Apple Addresses Screen Time Bug, Affecting Parental Controls

Apple has addressed an issue users are experiencing with the Screen Time app. A persistent bug is affecting the parental control settings, causing some resets or desync across some devices.

Some users have been experiencing issues with the Screen Time app and up until recently, there hasn’t been any formal statement made from Apple. However, the Cupertino company has finally acknowledged the issues some users are facing and admitted to the bug that is affecting the Screen Time app.

In a statement to The Wall Street Journal (via MacRumors), an Apple spokesperson states, “We are aware that some users may be experiencing an issue where Screen Time settings are unexpectedly reset. We take these reports very seriously and we have been, and will continue, making updates to improve the situation.”

Screen Time was originally launched in 2018 as a means of providing users with stats on their device usage. The app is able to break down the average time the device was used and compare it to previous weeks. More importantly, Screen Time offers parental controls that can monitor users as well as set limits on websites kids can navigate to.

Apple’s statement merely acknowledges the issue at hand. Currently, it doesn’t appear as though there is a solution to fixing the bugs stemming from the app. The issues are reported to have started upon the rollout of iOS 16.5. Parents have seemingly continued to face issues despite the release of iOS 16.6 and the iOS 17 public beta.

As of now, there’s no certainty as to when Apple will provide a solution. Until a fix is brought to the table, parents should keep an eye on the Screen Time app across all their devices in order to ensure to proper settings are in effect. Alternatively, apps like AirDroid and Kidslox offer parental control features. Though, many are gated behind a subscription.