recently, I upgraded to the iPhone 14 pro and now all their screen time settings keep resetting and turn off almost daily. Downtime, content restrictions and time limits - all off. 4 kids - two iPhones and two iPads. Each has a different screen time passcode that were all reset. Software has been updated on each device. Still keeps happening. Please advise!
iPhone 14 Pro
This has been driving me crazy since I purchased an iPhone 14 Pro. Earlier today, I did some testing and am wondering if this is what the rest of you are seeing.
TLDR: In my case, Screen Time on the Child iPhone is never off, it just shows a default position of off (on the Parent phone) while the Child phones are syncing with iCloud. If I start making changes (on the Parent phone) before the sync is complete, it causes a ton of problems and everything gets out of sync for hours or days.
Longer version....
3 devices, all running 16.4.
Scenario 1: About 50% of the time on the Parent iPhone, I open Screen Time and select one of the Child accounts. The 'Daily Average' chart is trying to load (ie, no chart is not visible and the 'updated' section is spinning)
Scenario 2: About 50% of the time. On the Parent iPhone, I open Screen Time and select one of the Child accounts. The 'Daily Average' chart is already loaded and visible. The 'updated' section may be spinning, but you can see the bar chart.
Under Scenario 1, if I go into Downtime, Content & Privacy, etc. (on the Parent iPhone) it will show Screen Time settings are OFF. However, if I pick up the same Child's iPhone in my hand and open up Screen Time directly on the child iPhone, the Screen Time show ON. Under this scenario, in the past I was getting anxious and would panic and start turning Screen Time settings back ON via the parent iPhone. However, if I did this, before 'Daily Activity' had fully loaded, it seems as if iCloud gets really confused and the settings get out of sync - sometimes they stay on, other times they stay off. Then later in the night, the settings may flip again (assuming they try to sync with iCloud again) and turn on/off - its a huge mess.
Under Scenario 2, the Parent iPhone will show the Screen Time settings are ON and Child iPhone shows the settings are On.
In the end, I was the source of my own problem as I nervously kept turning things back on when I would see them as off on my phone. If I had been more patient and either checked the Child phone or waited for the sync to complete, it would have shown the settings are still in place and everything is as I want it to be. Once I started waiting for the chart to load before changing things, I never had the issue happen again - it took about 48 hours for everything to sync and 'settle'.
Apple needs to fix this as it never used to be a problem. Parents shouldn't have to blindly trust that the Child phone is secure, the Parent phone should always indicate the right status of the Child's phone.
Maybe I'm the only one with this specific scenario, just wanted to share.
Side note... over the past few months I have been getting a somewhat regular notification on my iPhone in Settings right under my name at the top to re-enter my passcode for some kind of sync to iCloud. Ever since I stopped messing with the Screen Time settings pre-sync, iCloud has stopped asking for this. I'm wondering if this was coincidental or a symptom of iCloud just being super confused by what settings were the correct ones.
Mine do to but it didn’t start until I upgraded to the IPhone 14
Did you figure out how to fix this? I just upgraded to a 14 pro and am having the same issue. 🤦🏻♀️
I have the same issue. 3 kids, 3 iPads plus Mac and phone. It’s very frustrating. Hope there is a fix soon. So far nothing has worked
If it's new you have 14 days to return it for a full refund.
If we all fill out this feedback they may look into it. And social media is a good option too
Tell her you will randomly check her device, and if you ever find Screen Time disabled, she will not get it back… ever.
For all of you that are still having problems, are you on the latest iOS, iPadOS, WatchOS and macOS?
For example iOS 16.5 release notes state that Screen Time problems have been fixed.
Same issue. It shuts off daily, sometimes right in front of me (I have a video of turning on content restrictions and having the slider turn off by itself after a few seconds). I cannot limit app time, set down time, or put in safety features such as restricting adult content (when I do, it resets by itself).
I have also followed all the "useful" suggestions (turn off/on, sign out/in, check server status, etc., etc., etc.). My record is trying unsuccessfully to get it to work after going through all the settings about 10 times in 1 hour... but no go.
And here I was thinking I was the only one! I was sure my 2 boys had figured out the screen time passcode (they did once before through discreet observation). I also have an iPhone 14 Pro, and this all seems to have started when I upgraded from the 11 Pro. What gives? Apple, please find us a fix for this screen time passcode resetting issues. Parents everywhere need this! Screen time is basically useless for now
I am having the SAME issue with my daughters iPhone SE 2020 AND her iPad. It’s driving me INSANE. I have tried every fix known to man. I cannot figure out how to prevent it from turning off. Apple definitely needs to fix the issue it’s the main reason I went with Apple products.
I’m having the same issue having upgraded to an iPhone 13 from an 11! It’s driving me nuts! My children keep getting unlimited screen time! I’m fed up with having to keep turning it back on! Please fix this Apple 🙏🏼
We gave up and turned off all limits and downtime, because it just wasn't working, and decided to do things the old fasioned way and wait for a fix. To our surprise, a new limit appeared a few days later: 3 hours for all apps and programs. We have never had a 3 hour limit (the old one was 30 minutes for specific games), and now it seems our phone is just deciding what the best settings should be for our children. What a mess.
Yes!! It still hasn’t been fixed as of tonight (which is what lead me to this thread). Like other parents, I thought for sure my boys had figured out their passcodes. I hope a fix comes in an update soon!!
This is happening to me too and has been for a while now. It is driving me insane!!! I have a 14 year old and a 12 year old that both completely exploit their screentime when it’s not working while I’m clueless. I don’t want to have to purchase another 3rd party app to do something that is built into the OS. Like others it used to work fine.
Screen time keeps turning off
