Apple’s iOS 18.5 update has become a hot topic with a new bug in the Screen Time feature. An increasing number of iPhone users report that apps they never open or use for only a few seconds continue to appear active for hours in the Screen Time data. This situation causes users to be misinformed about their screen time.

iOS 18.5 has become a hot topic with a Screen Time bug

According to the shared screenshots, many apps, including system apps such as Weather, Safari, YouTube Music and Settings, continue to be seen as active even though they have been closed by users.

Some users state that these apps show up to 18 hours of weekly usage time. The fact that such data is generated despite the apps not being touched at all raises serious questions about the accuracy of the data.

It seems that the bug is not specific to a specific iPhone model or configuration. Reports from different device owners indicate that the issue is affecting a wide range of users. Users report that the issue persists despite restarting their devices or changing the “App and Website Activity” option under the Screen Time settings.

Apple has yet to make any official statement on the issue. The company has not acknowledged the issue or announced a fix, which has caused uncertainty among users. For those who use Screen Time data to track their children’s device usage or to monitor their own habits, this bug is a direct functionality issue.