The iOS 18.5 update has introduced a new problem for iPhone users: Screen Time is reporting inaccurate app usage. A growing number of users say apps they barely touched or never opened at all are logging hours of activity. In some cases, apps show up to 18 hours of usage in a week, despite only being opened for a few seconds or not at all.
The issue was first spotted by macobserver, which highlighted user complaints and screenshots showing identical or inflated app usage durations. Apps like Weather, Safari, YouTube Music, and even system tools such as Settings have appeared in Screen Time with matching or near-identical durations. Users say the readings do not reflect real usage. Several report that the affected apps were closed, yet Screen Time kept adding minutes as if they were still active. The issue does not appear isolated to specific devices or models. Affected users include iPhone 12 owners and others with up-to-date systems.
Bug Appears After iOS 18.5 Installation
According to posts on r/ios, users started noticing the error shortly after updating to iOS 18.5. One user pointed out that all recently opened apps were marked as having been used for exactly five minutes, despite being closed. Another flagged weekly usage totals showing 17 to 18 hours for apps like Weather and Redbubble, which they barely used.
Attempts to fix the issue, such as restarting the device or toggling the “App & Website Activity” setting in Screen Time, have failed. No workaround has proved effective.
Apple Remains Silent as User Reports Grow
Apple has not yet acknowledged the issue or issued a statement. The problem appears to lie in how iOS now interprets app activity in the background, but that remains unconfirmed. As reports grow, concerns are rising over the accuracy of a tool many rely on for digital wellness, parental controls, and productivity tracking.
Until Apple addresses the issue, users are advised to cross-check actual app use manually and submit reports through the iOS Feedback Assistant. Screen Time is meant to offer insight and control, but for now, it may be delivering fiction over fact.
If you rely on Screen Time for parental controls, app usage limits, or self-monitoring, double-check app-specific histories manually. False data could lead to misguided decisions on screen use.
The bug impacts trust in a feature that’s supposed to improve digital wellness. Apple will need to issue a clarification and software correction soon to maintain credibility.