Screen Time Requests through Messages won't allow Approvals on Apple Watch

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10 points

Screen Time Requests through Messages won't allow Approvals on Apple Watch

This is a recurring problem that last happened around December 2022 when Apple decided they should move Screen Time Requests away from "Screen Time" and over into Messages. At some point in 2023 Apple moved Screen Time Requests back to the original "Screen Time" [purple] request dialog which gives you the drop down options to approve for 15/60/all-day or Don't Approve which functioned correctly on the Apple Watch.

On September 17, 2023 (coincidentally around the time the new iPhone's are coming out with iOS 17) in the evening (USA time around 6PM Central Time) the Screen Time Requests once again started coming through Messages and clogging up the entire conversation thread with my kids. This renders the ability to approve or not approve these requests on my Apple Watch (Series 7).

The option to approve appears on my Apple Watch, however any actions taken do not actually have any effect and the request remains on my iPhone (14 Pro Max).

The only way to approve these requests is to open my iPhone screen and accept the request.

This was not fixed previously after many hours on these communities searching for answers and also submitting a ticket to Apple Support in March 2023.

iOS Version 16.7

WatchOS Version 9.6.3

Posted on Sep 26, 2023 10:26 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

bmg33

Level 1

5 points

Sep 29, 2023 10:24 AM in response to Fuchsteufelswild

Same issue here for almost a year now. It’s maddening. I upgraded my devices to iOS 17 and WatchOS 10, hoping that would fix it. It didn’t. Here’s everything I’ve tried:

Disabling Screen Time & Re-enabling Screen Time
Signing in/out of iCloud on all devices (kids and mine)
Un-pairing/re-pairing Watch (multiple times)
Setting up Watch as “new” instead of from backup
Hard resets of all devices (multiple times)
Resetting network settings
Disabling / re-enabling notifications
Erasing/resetting my kid’s iPod Touch that couldn’t receive recent OS updates
Changing names of devices
Changing name in iCloud account
Buying a new watch (Series 9)!

None of it has made any difference. And a separate but related problem is an ongoing issue on MacOS. Screen Time requests received in Messages on MacOS cause Messages to hand and crash. Almost every time. I upgraded to Sonoma hoping that would fix it. It didn’t. I also have submitted a ticket in Feedback Assistant (no response yet).

And these are not the only Screen Time issues. The whole feature has been buggy from the start. For a company that pitches itself as a “family” brand, it’s falling down on the job. Our family owns three iPhones, three iPads, two Macs, three Watches, and two iPod Touches. Apple needs to do better by its most loyal customers.

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Answer 2

Sep 29, 2023 01:37 AM in response to BEERviper

I have that issue too. It’s so annoying that Apple is moving 2 steps forward and 1 step backwards, keep breaking things 😡

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Answer 3

BEERviper Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 11, 2023 07:37 PM in response to BEERviper

Purple screen time approvals seem to have mysteriously returned!!

Around 7:30 PM Eastern time on Sunday December 10, 2023 my son sent a request and it came as the old style purple notification that did NOT go to messages 🙌

It's been a little over 24 hours now and they're still coming that way which once again allows me to approve on my watch!! Hooray! Please keep it this way Apple!!

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Answer 4

bmg33

Level 1

5 points

Dec 19, 2023 09:15 AM in response to BEERviper

Mine worked correctly for a couple hours the other day, but then stopped again (no software updates in between, which makes me think it’s a server side issue). Not optimistic they’ll ever get this sorted.

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Answer 5

BEERviper Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 20, 2023 12:56 PM in response to BEERviper

I've been updated to 17.2 for nearly a week and screentime requests are still coming through the old style Purple notifications and I can still approve/decline via my Apple Watch 7 which was updated to WatchOS 10.2!

Quite strange that this change has not gone out to everyone, but for the time being I'm very happy it's working for me again until another update goes out to ruin it all again.

And yes I would agree this has to be server side since the change happened to me randomly one Sunday night without any changes on my end.

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Answer 6

BEERviper Author

Level 1

10 points

Jan 24, 2024 03:32 PM in response to BEERviper

And wouldn't you know it ... iOS 17.3 comes out and screentime requests are back to Messages!! UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The first several requests were sent while my daughters iPad was on iOS 16.7, so I think maybe if I update it to 17.3 it will go back.... NOPE FML!

And get this, my son's iPhone is on iOS 17.2 and it still sends the old purple screentime requests but I'm sure it's only a matter days or hours before that changes :crying:

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