Screen Time not tracking app usage after iOS 26.5 update

Since updating to iOS 26.5, Screen Time has not been tracking my app usage correctly. Instead of displaying the apps I use throughout the day, it only shows websites visited in Safari.

I use a variety of apps every day, but none of them appear in the Screen Time report, making the feature inaccurate and unreliable.


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Screen Time Glitch

iPhone 12, iOS 26

Posted on Jul 3, 2026 7:56 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 4, 2026 1:55 AM

Hi,


This behavior is likely caused by a configuration toggle being disabled or a syncing bug introduced in the update. 


App & Website Activity is the specific setting that controls whether app usage is recorded; if this is turned off, only web browsing data (which may sync independently or persist) is displayed. 


To resolve this, follow these steps:


  1. Enable App Tracking: Go to Settings > Screen Time and ensure the App & Website Activity toggle is switched On. If it is already on, toggle it off and back on to refresh the data collection.
  2. Check Device Selection: In Screen Time > See All Activity, ensure you have selected your specific iPhone from the Devices dropdown menu, as data might be filtered or misattributed if "Share Across Devices" is misconfigured. 
  3. Force Restart: Perform a force restart of your iPhone to clear any temporary cache or API errors that may have occurred during the iOS 26.5 update.
  4. Update iOS: Verify that you are on the latest point release (e.g., iOS 26.5.x), as Apple frequently patches Screen Time bugs in subsequent minor updates. 


If the issue persists, turning Screen Time off completely, restarting the device, and re-enabling it will reset the tracking system, though this will delete your historical usage data.

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 4, 2026 1:55 AM in response to MegaMensah

Hi,


This behavior is likely caused by a configuration toggle being disabled or a syncing bug introduced in the update. 


App & Website Activity is the specific setting that controls whether app usage is recorded; if this is turned off, only web browsing data (which may sync independently or persist) is displayed. 


To resolve this, follow these steps:


  1. Enable App Tracking: Go to Settings > Screen Time and ensure the App & Website Activity toggle is switched On. If it is already on, toggle it off and back on to refresh the data collection.
  2. Check Device Selection: In Screen Time > See All Activity, ensure you have selected your specific iPhone from the Devices dropdown menu, as data might be filtered or misattributed if "Share Across Devices" is misconfigured. 
  3. Force Restart: Perform a force restart of your iPhone to clear any temporary cache or API errors that may have occurred during the iOS 26.5 update.
  4. Update iOS: Verify that you are on the latest point release (e.g., iOS 26.5.x), as Apple frequently patches Screen Time bugs in subsequent minor updates. 


If the issue persists, turning Screen Time off completely, restarting the device, and re-enabling it will reset the tracking system, though this will delete your historical usage data.

Screen Time not tracking app usage after iOS 26.5 update

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