Why is screen time tracking happening when my iPad is shut, in sleep mode, and I am not home?


This is so strange. So as you can see, I checked this website before leaving for work, that is the small blue mark. Then I shut my iPad, plugged it in, and got ready. That is the clean space. I did not open my iPad again, but I did unplug it right as I left for work at 8am. Immediately when I left for work, screen time has the website open. But my ipad was closed, never opened, and in sleep mode if you will. Screen time says the website stayed open until I got home at 2 pm. The funny thing is I didn't open my ipad until later, closer to 3pm…that small blue mark you see. How is screen time tracking a website while my ipad is closed, in sleep mode. And why did it stop when I got home, even though I didn’t open my iPad until 3pm.


I am trying to restrict my screen time, but having it tracking in the background while my device is shut down, is not helpful…not to mention the weirdness of its timing. I had this happen one time before, tracking while it was in sleep mode…but thought it was a fluke. Seems like it is something new since the update.


Any advice as to why this is happening, and how to keep this from happening?

iPad Air, iPadOS 26

Posted on Jan 28, 2026 12:34 PM

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Why is screen time tracking happening when my iPad is shut, in sleep mode, and I am not home?

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