Hello, I am facing a critical technical blocker regarding the Family Controls (Screen Time API) entitlement for my app extensions. Current Situation: My parent app (com.hayashikento.FocusPact) is already approved for the Family Controls (Distribution) entitlement. However, the associated DeviceActivityMonitorExtension (com.hayashikento.FocusPact.FocusPActMonitor) and ReportExtension (com.hayashikento.FocusPact.ReportExtension) are still pending entitlement approval. Technical Issue: Because the extensions lack the Distribution entitlement, ManagedSettings and DeviceActivity triggers (like intervalWillEndWarning) are ignored by the system when testing via TestFlight or in a non-development environment. As a result, I am unable to verify the core "automatic re-blocking" logic and "usage reporting" features in a real-world scenario. This has completely halted the final QA and TestFlight phase of my project. Requests: Could an Apple engineer verify if these extension IDs can be linked to my existing approved parent app entitlement? Is there a specific process to expedite the "linking" of extensions when the main app is already authorized? App Details: Parent App Bundle ID: com.hayashikento.FocusPact Extension IDs: com.hayashikento.FocusPact.FocusPActMonitor, com.hayashikento.FocusPact.ReportExtension Apple ID (App)6759132649 I have already submitted the web request forms, but the lack of synchronization between the parent app and extensions is preventing my MVP launch. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

On iOS 26.3.1, deviceactivityd produces zero log output and never wakes a DeviceActivityMonitor extension at the scheduled time, even when the schedule is successfully registered. The extension's intervalDidStart(for:) method is never called. Steps to Reproduce: Create an app with a DeviceActivityMonitor extension subclass Add the com.apple.developer.family-controls entitlement to both the main app and extension targets Add a shared App Group entitlement to both targets In the main app, call: let center = DeviceActivityCenter() center.stopMonitoring([.myActivity]) let schedule = DeviceActivitySchedule( intervalStart: DateComponents(hour: 17, minute: 30), intervalEnd: DateComponents(hour: 17, minute: 45), repeats: true ) try center.startMonitoring(.myActivity, during: schedule) Verify registration succeeds: DeviceActivityCenter().activities.contains(.myActivity) returns true Background the app completely and wait for the intervalStart time (5:30 PM in this example) Expected Result: intervalDidStart(for:) is called in the extension process at 5:30 PM. ManagedSettings shields are applied without any user interaction. Actual Result: intervalDidStart(for:) is never called. No extension process is launched. Filtering Console.app for deviceactivityd on the device returns 0 messages — the daemon produces no logs whatsoever despite an active registered schedule. Shields are never applied. Additional Evidence: Third-party apps using DeviceActivity (e.g. Prayer Lock) successfully apply shields at scheduled times on the same device and OS version, confirming the framework is not universally broken Filtering Console.app for the app's bundle ID at the trigger time shows the main app process applying shields via a UNCalendarNotificationTrigger fallback — but no extension process activity DeviceActivityCenter().activities correctly lists the registered activity before and after the trigger time, confirming the schedule registration API is functional Environment: iOS 26.3.1 Physical device (required for FamilyControls) Development-signed build with com.apple.developer.family-controls entitlement provisioned App Group shared between main app and extension targets

Hello, I am the developer of an app called one sec which helps users to spend less time on social media: https://one-sec.app Therefore, we make heavy use of the Screen Time API, and thus ManagedSettings and ShieldActionDelegate. One feature of one sec is the so-called “Doom Scroll Emergency Brake”. This blocks a target app after a certain usage threshold (e.g. 5 minutes) and requires going through an intervention (e.g. breathing exercise) to unlock more time. That added friction makes it very effective in reducing time spent on apps. One thing that is confusing for our users is the way they are prompted to unlock more time, if they want to. They have to: Have Push Notifications enabled for one sec Exempt one sec’s notifications from being delayed by AI prioritization (otherwise they are delayed by ca. 10s) Ensure that push notifications can be delivered during foci. Understand that they have to tap on the notification, which is not very straight-forward because it does not make sense from the user’s UX perspective. This is an artificial limitation of Apple’s screen time framework which has no reason (no security / privacy implications here…). Screenshots of the current flow attached. If would be much more reasonable if there was a new ShieldActionResponse.openParentApp value that can be returned from the completion handler of the ShieldActionDelegate.handle(…) callback. We have seen different apps use private API to achieve this, but we are afraid to do the same to avoid getting banned from the App Store. It would be fair if Apple would level the playground for all apps and offer such an API officially. – Frederik PS: Tracked under FB22347946, FB18846650, FB15500681, FB15079668, FB10393561 (all without responses so far…)

Hello, my app is frequently loosing / forgetting the Screen Time Permission that had been granted previously on iOS 26. I have experienced it myself, sysdiagnose is in this radar: FB18997699 But also also my App Store users who have updated to iOS 26 already have reported this bug. It would be great if Apple could ensure that this bug is addressed before iOS 26 is released to the public.

Similar Issue to FB13556935: On iOS 26.3.1, deviceactivityd produces zero log output and never wakes a DeviceActivityMonitor extension at the scheduled time, even when the schedule is successfully registered. The extension's intervalDidStart(for:) method is never called. Steps to Reproduce: Create an app with a DeviceActivityMonitor extension subclass Add the com.apple.developer.family-controls entitlement to both the main app and extension targets Add a shared App Group entitlement to both targets In the main app, call: let center = DeviceActivityCenter() center.stopMonitoring([.myActivity]) let schedule = DeviceActivitySchedule( intervalStart: DateComponents(hour: 17, minute: 30), intervalEnd: DateComponents(hour: 17, minute: 45), repeats: true ) try center.startMonitoring(.myActivity, during: schedule) Verify registration succeeds: DeviceActivityCenter().activities.contains(.myActivity) returns true Background the app completely and wait for the intervalStart time (5:30 PM in this example) Expected Result: intervalDidStart(for:) is called in the extension process at 5:30 PM. ManagedSettings shields are applied without any user interaction. Actual Result: intervalDidStart(for:) is never called. No extension process is launched. Filtering Console.app for deviceactivityd on the device returns 0 messages — the daemon produces no logs whatsoever despite an active registered schedule. Shields are never applied. Additional Evidence: Third-party apps using DeviceActivity (e.g. Prayer Lock) successfully apply shields at scheduled times on the same device and OS version, confirming the framework is not universally broken Filtering Console.app for the app's bundle ID at the trigger time shows the main app process applying shields via a UNCalendarNotificationTrigger fallback — but no extension process activity DeviceActivityCenter().activities correctly lists the registered activity before and after the trigger time, confirming the schedule registration API is functional Environment: iOS 26.3.1 Physical device (required for FamilyControls) Development-signed build with com.apple.developer.family-controls entitlement provisioned App Group shared between main app and extension targets

Hi, I’m building an iOS app called SocialLite using Apple’s Screen Time APIs, primarily FamilyControls and ManagedSettings. My goal is to block access to the Instagram app itself, while still allowing the user to receive and see Instagram notifications. Right now, when I apply the shield/block using the Screen Time API, the Instagram app is blocked as expected, but its notifications also appear to be blocked/suppressed at the same time. What I’m trying to achieve: Block the Instagram app from being opened Still allow Instagram notifications to come through normally Current behavior: The app is blocked Notifications are also blocked or no longer visible My question: Is there any supported way with Apple’s Screen Time API / ManagedSettings to shield or block an app while still allowing that app’s notifications? Or are app access and notifications tied together by design when a shield is applied? If this behavior is expected, I’d appreciate confirmation from Apple or guidance on whether there is another supported approach. Thanks.

Hi everyone, I'm running into what appears to be a stuck Family Controls entitlement request and wanted to see if anyone has experienced something similar. Request ID: 9D7MU547QH The request is still showing a status of "Submitted". Context: • Our main app bundle ID was already approved for the Family Controls entitlement. • Two related extensions (ShieldConfiguration and DeviceActivityMonitor) were also approved within a few days. • The remaining request is for a ShieldAction extension, which handles button taps from the shield UI. This entitlement is currently blocking our business's beta testing, so we’re trying to understand whether this is just normal queue delay or if the request might be stuck. Has anyone seen a case where the main app and other extensions were approved but a ShieldAction request remained in "Submitted" for an extended period? If an Apple engineer happens to see this, I’d greatly appreciate any guidance on whether the request might be stuck in the review queue. Thank you!

I am building a simple iOS app that shows the total phone usage time for today using the Screen Time APIs. Architecture: Main app → requests authorization using AuthorizationCenter.shared.requestAuthorization(for: .individual) → displays a DeviceActivityReport Report extension → DeviceActivityReportExtension → calculates total usage using DeviceActivityResults<DeviceActivityData> → shows the number in a SwiftUI view The report works correctly. The extension successfully calculates the total usage and displays it on screen. Example logic inside the report extension: for await activityData in data { for await segment in activityData.activitySegments { totalSeconds += segment.totalActivityDuration } } let totalMinutes = Int(totalSeconds / 60) The problem: I need the main app to access that number so I can store it daily in my own database. I tried to send the value from the extension to the main app using: App Group + UserDefaults(suiteName:) App Group + shared file (FileManager.containerURL) writing inside makeConfiguration(...) Example: if let defaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: "group.myapp") { defaults.set(value, forKey: "savedTotalActivity") } But the main app cannot read the value. The report extension displays the number correctly, but the data never appears in shared storage. Questions: Is DeviceActivityReportExtension intentionally sandboxed so Screen Time data cannot be exported to the containing app? Is there any supported way for the main app to access the total usage value calculated in the report extension? If exporting the value is restricted, what is the recommended architecture for apps that want to store daily Screen Time totals for later analysis? Goal: I want a simple app that records something like: 2026-03-08 → 244 minutes 2026-03-09 → 198 minutes and stores it inside the app database. Any guidance on the correct architecture would help.

On iOS 26.2 (23C55), DeviceActivityMonitor.eventDidReachThreshold fires intermittently for a daily schedule (00:00–23:59) even when iOS Screen Time shows 0 minutes for the selected apps that day. This causes premature shielding via ManagedSettings. Environment: iPhone 13 Pro Max, iOS 26.2 (23C55). Event selection: 2 apps. Threshold: 30 minutes. Multiple TestFlight users report the same behavior across various app selections and thresholds. Intermittent (~50% of days); sometimes multiple days in a row. Not observed in testing prior to iOS 26.2. Evidence: sysdiagnose + Screen Time screenshots (with 0 screen time on selected apps) + unified logs show UsageTrackingAgent notifying the extension that “unproductive from activity daily reached its threshold,” followed immediately by ManagedSettings shield being applied (extension reacting to the callback). Filed Feedback Assistant: FB21450954. Questions: Are others seeing this on 26.2? Does it correlate with restarting monitoring at interval boundaries or includesPastActivity settings?

I'm building an app that uses the Family Controls / Screen Time APIs (FamilyControls, ManagedSettings). My app has three targets, each with a distinct Bundle ID: Main App Shield Configuration Extension ShieldAction Extension All three have com.apple.developer.family-controls in their entitlements files, and they share an App Group. My question is about the distribution entitlement request form at developer.apple.com/contact/request/family-controls-distribution: does the form need to be submitted once per Bundle ID, or is a single submission for the main app sufficient to then enable Family Controls (Distribution) for the extension Bundle IDs in the developer portal as well? I've seen conflicting reports in other forum threads — some developers say one submission covers all targets, others say separate submissions are needed per Bundle ID. I've already submitted the main app, but now I am wondering whether I should submit one for each Shield extension. Thanks!

Description: I am developing a digital well-being application using the Screen Time API (FamilyControls, ManagedSettings, and DeviceActivity). I am encountering a critical issue where the ApplicationToken provided by the system to my app extensions suddenly changes, causing a mismatch with the tokens originally stored by the main application. The Problem: When a user selects applications via FamilyActivityPicker, we persist the FamilyActivitySelection (and the underlying ApplicationToken objects) in a shared App Group container. However, we are seeing frequent cases where the token passed into: ShieldConfigurationDataSource.configuration(shielding:in:) ShieldActionDelegate.handle(action:for:completionHandler:) ...does not match (using ==) any of the tokens previously selected and stored. IOS version: 26.2.1

Hi, I’m building an iOS self accountability app using FamilyControls and DeviceActivity. I can show the user’s real Screen Time correctly inside a DeviceActivityReport extension on a real device, but I want to use that same daily total inside the main app for today’s log and leaderboard. What I’m stuck on is getting that value back into the app. I tried App Groups, shared UserDefaults, a shared file in the app group container, and CFPreferences, but the report still only works as a display and the main app never receives the total. Is there any Apple supported way to use the daily Screen Time total from a DeviceActivityReport extension inside the containing app, or is this intentionally display only? Thanks.

Hi DTS / Apple engineers, We’re attempting to extending our screen time app target to Mac Catalyst. On iOS, FamilyControls works as expected (AuthorizationCenter + FamilyActivityPicker, then ManagedSettings shields + DeviceActivity monitoring/reporting). On Mac Catalyst: The project builds with FamilyControls/DeviceActivity/ManagedSettings capabilities enabled. But attempting to request FamilyControls authorization (or present FamilyActivityPicker) fails at runtime. We see errors similar to: Failed to get service proxy: The connection to service named com.apple.FamilyControlsAgent was invalidated: failed at lookup with error 159 - Sandbox restriction. And our app stays authorizationStatus == .notDetermined, with the request failing. We saw an Apple engineer suggestion to “disable App Sandbox”, but Mac Catalyst apps appear to always be sandboxed, so we can’t disable it. Questions: Is FamilyControls authorization supported on Mac Catalyst today? If so, what entitlement/capability is required specifically for Catalyst/macOS? If FamilyControls auth cannot succeed on Catalyst, does that mean ManagedSettings shields and DeviceActivity monitoring/reporting are effectively unusable on Catalyst (since they depend on that authorization)? Is there an Apple‑recommended approach for a Catalyst “portal” app that mirrors an iOS child device’s restrictions, or is local enforcement on Catalyst intentionally unsupported? Any guidance (and any official docs that clarify current platform support) would be hugely appreciated.

There is an inconsistent issue when views are rendered from the Device Activity Report Extension. This issue is noticeable only on release versions and it works fine in debug mode. Around 80% of the times, the Report Views return blank screen and this is only the case when a weekly/monthly filter is used. Although, it works as expected for daily report views. My questions are: How are all the Report Activity Views working fine in debug mode but not in release mode? How the daily activity filter works fine in the release mode but the weekly/monthly filters don't work? Is this because of a memory limit issue in the extension? As of now, I have the family-controls(distribution) entitlement only for the app and for the extensions I only have family-controls(development) entitlement. Do I need to request for family-controls(Distribution) entitlement even for the extensions? I have seen threads on the forum mentioning the blank screen issue associated with the DeviceActivityReport but haven't found a solution to it. Any suggestions/feedback would be of great help, thanks.

DeviceActivityReportExtension issues Hi, I am currently working on a project and hoping to use DeviceActivityReportExtension. I have already successfully set up the DeviceActivityMonitorExtension and that is working correctly, but can't get this to reproduce. I initially had a complex capacitor project which displayed a native UI screen which (tried to) display the screen time report though it was failing silently. I tried a much simpler setup with a pure swift project (not an iOS dev so forgive my poor code quality) and still having an issue getting this to render on my computer. Here is a reproduction: https://github.com/ethanmichel0/screen-time-report-bug-recreation/tree/main Does this code work for others? and if not do you know how I can set this up? idk if my Xcode or iOS versions are incompatible (see versions in that link). Would be super grateful for some help, thanks so much.

Hi, I got family controls (distribution) approved for my main app and assumed this would carry over to my extensions but it did not. Do I need to re-request for other the deviceactivitymonitorextension and deviceactivityreportextension?

I am getting this error when I try to show device activity report view by this DeviceActivityReport(appsContext, filter: filter) Attempt to map database failed: permission was denied. This attempt will not be retried. I have taken access by this way. AuthorizationCenter.shared.requestAuthorization(for: .individual) Detailed errors: LaunchServices: store (null) or url (null) was nil: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-54 "process may not map database" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=process may not map database, _LSLine=72, _LSFunction=_LSServer_GetServerStoreForConnectionWithCompletionHandler} Attempt to map database failed: permission was denied. This attempt will not be retried.

I am getting this error when I try to show device activity report view by this DeviceActivityReport(appsContext, filter: filter) Attempt to map database failed: permission was denied. This attempt will not be retried. I have taken access by this way. AuthorizationCenter.shared.requestAuthorization(for: .individual)

I am getting this error when I try to show device activity report view by this DeviceActivityReport(appsContext, filter: filter) Attempt to map database failed: permission was denied. This attempt will not be retried. I have taken access by this way. AuthorizationCenter.shared.requestAuthorization(for: .individual)

On pressing the secondary button on my ShieldConfigurationExtension, I remove the shields by setting shields in the named ManagedStore to nil in my ShieldActionExtension. // ShieldActionExtension.swift let store = ManagedSettingsStore() store.shield.applications = nil store.shield.applicationCategories = nil Now after some duration I want to re-apply the shields again for which I do the following: // ShieldActionExtension.swift DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + unlockDuration) { [weak self] in self?.reapplyShields(for: sessionId, application: application) } private func reapplyShields(for sessionId: String, application: ApplicationToken) { store.shield.applications = Set([application]) } Followed by the completionHandler: // ShieldActionExtension.swift completionHandler(.defer) Now the expectation is ShieldConfigurationExtension should be re-triggered with store.shield.applications = Set([application]), however I see the default iOS screen time shield. This behavior is experience when the blocked app is running in the foreground. However, if I close and re-open the blocked app - the ShieldConfigurationExtension is trigerred again correctly. If I do a completionHandler(.none) instead, the overriden configuration method in ShieldConfigurationExtension is not triggered. How do I make sure ShieldConfigurationExtension is triggered if the blocked app is running in the foreground when the shields are re-applied again?