A bug in Screen Time causes it to show random websites for hours at a time. Here’s how to fix it.
It’s always informative to confront how much time you’ve spent on the different-sized screens that you stare at every day. In fact, Apple users have the option to see exactly how much time they spend across their various iOS and Mac devices with Screen Time.
Unfortunately, some Apple users have reported shock after seeing unexpected websites appear on their Screen Time app, for hours at a time, without ever having viewed them. So, why does this happen and how do you fix it?
Why Is Your iPhone Screen Time Showing Random Websites?
According to hundreds of users from online forums, Screen Time has a bug wherein a website you have previously visited continues to appear on the app.
While there are no official reasons why this happens, users suspect that it has something to do with an API error. If you want to continue to use Screen Time to cut down your iPhone usage, here’s how to fix this bug.
How to Fix Random Websites Showing Up in Screen Time
To fix the Screen Time bug and get your data back in order, you have to clear your Safari website data and history on all your iCloud-linked devices. You may also need to reset the Screen Time feature.
How to Clear the History and Website Data on Your iPhone
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Safari. Then, select Clear History and Website Data. Lastly, tap Clear History and Data to confirm.
Bear in mind that clearing your history and website data will also affect every other website you have visited.
How to Reset Your iPhone’s Screen Time Feature
If the Screen Time feature is still not working properly, you can also turn Screen Time off and on to reset it. However, this method will delete all your previous Screen Time data.
To achieve this, go to Settings > Screen Time. Next, select Turn Off Screen Time. In the popup, tap Turn Off Screen Time again to confirm.
Keep Your Screen Time App Working
While this Screen Time bug doesn’t seem like a big deal, it can be an annoying experience for people who are actively trying to reduce their overall usage.
For avid checkers of the Screen Time feature, the odd numbers can mess with their data, which can makes it difficult to tell if you’re sticking to your goals. Thankfully, it’s possible to fix it in just a few steps.
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