Hi there, I'm currently working with the Screen Time API using the family controls package to manage application usage on iOS devices. I want to block access to all applications except those specifically allowed by the user. While the ManagedSettingsStore.shield.applications method works for defining apps to block. However, integrating the .all(except:) from ShieldSettings.ActivityCategoryPolicy.all(except:) is unfortunately not working for me. Here is my code snippit. Can anyone help out? And if anyone has examples of similar implementations or tips on best practices for using the Screen Time API for such scenarios, please let me know! class ShieldManager: NSObject, ObservableObject, NFCNDEFReaderSessionDelegate { @Published var discouragedSelections = FamilyActivitySelection() private let store = ManagedSettingsStore() func shieldActivities() { // Clear to reset previous settings store.clearAllSettings() // This is an array with the app and category selection let applications = discouragedSelections.applicationTokens let categories = discouragedSelections.categoryTokens // //https://developer.apple.com/documentation/managedsettings/shieldsettings/activitycategorypolicy store.shield.applications = applications.isEmpty ? nil : applications store.shield.applicationCategories = categories.isEmpty ? nil : .specific(categories) store.shield.webDomainCategories = categories.isEmpty ? nil : .specific(categories) } f

I'm working on creating a locker app to lock the selected applications. After locking app, when you try to open the app a screen appears with the below message. Icon Restricted You can not use Facetime because it is restricted OK Button. How to customise this screen, another locker app is able to customise it and on a button click it redirects to their app to unlock it. also is there a way to get locked app names?

I've noticed that the screen time shield has trouble populating when instagram stories are open. That has me thinking, what are other known hiccups with the screen time API technology? Would love others to contribute their thoughts, problems, solutions, and collaborations.

Both view and modifier versions of the FamilyActivityPicker crash randomly when selecting some items (usually the other option) throwing these in the console: [com.apple.FamilyControls.ActivityPickerExtension(1150.1)] Connection to plugin invalidated while in use AX Lookup problem - errorCode:1100 error:Permission denied portName:'com.apple.iphone.axserver' PID:22091 ( 0 AXRuntime 0x00000001c603b0fc _AXGetPortFromCache + 800 1 AXRuntime 0x00000001c603cce0 AXUIElementPerformFencedActionWithValue + 700 2 UIKit 0x0000000230de3ec8 DDE6E0C5-2AC3-3C73-8CFE-BC88DE35BB5F + 1453768 3 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000103ef0b98 _dispatch_call_block_and_release + 32 4 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000103ef27bc _dispatch_client_callout + 20 5 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000103efa66c _dispatch_lane_serial_drain + 832 6 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000103efb408 _dispatch_lane_invoke + 408 7 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000103f08404 _dispatch_root_queue_drain_deferred_wlh + 328 8 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000103f07a38 _dispatch_workloop_worker_thread + 444 9 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x00000001f0824f20 _pthread_wqthread + 288 10 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x00000001f0824fc0 start_wqthread + 8 ) This also happens in production apps like the Opal. The questions are: At least how to detect it to be able to manually reload the sheet (like what Opal does and shows an alert when this happens) How to prevent it in the first place? I really appreciate any help you can provide.

I am developing a parent child control app using Screen time API and Family Control. I created two apps, one for parent and another for child. I want to see child device's activity report on parent app. This functionality works when there is only one parent/organiser. I am trying to add multiple parents to access device activity report using screen time API. I created a family group where I am the organiser (Dad), added another account as parent (Mom) and two child accounts. On the child's device I installed the app, authorised the app for parental approval (Dad) and screen time restrictions. When using the parent app as Mom, I am unable to fetch the child device's activity report.

Hi, Is there any way to force orientation = portrait when opening another shielded app? Thanks!

I've been working with the Screen Time API for almost 6 months now. I found out it's completely unreliable, testing on iOS 17.4, the DeviceActivityReport is not showing, the DeviceActivityMonitor more often than not does not fire intervalDidStart. It's very frustrating. Has anyone found out a workaround? We all know there has to be something we're doing wrong, since apps like Opal and Jono does not present those types of issues. Let's please unite our forces and find a solution. How to use this API should not be a secret!

I'm looking to make an app using the ScreenTime API and the Managed Settings Framework. I'm experimenting with the FamilyActivityPicker, but when i open it from the simulator i see only categories with no applications. Without being able to select applications, i cannot test properly the app. I can't install it on a real device to test it because i do not have a paid Apple Developer account and therefore can't access the capability if i select my Free Developer Account in order to install it on my iPhone.

I am currently trying to build a prototype parental control app using the ScreenTime API. I was just wondering if I needed to create a separate parent and child app?

Hi, we are facing issues with the FamilyActivityPicker. I have 2 devices in the same family, one successfully authorised as child device using AuthorizationCenter.shared.requestAuthorization(for: .child), the other one is used as parent device. When I invoke FamilyActivityPicker on the children's device it works as expected but when invoked on the parent's device it only shows list of categories but not a single app. This behavior doesn't occur every time, on some devices it sometime works as it should. It's very odd and I can't find any reason why it is happening. I would appreciate any tips. Tested on app built with Xcode 15.3 an run on iOS 17.4.1 and iOS 16.7.2

I am building an app that manages ScreenTime and I would like to persist the tokens of which apps are frequently limited to CoreData locally. I attempted to do so by converting to a string but was unable to find a way to initialize an ActivityCategoryToken with a string. Is this possible? Am I going about it the wrong way? Thanks.

I currently have an app that is a companion app alongside the iOS app. I wonder if it is possible for me to make this app both a standalone and a companion app. Essentially if someone does not have an iphone they can still use the app. Is this possible?

I am developing a parental control app using Flutter and platform channels to integrate with the Screen Time API on iOS. The app has two interfaces - one for the parent and one for the child. I have set up Family Sharing correctly and installed the app on both the parent's and child's devices. However, I am encountering some issues with the Family Activity Selection feature. It's worth noting that I am a Flutter developer with limited knowledge of Swift and iOS development, so if my issues stem from a mistake I made, please forgive me. The problems I am facing are as follows: When calling the family activity selection, the list of apps shown in the apps sheet is from the parent's device, and no apps from the child's device are displayed. I have double-checked that Family Sharing and other necessary configurations are set up correctly, including the family control capability. Even if I select apps on the parent's device, the selected apps are not returned in the result. The returned array is empty. Additionally, there is no close or done button on the sheet, and drag-to-dismiss is not working either. This might be an issue with the way I have written the code (most of the native code was generated by AI assistants like Claude and GPT, as I am a Flutter developer with limited knowledge of Swift and iOS development). I have tested other parental control apps that use the Screen Time API and observed the same issue, where the parent's apps are shown on the parent's device instead of the child's apps. For more context, I have provided the relevant code snippet below: import Flutter import FamilyControls import ManagedSettings import SwiftUI class FamilyActivityHandler: NSObject, FlutterPlugin { // ... private func openFamilyActivityPicker(result: @escaping FlutterResult) { let store = ManagedSettingsStore() let selection = FamilyActivitySelection() // Adjusting for UIWindowScene for iOS 15 and later guard let windowScene = UIApplication.shared.connectedScenes.first as? UIWindowScene, let window = windowScene.windows.first else { result(FlutterError(code: "NO_WINDOW_SCENE", message: "No window scene found", details: nil)) return } let viewController = UIHostingController(rootView: FamilyActivityPicker(selection: .constant(selection))) viewController.modalPresentationStyle = .formSheet window.rootViewController?.present(viewController, animated: true, completion: nil) DispatchQueue.main.async { let applications = selection.applicationTokens let categories = selection.categoryTokens let webDomains = selection.webDomainTokens store.shield.applications = applications.isEmpty ? nil : applications store.shield.applicationCategories = ShieldSettings.ActivityCategoryPolicy.specific(categories, except: Set()) store.shield.webDomains = webDomains // Custom method to generate descriptive strings for tokens let applicationsDescription = applications.map { token in // Implement a custom description method or use an identifier property "\(token)" } let categoriesDescription = categories.map { token in // Implement a custom description method or use an identifier property "\(token)" } let webDomainsDescription = webDomains.map { token in // Implement a custom description method or use an identifier property "\(token)" } let resultDict: [String: Any] = [ "applications": applicationsDescription, "categories": categoriesDescription, "webDomains": webDomainsDescription ] result(resultDict) } } } I would greatly appreciate any guidance or insights from the community on how to resolve these issues and properly implement the Family Activity Selection feature using the Screen Time API in a Flutter app with platform channels. Thank you in advance for your help!

I am developing a parental control app using Flutter and platform channels to integrate with the Screen Time API on iOS. The app has two interfaces - one for the parent and one for the child. I have set up Family Sharing correctly and installed the app on both the parent's and child's devices. However, I am encountering some issues with the Family Activity Selection feature. It's worth noting that I am a Flutter developer with limited knowledge of Swift and iOS development, so if my issues stem from a mistake I made, please forgive me. The problems I am facing are as follows: When calling the family activity selection, the list of apps shown in the apps sheet is from the parent's device, and no apps from the child's device are displayed. I have double-checked that Family Sharing and other necessary configurations are set up correctly, including the family control capability. Even if I select apps on the parent's device, the selected apps are not returned in the result. The returned array is empty. Additionally, there is no close or done button on the sheet, and drag-to-dismiss is not working either. This might be an issue with the way I have written the code (most of the native code was generated by AI assistants like Claude and GPT, as I am a Flutter developer with limited knowledge of Swift and iOS development). I have tested other parental control apps that use the Screen Time API and observed the same issue, where the parent's apps are shown on the parent's device instead of the child's apps. For more context, I have provided the relevant code snippet below: import Flutter import FamilyControls import ManagedSettings import SwiftUI class FamilyActivityHandler: NSObject, FlutterPlugin { // ... private func openFamilyActivityPicker(result: @escaping FlutterResult) { let store = ManagedSettingsStore() let selection = FamilyActivitySelection() // Adjusting for UIWindowScene for iOS 15 and later guard let windowScene = UIApplication.shared.connectedScenes.first as? UIWindowScene, let window = windowScene.windows.first else { result(FlutterError(code: "NO_WINDOW_SCENE", message: "No window scene found", details: nil)) return } let viewController = UIHostingController(rootView: FamilyActivityPicker(selection: .constant(selection))) viewController.modalPresentationStyle = .formSheet window.rootViewController?.present(viewController, animated: true, completion: nil) DispatchQueue.main.async { let applications = selection.applicationTokens let categories = selection.categoryTokens let webDomains = selection.webDomainTokens store.shield.applications = applications.isEmpty ? nil : applications store.shield.applicationCategories = ShieldSettings.ActivityCategoryPolicy.specific(categories, except: Set()) store.shield.webDomains = webDomains // Custom method to generate descriptive strings for tokens let applicationsDescription = applications.map { token in // Implement a custom description method or use an identifier property "\(token)" } let categoriesDescription = categories.map { token in // Implement a custom description method or use an identifier property "\(token)" } let webDomainsDescription = webDomains.map { token in // Implement a custom description method or use an identifier property "\(token)" } let resultDict: [String: Any] = [ "applications": applicationsDescription, "categories": categoriesDescription, "webDomains": webDomainsDescription ] result(resultDict) } } } I would greatly appreciate any guidance or insights from the community on how to resolve these issues and properly implement the Family Activity Selection feature using the Screen Time API in a Flutter app with platform channels. Thank you in advance for your help!

Hey, I am trying to use Family Controls in Mac Catalyst. On the iOS app it works fine. On macOs using Mac Catalyst it builds fine but I get following console output. Failed to get service proxy: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "The connection to service named com.apple.FamilyControlsAgent was invalidated: failed at lookup with error 159 - Sandbox restriction." UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=The connection to service named com.apple.FamilyControlsAgent was invalidated: failed at lookup with error 159 - Sandbox restriction.}` When i try to open the FamilyActivityPicker on the macOs app following error is displayed in the GUI. The operation could not be completed. (FamilyControls.ActivityPickerRemoteView Error error 2.) Do I need a familyControls capability for macOs? If yes, I only find it for iOS. Thanks for hints and help :)

Hi All, I submitted a Family Controls Request Form but haven't heard back. I didn't get any case id when I submitted the request, so how do you track it and know when It is approved? I'm currently developing an app that requires the main target and also the app extension to both use Family Controls. Does this mean I need to request forms for both app bundles separately or just the main app? This is really worrying for us as our project is almost ready and we are unable to launch it :( . Would appreciate any responses. Thanks,

I am currently debugging an issue with DeviceActivityMonitor where the threshold is reached even though the target app (e.g. Instagram) is not being used actively. I noticed that the device with the unexpected behavior had the instagram.com website opened in the Safari web browser (among hundreds of other tabs). That tab was not actively used either (not in foreground, Safari app neither used). However, I was wondering if it can happen that this website is contributing towards the threshold as well even though it is in background and not used? Otherwise I cannot explain myself this strange behavior.

Hello, I am working on a screen time manager that can block certain apps. I want this to work by allowing a certain number of 5-minute sessions per day. For each app the user selects, I would like to store the number of sessions remaining for that app in a dictionary. Currently, I am storing them in a dictionary of type <AppToken: Int>. However, I would like to store this dictionary to UserDefaults, and it doesn't seem like it is possible to store the type AppToken to UserDefaults. I was wondering how I could go about storing the AppTokenas a String and maybe saving to UserDefaults as a <String: Int> instead? Thanks.

Here is a post to gather findings in case anyone found out what this new API does. Apple did not include any comments or documentation and due to the generic naming we don't know what this API might does. https://developer.apple.com/documentation/deviceactivity/deviceactivityauthorization?changes=latest_major

I am relatively new to swift, and working on an app blocker using flutter and swift. In my Xcode runner file, I used File > New > Target > ShieldConfigurationExtension and File > New > Target > ShieldActionExtension to create the extensions with all the necessary Info.plist values. However, when I try to build, I am presented with this error message: Error (Xcode): Cycle inside Runner; building could produce unreliable results. Cycle details: → Target 'Runner': CodeSign /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app ○ That command depends on command in Target 'Runner': script phase “[CP] Copy Pods Resources” ○ That command depends on command in Target 'Runner': script phase “Thin Binary” ○ Target 'Runner' has process command with output '/Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/Info.plist' ○ Target 'Runner' has copy command from '/Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/shieldAction.appex' to '/Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/PlugIns/shieldAction.appex' 2 Raw dependency cycle trace: target: -> node: <all> -> command: <all> -> node: /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/_CodeSignature -> command: P0:target-Runner-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e0288a783a885d8b0b3beb2e9f90bde3f49-:Debug:CodeSign /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app -> node: /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/GoogleSignIn.bundle/ -> directoryTreeSignature: [ -> directoryContents: /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/GoogleSignIn.bundle -> CYCLE POINT -> node: /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/GoogleSignIn.bundle -> command: P2:target-Runner-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e0288a783a885d8b0b3beb2e9f90bde3f49-:Debug:PhaseScriptExecution [CP] Copy Pods Resources /Users/arshgupta/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/Runner-gkxkhzabeikourbemhpfsdwlgfor/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.build/Script-F71E8F68D8E3D1B95F11D101.sh -> node: /Users/arshgupta/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/Runner-gkxkhzabeikourbemhpfsdwlgfor/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.build/InputFileList-F71E8F68D8E3D1B95F11D101-Pods-Runner-resources-Debug-input-files-276c84640d21f41dd725929b3125799d-resolved.xcfilelist -> command: P2:target-Runner-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e0288a783a885d8b0b3beb2e9f90bde3f49-:Debug:WriteAuxiliaryFile /Users/arshgupta/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/Runner-gkxkhzabeikourbemhpfsdwlgfor/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.build/InputFileList-F71E8F68D8E3D1B95F11D101-Pods-Runner-resources-Debug-input-files-276c84640d21f41dd725929b3125799d-resolved.xcfilelist -> node: <target-Runner-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e0288a783a885d8b0b3beb2e9f90bde3f49--fused-phase4-thin-binary> -> command: P0:::Gate target-Runner-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e0288a783a885d8b0b3beb2e9f90bde3f49--fused-phase4-thin-binary -> node: <execute-shell-script-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e02f1eee2015e8ff5ebcd27678f788c2826-target-Runner-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e0288a783a885d8b0b3beb2e9f90bde3f49-> -> command: P2:target-Runner-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e0288a783a885d8b0b3beb2e9f90bde3f49-:Debug:PhaseScriptExecution Thin Binary /Users/arshgupta/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/Runner-gkxkhzabeikourbemhpfsdwlgfor/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.build/Script-3B06AD1E1E4923F5004D2608.sh -> node: /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/Info.plist/ -> directoryTreeSignature: R -> directoryContents: /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/Info.plist -> node: /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/Info.plist -> command: P0:target-Runner-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e0288a783a885d8b0b3beb2e9f90bde3f49-:Debug:ProcessInfoPlistFile /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/Info.plist /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/ios/Runner/Info.plist -> node: /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/PlugIns/shieldAction.appex -> command: P0:target-Runner-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e0288a783a885d8b0b3beb2e9f90bde3f49-:Debug:Copy /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/PlugIns/shieldAction.appex /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/shieldAction.appex -> node: <target-Runner-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e0288a783a885d8b0b3beb2e9f90bde3f49--fused-phase5--cp--copy-pods-resources> -> command: P0:::Gate target-Runner-18c1723432283e0cc55f10a6dcfd9e0288a783a885d8b0b3beb2e9f90bde3f49--fused-phase5--cp--copy-pods-resources -> node: /Users/arshgupta/Documents/pledge-1/build/ios/Debug-iphoneos/Runner.app/GoogleSignIn.bundle What can I do to fix this?