Screen Time Not Working on iPhone (iOS 26 or iOS 27)? What to Try

Screen Time is the first tool many people try when they want to use their phone less. I tried it first too. So it's frustrating when it doesn't even do what it says.

Below are the Screen Time problems people have reported in iOS 26 and iOS 27, with dates and sources, and the fixes to try in order. One honest note before we start: most app blockers on iPhone, including my own app YourPriority, use Apple's Screen Time system in the background. When that system has a bug, blocker apps can be affected too.

What's wrong with Screen Time in iOS 26 and iOS 27?

How do I fix Screen Time not working? (Try these in order)

1. Update every Apple device. Go to Settings → General → Software Update on your iPhone, and update your iPad and Mac too. Apple recommends updating all devices before changing Screen Time settings. On iOS 27 this matters even more, because the new Screen Time features need version 27 on all your devices.
2. Restart your iPhone. Some people with the iOS 26.2 limit bug found a restart helped for a while, and it helps with some iOS 27 problems.
3. Check the date and time. Go to Settings → General → Date & Time and make sure Set Automatically is on. Limits depend on the clock.
4. Fix only the broken limit. Turn that one limit or schedule off and on, or delete it and make it again. This is faster than starting over, and it often works.
5. Check Share Across Devices. If your totals look wrong, this is usually why. On iOS 26 it's at Settings → Screen Time → Share Across Devices. On iOS 27 it's at Settings → Screen Time → Manage Screen Time → Share Across Devices.
6. Turn Screen Time off and on. Do this last, because you may have to set up your limits again. Note that developers reported this did not fix the iOS 26.2 bug, so don't expect too much.
7. Forgot your passcode? You can reset it with the Apple Account used for Screen Time Passcode Recovery. Apple explains how on its "If you forgot your Screen Time passcode" page.

What changed in Screen Time in iOS 27?

iOS 27, released on 14 September 2026, rebuilt Screen Time. If you're looking for a setting and can't find it, it was probably renamed:

• App Limits are now Time Allowances. You set a total daily time and a time per category. If an app has its own website, the allowance covers the website too.
• Downtime is now Screen Time Schedule. You choose time windows and which kinds of apps are allowed in each.
• The passcode and Share Across Devices moved under Screen Time → Manage Screen Time.

Devices that can't update to version 27 are treated as "Legacy Devices" and keep the old Screen Time settings. This mix of old and new is behind many of the iOS 27 problems people report, so check every device on your account first.

Why do app blockers break when Screen Time breaks?

Because they're built on it. Apple doesn't let apps block other apps by themselves. Most blockers, including YourPriority, ask Apple's Screen Time system to do the blocking. The iOS 26.2 limit bug, for example, affected Apple's own limits and third-party blockers at the same time, according to developers on Apple's forums.

So if Screen Time is broken, switching to another blocker may not fix it. Updating iOS is still the best first step. When Apple fixes a Screen Time bug, the fix reaches every app that uses it.

What if Screen Time works, but you just ignore it?

That's a very common reason, and it isn't a bug. By default, an adult can skip their own Screen Time limits with "Ignore Limit". Apple's guide says so directly. If that's your problem, you have two options: let someone else set your Screen Time passcode, or use a blocker app whose block screen has no ignore button.

When I tried Screen Time, this was my problem too. It's one reason I built YourPriority. When you open a blocked app, it shows your priorities for today, with a Review Priorities button and a Go back button, and no "Ignore Limit".