Screen Time Not Being Deducted from the Daily Time Allowance

If you notice that time isn’t being deducted from a child’s daily screen time allowance, even after the device has been used for a while, here are a few potential reasons and steps to help you resolve it.

1. Check ScreenCoach App Blocking and Configuration

The feature that deducts time from the daily allowance only works correctly if app blocking is functioning as expected. If app blocking is not working, it may allow a child to access apps without having that time tracked.

To test if blocking is working: Use the "Block Now" feature for the kid from your parent device.

• Tap on the 3 Dot menu on the kid’s card
• Tap on Block Now
• Confirm that all apps on the child’s device are blocked.
• Then, unblock and verify the apps are accessible again.
• You can also test what happens when ScreenCoach is killed (not running). Apps should automatically be blocked within 2–3 minutes, as long as ScreenCoach has been properly set up on the device.

If apps remain unblocked when ScreenCoach is closed, the issue may lie in app settings, device permissions.

2. Apple Screen Time Conflicts

In iOS devices, conflicts with Apple's built-in Screen Time can sometimes interfere with ScreenCoach's functionality.

We recommend disabling Apple Screen Time to ensure ScreenCoach can operate without restrictions:

Even if you have already turned off Apple screen time some of the options will still be used which will cause problems so you need to temporarily turn it on disable the options and then turn it off again (this is a bug with Apple screen time)

see

[ 👉 How to disable Apple Screen Time](https://help.myscreencoach.com/en/article/how-to-turn-offdisable-apple-screentime-on-ios-screentime-conflicts-1cupg28/)

Be sure to repeat this process for each child’s device, as settings are individual per Apple ID.

3. Always Allowed Apps

Apps listed under "Always Allowed" in ScreenCoach can be accessed at any time (even outside allowed hours), but time usage is still deducted from the daily allowance.

If a child is able to use the device outside of scheduled time, it’s possible the app being used is categorised as Always Allowed. You can review and modify this list in the ScreenCoach parent app:

• Pick up child device
• Switch to a Parent user
• Go to Settings > App Categories
• Review the list of Always Allowed apps.
• Remove any apps that shouldn't be accessible at all times.

4. Apps Downloaded Using a Different Apple ID

When you apply "block now" (from step 1) all of the apps should be blocked except for the always allowed apps, if there are some apps that are not blocked, it could be because of #2 or because the apps are linked to another Apple ID

ScreenCoach may not be able to control or block apps that were installed using a different Apple ID on the child device, especially if that Apple ID is no longer associated with the device. If a child is using such apps, they may not be tracked properly.

Solution: The best way to fix this issue to delete the app and then download it again with the currently logged in Apple ID.

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5. Child Using Mini-Viewers or Overlays above ScreenCoach

In rare cases, children may find clever ways to to watch videos for "free" , such as using a mini video viewer overlay (e.g., Picture-in-Picture mode) over the ScreenCoach app.

If ScreenCoach is the app in the foreground, it does not deduct time by default, to avoid penalising kids while checking rewards or goals.

However, if a child is using media in overlay mode while ScreenCoach appears to be the front app, it can result in time not being deducted.

Solution: If you suspect this is happening, Contact support and request to Disable Free use when ScreenCoach is in Front

This change will ensure that any activity while ScreenCoach is open will count toward screen time, discouraging this type of behaviour.

Note: This is a family-wide setting, and applies to all children under the account.

Conclusion

If you’ve noticed that screen time isn’t being deducted correctly, we recommend checking the above factors carefully. Most often, the issue can be traced back to configuration conflicts or creative workarounds.

If you need further assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team — we're here to help!

Updated on: 26/04/2025