I'm currently running into an issue during the App Store review process where my reviewer isn't liking how the Screen Time API is being used to hide apps. For some context, my app uses the Managed Settings and Device Activity frameworks in the Screen Time API to allow users to set restrictions on their personal devices and save those restrictions into a preference object that they can switch between. This was detailed as my app's primary purpose in my Family Controls & Personal Device Usage Entitlement Request, which was approved last year. After around a year of working on this app, it's finally done and ready for submission to the App Store. However, my App Reviewer recently rejected the app with this single complaint: Guideline 2.5.1 - Performance - Software Requirements The app uses public APIs in an unapproved manner, which does not comply with guideline 2.5.1. Specifically, your app uses ScreenTime API to hide apps. Since there is no accurate way of predicting how an API may be modified and what effects those modifications may have, unapproved uses of public APIs in apps is not allowed. Next Steps Please revise the app to ensure that documented APIs are used in the manner prescribed in the documentation. All I'm doing is passing a set of Application objects to ManagedSettings.ApplicationSettings.blockedApplications, I'm not doing anything special. The documentation for this API itself states: The system hides blocked applications and prevents the user from launching them. In my reply, I let the reviewer know Regarding Guideline 2.5.1, I believe my use of the Screen Time API appears to align with Apple's documented intended functionality. The specific API I'm using, ManagedSettings.ApplicationSettings.blockedApplications, is explicitly documented by Apple as: "The system hides blocked applications and prevents the user from launching them." This is why I used the term "hide" in my app's marketing and functionality descriptions - I was directly referencing Apple's own terminology for this feature. The documentation clearly indicates this is an approved capability of this API. The source for this documentation can be found here: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/managedsettings/applicationsettings/blockedapplications-swift.property. I've also provided a screenshot of this documentation below. Despite providing a link to the documentation and a screenshot that shows the text from Apple explicitly stating "The system hides blocked applications", the App Reviewer just copy-and-pasted the same text in their reply and rejected the app. I should also note that we don't have control over how the system handles the Application set we pass into ManagedSettings.ApplicationSettings.blockedApplications, the system will always try to "hide" these apps as specified in the documentation. We can't change this behavior. Has anyone else faced this sort of rejection before? Is using ManagedSettings.ApplicationSettings.blockedApplications now considered an illegal use of the API? Or are we not allowed to use the words noted in the documentation of this API? The app rejection suggested I "consult with fellow developers and Apple engineers on the Apple Developer Forums." Any guidance here would be much appreciated as I continue to appeal this. For any Apple staff members reading this post, I can provide the Submission ID of the App Review privately if needed to help resolve this issue.

Hello, Our app has already received approval for using the Family Controls API. However, when we added an extension, we were informed that an additional approval was required. Unfortunately, our request was rejected. Apple Support advised us to include "Describing use of required reason API" in the privacyInfo file, but after reviewing the documentation, we couldn't find any relevant information specifically for the Family Controls API. Questions: How should we describe the use of Family Controls API in the privacyInfo file? What does the rejection reason "Enterprise use not approved" specifically mean? Why is additional approval required for the extension, and how can we resolve this? Background: Initial Approval: Our app was approved to use the Family Controls API. Extension Submission: We submitted an extension requiring additional approval, but it was rejected. Follow-up Inquiry: Apple Support instructed us to include a description in privacyInfo, but no relevant details for Family Controls API were found. Further Inquiry: We asked for clarification, and Apple Support referred us to DTS. DTS Response: They requested that we post our question on the Apple Developer Forums before they can review it. If anyone has insights, guidelines, or previous experience with this approval process, we would greatly appreciate your help. Thank you!

I requested permission to use the Family Controls entitlement two weeks ago, and I have not received a response or status update. I have been to that page where it says "Thank you! We'll get back to you soon!" so many times.

Questions I am developing a social screen time application that enables users to create “sprints” and set sprint goals—essentially time limits on usage for selected applications. For this functionality, users select the apps they wish to manage using the FamilyActivitySelection interface (from the FamilyControls framework). However, our backend needs to distinguish each application uniquely (for example, via the app’s bundle identifier) in order to correctly map and enforce user-defined sprint goals. Unfortunately, we are encountering an issue where retrieving the bundle identifier directly from the FamilyActivitySelection is returning nil. As a result, we are unable to globally identify the selected apps. Could you please advise if there is an alternative method or property available in the FamilyControls API that would allow us to uniquely identify the apps? Alternatively, is there another approach recommended by Apple for obtaining a global identifier for applications selected via FamilyActivitySelection? Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to your guidance on how to resolve this issue. Code The following is the print statement I used to check if bundleIdentifier is nil after I stored user's selections to the variable selection using familyActivityPicker: for app in selection!.applications { let bundleId = app.bundleIdentifier ?? "Unknown Bundle ID" let token = app.token let localizedDisplayName = app.localizedDisplayName ?? "Unknown Localized Display Name" print("Selected app bundle identifier: \(bundleId)") print("localizedDisplayName: \(localizedDisplayName)") } Console log result I received from the print statement above: Selected app bundle identifier: Unknown Bundle ID localizedDisplayName: Unknown Localized Display Name

After reading Apple documentation (FamilyControls, DeviceActivity, ManagedSettings, ManagedSettingsUI, ScreenTime) and testing the API, I do not find a way to get the child's device apps on the parent device in order to block them or disable them for a certain time. Is there a way of doing it? Or can it only be done locally on the child device?

I am developing an app that can help users disable selected apps at a specified time, so that users can get away from their phones and enjoy real life. Here is my data structure: extension ActivityModel { @NSManaged public var id: UUID @NSManaged public var name: String @NSManaged public var weeks: Data @NSManaged public var weekDates: Data @NSManaged public var appTokens: Data } Among them, weeks is of [Bool] type, indicating which weeks from Sunday to Saturday are effective; weekDates is of [[Date,Date]] type, indicating the effective time period; appTokens is of Set type, indicating the selected apps。 At the beginning, I will open a main monitor: let deviceActivityCenter = DeviceActivityCenter() do{ try deviceActivityCenter.startMonitoring( DeviceActivityName(activityModel.id), during: DeviceActivitySchedule( intervalStart: DateComponents(hour: 0,minute: 0,second: 0), intervalEnd: DateComponents(hour: 23,minute: 59,second: 59), repeats: true ) ) }catch { return false } Since the time range may be different every day, I will start the sub-monitoring of the day every time the main monitoring starts： override func intervalDidStart(for activity: DeviceActivityName) { super.intervalDidStart(for: activity) if activity.rawValue.hasPrefix("Sub-") { ActivityModelManager.disableApps( Tools.getUUIDFromString(activity.rawValue) ) return } let weekIndex = Calendar.current.component(.weekday, from: .now) let weeks = ActivityModelManager.getWeeks(activity.rawValue) if weeks[weekIndex] { let weekDates = ActivityModelManager.getWeekDates(activity.rawValue) let deviceActivityCenter = DeviceActivityCenter() do{ try deviceActivityCenter.startMonitoring( DeviceActivityName("Sub-" + activityModel.id), during: DeviceActivitySchedule( intervalStart: getHourAndMinute(weekDates[weekIndex][0]), intervalEnd: getHourAndMinute(weekDates[weekIndex][1]), repeats: false ) ) }catch { return } }esle { return } } I will judge whether it is main monitoring or sub monitoring based on the different activity names. When the sub-monitor starts, I will get the bound application and then disable it: static func disableApps(_ id : UUID){ let appTokens = ActivityModelManager.getLimitAppById(id) let name = ManagedSettingsStore.Name(id.uuidString) let store = ManagedSettingsStore(named: name) store.shield.applications = appTokens return } When the child monitoring is finished, I resume the application: static func enableApps(_ id : UUID){ let name = ManagedSettingsStore.Name(id.uuidString) let store = ManagedSettingsStore(named: name) store.shield.applications = [] } The above is my code logic. When using DeviceActivityMonitorExtension, I found the following problems: intervalDidStart may be called multiple times, resulting in several sub-monitors being started. After a period of time, the monitoring is turned off. The static methods enableApps and disableApps are sometimes not called

I want to monitor again from the bellow function of DeviceActivityMonitorExtension. I have the function of startMonitoring like this. override func eventDidReachThreshold(_ event: DeviceActivityEvent.Name, activity: DeviceActivityName) { super.eventDidReachThreshold(event, activity: activity) startMonitoring() } public func startMonitoring() { let startTime = DateComponents(hour: 0, minute: 0, second: 0) let endTime = DateComponents(hour: 23, minute: 59, second: 59)//DateComponents(hour: 11, minute: 0, second: 0)// let schedule = DeviceActivitySchedule( intervalStart: startTime,//DateComponents(hour: 0, minute: 0, second: 0), intervalEnd: endTime, repeats: true //warningTime: DateComponents(minute:1) ) let selection: FamilyActivitySelection = savedSelection() ?? FamilyActivitySelection() let center = DeviceActivityCenter() let selections = self.savedSelection() ?? FamilyActivitySelection() let applications = selections.applicationTokens let categories = selections.categoryTokens let webCategories = selections.webDomainTokens let store = ManagedSettingsStore() store.shield.applicationCategories = ShieldSettings.ActivityCategoryPolicy.specific(categories, except: Set()) store.shield.applications = applications store.shield.webDomains = webCategories let scheduleHard = DeviceActivitySchedule( intervalStart: startTime,//DateComponents(hour: 0, minute: 0, second: 0), intervalEnd: endTime, repeats: true //warningTime: DateComponents(minute:1) ) let event = DeviceActivityEvent( applications: selection.applicationTokens, categories: selection.categoryTokens, webDomains: selection.webDomainTokens, threshold: DateComponents(minute: 0)//timeLimitToUseApp i.e for 15 mins ) do { try center.startMonitoring( .weekend, during: scheduleHard, events: [ .weekend: event, ] ) print("ScreenTime Monitoring Started") } catch let error { print(error.localizedDescription) } } Please provide us with a solution about starting monitoring from DeviceActivityMonitoringExtension's eventDidReachThreshold function or if there is any other way.

I have a model with a FamilyActivitySelection, currently i'm using a codable struct to store it with UserDefaults, but would prefer strongly to transition to Swift Data

The DeviceActivityReport view does not render immediately when added to the view hierarchy. Instead, it requires repeated navigation to the screen hosting the DeviceActivityReport view for it to appear. Furthermore, there is no programmatic way to determine whether the view is being rendered for the user, leading to an inconsistent and often poor user experience. I've created a sample project that demonstrates the issue.

Hello everyone, I’m currently developing an app that uses the Family Controls API, specifically the Screen Time API. However, my current entitlement is limited to development mode, which prevents me from publishing my app on TestFlight. I have already contacted Apple Developer Support for production access but wanted to reach out to the community as well and I was referenced to FamilyControls API documentation and I couldn't find anything related to my case. Has anyone successfully upgraded their entitlement from development-only to production? Any insights on the process, tips for communicating with Developer Support, or guidance on ensuring full compliance with the Family Controls guidelines would be extremely helpful.

We developing an app, It's a Parental control app required to block large number of apps. In child mobile installed more than 200 apps parent has to block and disable these apps but parent cant able to block more than 50 apps. Is there any option is there to block all the 200 apps from child mobile.

I am able to block apps using FamilyControl and Shield. Unblocking is also simple—just assign nil to store.shield.applications. However, I want to unblock them even when the app is not open. Use case: Let's say the app allows users to create a session where a particular app is blocked for a specific duration. Once the session starts, the app should remain blocked, and as soon as the session time ends, it should automatically be unblocked. Please help me with this. Thank you!

I'm at my wit's end here with an iOS app I'm developing. I've applied for the Family Controls entitlement, and while my extensions (like Device Monitor) have been accepted, the main target entitlement for my app still hasn't been approved. Here's the timeline: Extensions (Device Monitor etc.): Accepted about a month ago. Main App Entitlement: Still pending - it's been over 6 weeks now. I'm looking for: Anyone who has gone through this process and can share how long it took for their main app entitlement to get approved after the extensions were. Any tips on what might speed up the process or what I might be doing wrong. Experiences with contacting Apple Developer Support regarding this issue. If you've been through a similar ordeal or have any advice, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks for any help or insight you can offer!

I am developing a parental control app using Apple’s Screen Time API and FamilyControls Framework. My goal is to allow parents to remotely block apps on their child’s device from their own phone. Does anyone have any idea how I can achieve that?

I am developing a parental control app using Apple’s Screen Time API and FamilyControls Framework. My goal is to allow parents to remotely block apps on their child’s device from their own phone. Anyone have any idea how can i do that?

Hi there, I am planning an app that requires use of the Family Controls Entitlement to access data on the user's screen time. I understand that this has to be requested from Apple before it can be used in production. I have found the following form to request approval, but it requires an App and bundle ID, which suggests that approval can only be requested after the app has been developed. https://developer.apple.com/contact/request/family-controls-distribution I'd like to avoid the situation where I spend a lot of time on developing the app, only to find out that the Family Controls Entitlement will not be granted for my use case. Is there any way that I can request provisional pre-approval for my app? Perhaps based on an app description and some mockups? Or, at least some idea of whether my particular use case is likely to be approved? Thanks.

I have noticed that when I select the app token of the youtube app to be blocked via a ManagedSettingsStore, the youtube website is blocked as well (which is a good and intended behavior IMO). But how do I know in the ShieldConfigurationDataSource’s override func configuration(shielding webDomain: WebDomain, in category: ActivityCategory) -> ShieldConfiguration to which ManagedSettingsStore the WebDomain’s token is related? We use different ManagedSettingsStores for different block purposes, which differentiate in their ShieldConfiguration. Thanks a lot and have a great day!

Is it possible to change the title "Choose Activites" and also remove the search on the FamilyActivityPicker?

I'm creating an app which gamifies Screen Time reduction. I'm running into an issue with apples Screen Time setting where the user can disable my apps "Screen Time access" and get around losing the game. Is there a way to detect when this setting is disabled for my app? I've tried using AuthorizationCenter.shared.authorizationStatus but this didn't do the trick. Does anyone have an ideas?

I've successfully obtained Distribution entitlements for Family Controls. However, this seems to only apply to the main target/identifier and not the extensions, like DeviceActivityMonitor, ShieldConfigurationDataSource, or ShieldActionExtension. Did I perhaps fill out the form with the wrong bundle ID? If I go to "Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles", my main identifier for the app has the Distribution entitlement. But the extensions and the wildcard don't. This means that trying to create an archive results in the following two errors, each repeated twice: Provisioning profile failed qualification (Profile doesn't support Family Controls (Development)) Provisioning profile failed qualification (Profile doesn't include the com.apple.developer.family-controls entitlement) Note that my entitlement files are set up correctly. Do I need to fill out the form with a wildcard instead? Or am I doing something wrong? Thank you.