Apple confirms bug in its Screen Time parental control feature and promises further fixes

Apple has confirmed a bug with Screen Time, a parental control feature within its cloud-based Family Sharing tool. The issue causes Screen Time settings, which are designed to remotely manage a child's device and limit time for apps, to unexpectedly reset. This results in children having unlimited access to their iPhones and iPads, bypassing the intended restrictions.

This problem was initially addressed by Apple in its iOS 16.5 update released in May, which fixed an issue with Screen Time settings failing to stick.

However, some parents have reported continued problems with the feature on devices updated to iOS 16.6 and the iOS 17 public beta. In response to these ongoing concerns, Apple has assured users that it will take additional measures to resolve the situation.