5 Ways to Fix iPhone Showing Incorrect Screen Time

Quick Tips

• A force restart of your iPhone often helps in such a scenario.
• An un-updated iPhone could be a host for bugs. If you face an incorrect screen time issue, check if your iPhone is updated

Basic Fixes:

• Disable and Re-enable Screen Time: If your iPhone screen time report shows the wrong data, you can start by resetting the feature. Simply disable and re-enable the Screen Time toggle in Settings to delete your existing Screen Time data.
• Reset All Settings on iPhone: Resetting all iPhone settings can fix any internal errors with the Screen Time functionality. Note that this will erase all your preferences and settings like ringtones and Wi-Fi passwords.

Fix 1: Keep Your Phone Face Down at Night

Keeping your phone face down is a clever little way to prevent your iPhone’s screen from waking up to notifications now and then. Every time the iPhone screen lights up when you receive a new notification, it gets accounted as Screen Time.

But, if you place your phone with the screen facing down, the proximity sensor gets covered. This ensures the screen doesn’t turn on when you receive notifications. If this still doesn’t work, try turning off notifications from frequently used apps on your iPhone. This will prevent the screen from waking up at night.

See Also: How to Secure iPhone Using Screen Time Passcode

Fix 2: Enable Sleep Focus Mode

Turning on Sleep Focus is an effective way to pause your apps and notifications before bed. It stops notifications from waking up the screen and limits background activities, eventually keeping your Screen Time numbers in check. Here’s how to enable it.

Step 1: Slide down from the top of the screen to access the Control Center. If your iPhone has a home button, swipe up from the bottom.

Step 2: Press and hold on to the Focus option. Now, tap on the Sleep option to enable it.

Fix 3: Check Screen Time for Correct Device

If you’re a part of the Apple ecosystem and have multiple Apple devices, your iPhone shows not only the Screen Time of the phone but also that of other devices like Mac and iPad. Here’s how to check the Screen Time for your iPhone separately.

Step 1: Go to the Settings app on your iPhone and tap on Screen Time. Then, select ‘See All App & Website Activity’.

Step 2: Tap on the Devices button. From the list of devices, select your iPhone.

Fix 4: Check if You Have Always on Display

Always On Display, or AOD, is a useful feature for viewing the time, date, and notifications at all times. However, in our observations, enabling Always On Display messes with the iPhone’s Screen Time. It is probably because your iPhone considers the screen to be turned on even when AOD is in use.

So, if you want accurate Screen Time stats, disable Always On Display using the below method.

Step 1: Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On Display.  

Step 2: First, try turning off the Show Wallpaper and Show Notifications toggles and check for a day. If the Screen Time numbers are still skewed, turn off the feature entirely.

Fix 5: Consult Apple Support

Nothing worked? Your last resort is to contact Apple Support. The expert team could help solve your iPhone screen time issue.