When Screen Time stops recording usage or enforcing limits across your devices, it usually points to a sync mismatch between your Mac and iPhone or a glitch in the automatic time-tracking system.
Here are the most effective steps to get Screen Time syncing and enforcing app limits again:
1. Update your iPhone software
Because your Mac is running macOS 27 while your iPhone is on iOS 26, this version gap can break the shared background communication for Screen Time. Updating your iPhone ensures both devices use the same sync protocol.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone and install any available update.
2. Verify automatic Date & Time settings
Screen Time relies on identical timestamp data to log activity. If either device is even slightly off, tracking defaults to zero.
- On your Mac: Go to System Settings > General > Date & Time and make sure Set time and date automatically is turned on.
- On your iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and turn on Set Automatically.
3. Perform a full Screen Time reset sequence
Simply toggling settings on one device often leaves stale background data stuck on the other. A complete reset across both devices clears out cached database errors:
- On your Mac: Go to System Settings > Screen Time, scroll down, and turn off Share Across Devices. Then turn Screen Time OFF completely.
- On your iPhone: Go to Settings > Screen Time, turn off Share Across Devices, and turn Screen Time OFF completely.
- Restart both devices.
- Once restarted, go to Settings > Screen Time on your iPhone, turn Screen Time back on, and set your app limits.
- Go to System Settings > Screen Time on your Mac, turn Screen Time back on, and then turn Share Across Devices back on for both devices.
