General: Forums topic: Family Controls Forums tag: Family Controls Configuring Family Controls documentation Requesting the Family Controls entitlement documentation Screen Time Technology Frameworks documentation FamilyControls documentation What's new in Screen Time API video Meet the Screen Time API video

I'm stuck in an impossible situation with DeviceActivityReportExtension on iOS 18. THE ISSUE: Configuration that works on device (iOS 18.2): Info.plist has only NSExtensionPointIdentifier Swift code uses u/main attribute App installs and runs perfectly Extension works correctly App Store validation FAILS: "Missing NSExtensionPrincipalClass" Adding NSExtensionPrincipalClass (as validation requests): Device installation FAILS with Error 3002 Error says: "NSExtensionPrincipalClass key is not allowed for this extension point" Cannot test on device Validation would likely pass ENVIRONMENT: Xcode 16.2 iOS 18.2 Extension point: com.apple.deviceactivityui.report-extension EVIDENCE IT'S WIDESPREAD: Apple Forums (3 days ago): https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/812380 Stack Overflow (1+ year): https://stackoverflow.com/questions/77866230/ ROOT CAUSE: iOS 18 changed this extension to use u/main pattern (no NSExtensionPrincipalClass needed). App Store validation hasn't been updated and still expects iOS 17 configuration. WHAT I'VE TRIED: ✅ All deployment targets set to iOS 18.3 ✅ Code follows Apple's WWDC 2022 guidance ✅ All entitlements correct ✅ Info.plist validated ✅ Clean builds ✅ Works perfectly on device No configuration satisfies both device runtime AND App Store validation. Has anyone successfully uploaded an app with DeviceActivityReportExtension to TestFlight on iOS 18? Any workarounds? This is blocking TestFlight deployment completely.

After transferring the App ownership to a different account, if you update the app on iOS, two identical apps will show up in Settings > Screen Time. Users can't control the blocking settings from before the update - the only fix is to restart the phone. After the next execution of manageStore.shield.applications, users still can't manually disable the restrictions - their only option is to uninstall and reinstall the app. I believe this is related to how Screen Time API's authentication works - it's not just tied to the app's bundle ID, but also linked to the developer account's organization ID. Any suggestions for a clean solution that would allow smooth app updates after the transfer without running into these issues?

I'm experiencing a contradictory validation issue with DeviceActivityReportExtension that creates an impossible situation: The Problem: Without NSExtensionPrincipalClass in Info.plist → App Store Connect rejects upload with: "Missing Info.plist values. No values for NSExtensionMainStoryboard or NSExtensionPrincipalClass found" With NSExtensionPrincipalClass → Local install fails with: "defines either an NSExtensionMainStoryboard or NSExtensionPrincipalClass key, which is not allowed for the extension point com.apple.deviceactivityui.report-extension" Setup: Extension point: com.apple.deviceactivityui.report-extension Using SwiftUI with @main attribute and DeviceActivityReportExtension protocol Xcode 16.2, iOS 17.6 deployment target Code structure: @main struct SpoolReport: DeviceActivityReportExtension { var body: some DeviceActivityReportScene { // Report scenes here } } The extension builds and runs perfectly without NSExtensionPrincipalClass, but cannot be uploaded to App Store Connect. Adding the key allows upload but breaks local installation. Is this a known issue? Is there a workaround or correct Info.plist configuration for DeviceActivityReportExtension? Thank you!

A screen time app I'm making has started telling users that their limit was reached even when they're far below their limit for the day (sometimes even at 0 minutes for the day). This issue only started happening after upgrading my software to iOS 26.2. Is this happening to anyone else? If so how have you found any solutions or does anyone know of any changes that could be causing this? Any help would be appreciated.

Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone can share their experience or offer advice on entitlement request timelines. I previously had two bundle IDs approved for an app I'm testing via TestFlight - both were approved within a few days. I recently submitted a request for a third bundle ID (JMSHRM8W5J), and after realizing I may not have included enough detail, I submitted a follow-up request (XS2QYC59UU) with more context. It's now been almost three weeks, which is significantly longer than my earlier approvals - though I recognize some of that time included the holidays. A few questions for the community: Has anyone experienced longer wait times for additional entitlements on an existing project (with approved entitlements)? Did submitting a second request help or potentially slow things down? Is there anything I should include in a request to improve chances of quick approval? Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

Since the iOS 26.2 update, we have been experiencing anomalous behavior with the DeviceActivityMonitor extension when utilizing the ScreenTime API. Specifically, we are receiving the eventDidReachThreshold event within a few minutes of initiating monitoring, despite configuring a high usage limit. The process of turning off Screen Time -> restarting the device -> turning on Screen Time does not work. Any ideas? Thanks Filed Feedback Assistant: FB21560904

Hi there, Starting with iOS 26.2 RC, all my DeviceActivityMonitor.eventDidReachThreshold get activated immediately as I pick up my iPhone for the first time, two nights in a row. Feedback: FB21267341 There's always a chance something odd is happening to my device in particular (although I can't recall making any changes here and the debug logs point to the issue), but just getting this out there ASAP in case others are seeing this (or haven't tried!), and it's critical as this is the RC. DeviceActivityMonitor.eventDidReachThreshold issues also mentioned here: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/793747; but I believe they are different and were potentially fixed in iOS 26.1, but it points to this part of the technology having issues and maybe someone from Apple has been tweaking it.

Hello, I'm experiencing a significant delay getting the Family Controls entitlement approved for my Shield Configuration Extension, and I'm hoping someone here can help or has experienced something similar. Background: I'm developing an app that uses the Screen Time API with Family Controls. My main app bundle (lukedev.Bloka) was approved for Family Controls (Distribution) and works perfectly. The Problem My Shield Configuration Extension (lukedev.Bloka.Shield) has been stuck waiting for approval for over 2 weeks: Request ID: 6C8LD22UVM Submitted: November 20, 2025 Status: Still "Submitted" Current State: Only shows "Family Controls (Development)" in capabilities What I've Tried ✅ Submitted entitlement request via the proper channels ✅ Contacted Apple Developer Support (case #102762028251) ✅ Verified the main app has full Family Controls approval ✅ Deleted and regenerated all provisioning profiles multiple times ✅ Confirmed the App ID configuration is correct in the Developer Portal The Issue Without Family Controls (Distribution) approval for the Shield extension, I cannot: Test the complete app functionality on physical devices Submit the app to App Store Connect Move forward with development The error I'm getting during provisioning: Provisioning profile failed qualification Profile doesn't include the com.apple.developer.family-controls entitlement Questions Has anyone experienced multi-week delays for Shield extension entitlements? Is this normal? Should Shield extensions automatically inherit entitlements from the main app, or do they really require separate approval? The documentation isn't clear on this. Are there any known workarounds to test Shield Configuration Extensions during development while waiting for distribution approval? How can I escalate this request? Developer Support initially told me I already had approval (for the main app) but didn't address the extension's separate bundle ID. Technical Details Xcode: 16.2 Target: iOS 18+ Main App: Family Controls (Distribution) ✅ Approved Shield Extension: Family Controls (Development only) ❌ Stuck Why This Matters The Shield Configuration Extension is a core component of Screen Time API apps - it's not optional. Without it, the app cannot properly display blocking interfaces. The fact that it requires a separate 2+ week approval process (after the main app was already approved) seems like a significant oversight in Apple's review process. Has anyone successfully navigated this situation or found a way to expedite the review? Any help or insights would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Luca

We're building a parental control app using FamilyControls (.child authorization). Our architecture: Parent sends pause command → Firestore + FCM Child receives push → NotificationService Extension triggers main app Main app sets ManagedSettings Shields Problem: If child disables Notifications in Settings and force-quits the app, we cannot enforce Shields. What we've tried: Firestore Realtime Listener (works only when app is running) DeviceActivityMonitor (intervalDidStart/End only triggers at schedule boundaries, eventDidReachThreshold requires explicit app selection via FamilyActivityPicker) Question: Is there a recommended approach for parental control apps to reliably enforce Shields when the child has disabled notifications? Or is this a known limitation?

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?

Hey there, We are being incorrectly blocked by Time Limits since the iOS 26 update released earlier this year. We are receiving complaints from parents that set a screentime limit for "All apps", and then add an exception for us, that they are still getting blocked by the OS after a certain period of time. While we originally thought this was fixed in 26.1, we have recently been made aware it still occurs. Has anyone else experienced this issue? Is there something we can do from our side to protect ourselves from this? Telling customers to remove their "All app" limit isn't really practical given our customer base, so we're looking to see if there's something on Apple's end or our end that can alleviate this.

We have developed a Parental/Self control app using Screen time API. We have used individual authentication to authorize the app, using the instructions here: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/familycontrols/authorizationcenter The problem is , that individual auth can be disabled easily , by the following steps: enter Settings app. in Settings app, click on the Parental/Self control app. click to disable screen time restriction. show the device owner's face/fingerprint. (or pin code) Why is that a problem: Parental control apps, or self-control apps, are about giving control to the software, To make it hard for the user to disable the restrictions. So using the flow I have introduced above, it's super-easy for a user to disable his Parental control restrictions, which misses the entire point of Parental/Self control idea. Furthermore, not only the user have the means to unlock his screen time restrictions, he also MUST have the means to unlock it. This makes Screen time (with individual auth) useless: I have a code ready to make a great parental control app for my clients, with amazing ideas, but I can't use the Screen time API unless this problem is fixed. Why child-parent auth is not enough: My clients are grownups people between ages of 15-40, that are interested in self-control, so they don't have iCloud child accounts. also, the child-parent auth solution forces my clients to give some control to other person, and my clients prefer their privacy. Some of them prefer self-control and not parental-control. What I suggest as a solution: 1: Give more options to users how to disable the Screen time restrictions. including: a second faceID / FingerPrint (that isn't the same as the one used to unlock the device) a second pin password. a string password 2: Give the users the option to choose to not have the device's owner Face/Finger/Pincode ID , as a method to disable the Screen time restrictions.

WKWebView has a new property "isBlockedByScreenTime" since iOS 26. But I do not yet understand when exactly this property could be used. When I setup content-based restrictions in the ScreenTime settings then WKWebView reports an error 105 via "webView:didFailProvisionalNavigation:" delegate. The isBlockedByScreenTime property still returns false in this case. If ScreenTime has a time-based limit, the App would not run at all. Under which circumstances would the property "isBlockedByScreenTime" return the value true? When exactly and for what can this property be actually used? The "problem" is that I want to find if a web page is blocked and can not be loaded, why this is the case. By simply trial and error I found out that WKWebView returns error codes 104 and 105 for blocked web sites because of content filters and Screen Time restrictions, however these error codes are not documented at all (at least I've not found any documentation or documentation for these error codes and also some other codes like 100, 102, 204 etc), so I'm not really sure if I handle all cases correctly. I hoped that isBlockedByScreenTime would at least tell me one reason for blocked pages. If there are documents which explain these error codes (100 and above), where I can find these?

Hi everyone, I have a question regarding the intended privacy limits of the DeviceActivityReportExtension. According to the documentation and the WWDC21 session "Meet the Screen Time API", this extension was created specifically to prevent the host application from accessing the user's underlying activity data (websites visited, app usage, screen time, etc). But I have found that my host app is actually able to reconstruct this raw activity data from the activity report. I am able to extract specific visited websites and app usage durations back into the main app. I reported this to Apple Security (Case ID: OE1100504480881 ), assuming it was a sandbox bypass. However, they closed the ticket stating that this is "expected behavior" and requires no fix. My question for Screen Time Engineers: Is the documentation incorrect? If my host app is expected to be able to read this data, is there a formal API we should be using instead of extracting it from the report extension? The current behavior contradicts the privacy limits described in the documentation, so I am confused if I should rely on this data access for my app features or if it will be patched later. Thanks.

I'm facing a problem where notification permissions are working fine in the main app, but failing in the Device Activity Report Extension on iOS 26. This issue wasn’t present in earlier iOS versions. Despite having notification permissions granted in the main app, the extension fails to get authorization. iOS 26: " Before iOS 26:

Hello! I am experiencing some strange bugs around DeviceActivityEvents: When creating a DeviceActivityEvent we can assign a threshold and applicationTokens. The idea is, that after the user has spent said threshold on said apps, eventDidReachThreshold is called. includesPastActivity is set to false. On iOS 26 however, it happens (quite reliably after updating to a new beta seed) quite often that eventDidReachThreshold is called immediately (after a couple of seconds) instead of waiting for the threshold to be met. Is anyone else seeing similar issues on iOS 26? Only workaround I have found is to ask users to re-grant Screen Time permissions. This only holds for about two weeks though or at most until the next iOS 26 beta update is installed. Feedback filed under: FB18061981 FB18927456

Hi everyone, I submitted this feature request through Apple’s Feedback Assistant and wanted to share it here, because many families run into the same issue and Apple prioritizes features based on the number of reports they receive. Current limitation: Screen Time only allows one single Downtime period per day for child accounts. For families with separate school hours and bedtime, this is very impractical. My real-world use case: • Downtime 1: 08:00–13:00 (school) • Downtime 2: 20:00–06:00 (bedtime) Both serve completely different purposes, but are not possible to combine with the current system. My suggestions to Apple: Support multiple Downtime periods per day for child accounts. Allow custom exceptions per Downtime block (e.g., allow Phone app). Provide more flexibility overall for families using Screen Time. If you would benefit from this too, it would be great if you could submit the same request via the Feedback app – the more reports Apple receives, the higher the chance for implementation. My Feedback ID: FB21265678 Thank you! 🙏 Hallo zusammen, ich habe über die Feedback-App einen Vorschlag an Apple eingereicht und wollte ihn hier teilen, weil viele Familien dasselbe Problem haben und Apple mehr Rückmeldungen braucht, um das Thema zu priorisieren. Aktuelles Problem: In Bildschirmzeit kann für Kinder aktuell nur eine einzige Auszeit pro Tag eingerichtet werden. Für Familien mit getrennten Schul- und Schlafenszeiten ist das extrem unpraktisch. Mein Anwendungsfall: • Auszeit 1: 08:00–13:00 (Schule) • Auszeit 2: 20:00–06:00 (Schlafenszeit) Beides erfüllt unterschiedliche Zwecke, ist aber nicht kombinierbar. Mein Vorschlag an Apple: Mehrere Auszeiten pro Tag für Kinderaccounts. Pro Auszeit eigene Ausnahmen festlegen (z. B. Telefon erlauben). Allgemein mehr Flexibilität im Screen-Time-System für Familien. Wenn ihr das ebenfalls hilfreich findet, wäre es super, wenn ihr es auch über die Feedback-App meldet – je mehr, desto besser. Feedback-ID meines Vorschlags: FB21265678 Danke euch! 🙏

Hello! I recently submitted a request for the Family Controls (Distribution) entitlement for my app, and I’m trying to understand what kind of timeline to expect. I’ve seen posts suggesting anywhere from a few days to over a month for approval. Is there a typical review window for this entitlement? And is there anything I can do on my end to help the process move more smoothly? Thanks in advance!

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