Screen Time on macOS 27.0.2 is always updating

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Screen Time on macOS 27.0.2 is always updating

Hi everyone, I've run into a bug on my MacBook after upgrading to macOS 27 Golden Gate (27.0.x). Screen Time keeps updating constantly, and the usage time it shows doesn't match the screen usage reported in Battery settings. Is anyone else experiencing the same issue?

[Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Nov 2, 2026 8:25 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 2, 2026 11:00 AM in response to joni-a

Screen Time on macOS 27 often conflicts with Battery stats and displays inconsistent data because it aggregates usage across all Apple devices signed into your iCloud account or suffers from known cloud-sync and database glitches in early macOS 27 releases.

How to Fix / Troubleshoot

Turn off "Share Across Devices": Screen Time includes usage from your iPhone, iPad, and other connected Apple devices. On your iPhone or Mac, go to System Settings > Screen Time and temporarily turn off Share Across Devices to check if the Mac-only data matches your expectations.
Restart your Mac: A standard reboot clears out temporary background daemons and stuck cache files affecting Screen Time reporting.
Why it differs from Battery Settings: Battery stats track direct hardware display-on and power draw time strictly for your MacBook, whereas Screen Time tracks app focus, background syncs, and multi-device activity.

More info from Apple: Screen Time on Mac - Apple Support

The current version of macOS is 27.2. Based on your post you are running an older version, so the first step is to update your Mac to the current version.

See: Update macOS on Mac - Apple Support

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