Apple still hasn’t fixed all the issues in iOS 26, as a software bug blocks your favorite iPhone apps. This is what’s going on.
Problems with iOS 26
Have you installed iOS 26 and have you been having problems with your iPhone since then? You are not alone, because Apple has had many problems with the software version. That’s not surprising, as iOS 26 is the biggest software update for the iPhone in years. Major updates are often accompanied by major problems, but these are usually resolved within a few months. Unfortunately, this does not apply to all software errors in iOS 26.
An annoying problem in iOS 26 continues to block iPhone apps. This is due to a software error in Screen Time, a useful feature that should ensure that you spend less time on your iPhone. Screen Time offers the option to place certain limits on applications, but that does not work properly in iOS 26. Instead, apps are blocked at random.
Screen Time blocks apps
Screen Time gives users the ability to enable time limits for applications. The function ensures that you do not use your favorite apps too often or for too long. This limit can be set per category, such as all applications that fit under ‘Social’ or ‘Entertainment’. Another option is to set time limits for specific apps, but this feature has been causing problems on the iPhone since iOS 26. In iOS 26, these limits activate too quickly, causing certain apps to stop working.
Do you use Screen Time on your iPhone? And can you no longer use applications before the set time limit? In that case, you are dealing with an annoying problem in iOS 26 that causes your favorite apps to be blocked too early. You can also use applications with a time limit after the limit, just open the app and simply tap ‘Ignore limit’. Be careful, because you have temporarily disabled the screen time settings.
More about iOS 26
The problem in iOS 26 can be solved in a simple way, but it returns almost every day if you use Screen Time on your iPhone. The software bug in iOS 26 causes the time limit to appear randomly on selected applications, even if you haven’t used them yet. Clearing the limit is an option, although there is a good chance that you will still use the application for (too) long afterwards. This means that the function no longer has much influence on reducing your screen time.
Apple itself has not yet responded to the problems that iOS 26 causes for iPhone apps with a time limit. iOS 26.1, iOS 26.2 and iOS 26.3 have now been released, but the software error has still not been resolved. In the background, Apple is working on iOS 26.3.1 and iOS 26.4, in which Screen Time will hopefully work properly again. Are you affected by the bug in iOS 26 and do you want to stay informed? Then sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter so you don’t miss a single update!
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