No, leaving apps open in the background generally does not contribute to your Screen Time. Screen Time primarily tracks the time you are actively using an app, not when it's running in the background. It focuses on your time spent viewing and interacting with the app's interface.
Screen Time's Purpose:
Screen Time, a feature on iOS and iPadOS devices, is designed to help users track their screen usage, set limits, and monitor app usage. It aims to provide insight into how much time is spent actively engaged with apps and websites
- Foreground vs. Background:
- An app is considered "foreground" when it's actively open and displayed on the screen, requiring your attention. When you switch to another app or close the screen, the first app moves to the "background," where it might continue to run tasks, update data, or perform other activities.
While apps running in the background can consume resources and impact battery life, they are not counted toward your Screen Time.
There are some exceptions, such as apps that actively play audio, track your location, or listen for incoming calls while in the background, which may be considered to have some "active" time, and thus contribute slightly to Screen Time.
