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FamilyControls Framework Not Working for TestFlight Testers
Hello everyone, I’m developing an app using the FamilyControls framework, I distributed through TestFlight the other day using the “Family Controls” distribution (not Development). Everything works as expected in dev builds — but for external TestFlight testers, nothing in the FamilyControls framework seems to function. I'm using the correct Family Controls capability in Xcode (added via Signing & Capabilities). The com.apple.developer.family-controls entitlement is present in my .entitlements file. All the users who reported the issue had correctly given screen time permissions to the app. Would really appreciate some help regarding where the issue could come from.
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179
Jul ’25
Reshield apps after certain time?
So I have been working with the screen time api. however I still cant get it to work to reshield certain apps after a certain time because for example Dispatch Queue just gets terminated after a certain time. This is my code right now but the reshielding doesn't get called. Please help I have been working on this since weeks and weeks. import ManagedSettings import DeviceActivity import Foundation class ShieldActionExtension: ShieldActionDelegate { let store = ManagedSettingsStore() let center = DeviceActivityCenter() override func handle(action: ShieldAction, for application: ApplicationToken, completionHandler: @escaping (ShieldActionResponse) -> Void) { switch action { case .primaryButtonPressed: // Unshield the app store.shield.applications?.remove(application) // Encode and persist ApplicationToken if let encoded = try? PropertyListEncoder().encode([application]) { UserDefaults(suiteName: "group.Organization.BrainRipe.cmonnow")?.set(encoded, forKey: "StoredApplicationTokens") } let unshieldDurationMinutes = 2 let now = Date() guard let endDate = Calendar.current.date(byAdding: .minute, value: unshieldDurationMinutes, to: now) else { completionHandler(.close) return } let activityName = DeviceActivityName("com.myapp.shield.reapply") let schedule = DeviceActivitySchedule( intervalStart: Calendar.current.dateComponents([.hour, .minute], from: now), intervalEnd: Calendar.current.dateComponents([.hour, .minute], from: endDate), repeats: false ) do { try center.startMonitoring(activityName, during: schedule) } catch { print("Error starting monitoring: \(error)") } completionHandler(.close) case .secondaryButtonPressed: completionHandler(.defer) @unknown default: fatalError("Unhandled ShieldAction case.") } } } import DeviceActivity import ManagedSettings import Foundation // Optionally override any of the functions below. // Make sure that your class name matches the NSExtensionPrincipalClass in your Info.plist. class DeviceActivityMonitorExtension: DeviceActivityMonitor { let store = ManagedSettingsStore() override func intervalDidStart(for activity: DeviceActivityName) { super.intervalDidStart(for: activity) // Handle the start of the interval. } override func intervalDidEnd(for activity: DeviceActivityName) { guard let data = UserDefaults(suiteName: "group.Organization.BrainRipe.cmonnow")?.data(forKey: "StoredApplicationTokens"), let tokens = try? PropertyListDecoder().decode([ApplicationToken].self, from: data) else { return } let tokenSet = Set(tokens) if store.shield.applications == nil { store.shield.applications = tokenSet } else { store.shield.applications?.formUnion(tokenSet) } // Clear tokens after use UserDefaults(suiteName: "group.Organization.BrainRipe.cmonnow")?.removeObject(forKey: "StoredApplicationTokens") } }
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186
May ’25
FamilyActivityPicker crashing when expanding "Other" category
Hi there, I'm presenting a FamilyActivityPicker inside of a sheet, and on some phones, the FamilyActivityPicker freezes and crashes when the user expands the "Other" category only. "Other" is the only category that exhibits this behavior, and it only does this on some phones, not in all cases. This issue is perfectly reproducible on those phones when using the FamilyActivityPicker for the "other" category only, but on those same phones it does not reproducible in the Native ScreenTime Picker in Settings → ScreenTime → App Limits → Add Limit. I don't have access to these phones as they are user reports, but any guidance here would be deeply appreciated. More broadly, there are several issues with the FamilyActivityPicker (categories expand on top of each other when multiple are opened, varying behavior with tapping rows vs tapping select bubbles depending on phone size, etc) that the Native ScreenTime Picker doesn't have. Grouping websites as a standalone category is preferable as well. Could we as developers just have access to that one?
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1.6k
Aug ’25
Applinks failing
Hello, We're facing an issue with app links failing and falling back to browser website journeys. Our apple-app-site-association file is hosted publicly and the app to app journeys have been working correctly up to very recently - we are trying to identify any potential network infra changes that could have impacted the Apple CDN being able to retrieve the apple-app-site-association file. We can see in the iPhone OS logs that the links cannot be verified by the swcd process, and using the app-site-association.cdn-apple.com/a/v1 api via curl can also see the CDN has no record of the AASA file. Due to the traffic being SSL and to a high volume enterprise site it is difficult for use to trace activity through anything other that the source IPs - we cannot filter on user-agent for "AASA-Bot/1.0.0" as breaking the SSL would be impactful due to the load. Is it possible to get a network range used by the Apple CDN to retrieve the AASA file as this would help us identify potential blocking behaviour? Thank you.
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May ’25
Twilio Voice iOS SDK: callInvite is missing when accepting incoming call from CallKit or React Native
I'm integrating Twilio Voice (v6.12.1) into my React Native app (using Swift bridging for iOS) and have implemented full VoIP, PushKit, and CallKit support for incoming calls. ✅ What works: Incoming calls trigger the VoIP push and display the full-screen CallKit interface (or fallback UI). Decline Call works as expected. Call logs and events print correctly. ❌ Problem: When I try to accept the call using the CallKit Accept button or React Native fallback UI, I consistently get: ❌ [TwilioVoiceModule] answerCall() callInvite is missing. I also noticed that the console logs for answerCall() are being printed three times in a row, even though the accept button is only pressed once. Additionally in the first time console, answerCall() CallInvite found, accepting... 🔍 Observations: The callInvite is properly received when the VoIP push arrives. But when answerCall() is triggered, callInvite becomes nil. This happens in CallKit accept, RN UI accept, and even notification banner accept. 📦 How it's set up (summarized): PushKit Registration – via PKPushRegistry in AppDelegate.swift VoIP push handling – forwards payload to TwilioVoiceModule.handleIncomingPush() CallKit integration – uses CXProviderDelegate to report and handle accept actions JS Bridge – emits acceptCallAction to JS React Native calls TwilioVoiceModule.answerCall(uuid, callSid) In answerCall() method: self.callInvite is nil – so call cannot be accepted. Attaching the link to view the relevant code: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15pNjKrfk954OaotpMIEh3xQUtst---1K45DBXoYctGM/edit?usp=sharing 💡 Call Accept Flow (iOS): VoIP Push → TwilioVoiceModule.handleIncomingPush() Twilio SDK creates callInvite reportNewIncomingCall() triggers CallKit UI On accept: CXAnswerCallAction → emits event to JS RN calls TwilioVoiceModule.answerCall(uuid, callSid) Problem: callInvite is already nil ❓ What I'm trying to understand: Why is callInvite becoming nil before answerCall() is called? Why are the logs showing the answerCall() call 3 times? Is there a race condition or multiple accept triggers? Should I ensure callInvite is accepted only once across all 3 accept paths? ** 💬 Any help would be appreciated.** 📱 Environment: React Native 0.78.x iOS 17+ Swift bridging with TwilioVoiceModule.swift Twilio Voice SDK 6.12.1 PushKit + CallKit + react-native-callkeep
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180
Aug ’25
Create custom internet account on macOS
Hi, A lot of e-mail providers supports OAuth2 authentication. However, Mail.app on macOS and iOS do not support configuring a mail account that would use OAuth2 authentication, unless it's on its hardcoded list of account providers. Is there any framework that allows setting up a custom account for my institution, so that we could begin to offer OAuth2 authentication for mail and calendar?
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Oct ’25
Error Domain=FamilyControls.FamilyControlsError Code=2 "(null)"
An error was reported when requesting permissions on devices with iOS 16.2 16.3. It is not an emulator. Through the log records, the following Error message appears Error Domain=FamilyControls.FamilyControlsError Code=3 "(null)" Error Domain=FamilyControls.FamilyControlsError Code=4 "(null)" Error Domain=FamilyControls.FamilyControlsError Code=5 "(null)" func requestScreenTime() async -> Bool { do { try await AuthorizationCenter.shared.requestAuthorization(for: .individual) return AuthorizationCenter.shared.authorizationStatus == .approved } catch { print("\(error)") return false } }
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96
May ’25
Family Controls Approved for Main App but Not Extension – Blocking
Hi everyone, I’m developing a screen-time and focus app that uses Apple’s Family Controls framework to block distracting apps and reward users through a gamified experience. Apple approved Family Controls (Distribution) for the main app identifier, but they did not approve the required extension target (which implements DeviceActivityMonitor, required for the framework to function). Because of this, I can’t archive or upload the app to TestFlight — and I’ve been stuck in limbo for over 2 months. This is severely delaying my launch. The app works perfectly, but I can’t release it because the extension wasn’t included in the entitlement approval. Has anyone else run into this with Family Controls? Is there any known way to escalate or fast-track approval for additional app IDs or targets? Would really appreciate any help, advice, or hacks. 🙏 Thanks, Enzer
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112
Apr ’25
Associated Domains and location of the AASA file when “service”=”Authsrv”
We are planning to use our internal IdP (PingFederate) for authentication of end users in their iOS apps using ASWebAuthenticationSession. Initial tests are successful, but the user is prompted for every login (and logouts) with a consent dialogue box: “AppName” wants to use “internal domain-name” to Sign In This allows the app and website to share information about you. Cancel Continue” Let’s say that our top-level domain is “company.no”, where our IdP is placed at “idp.company.com”. I have seen examples where the Associated domains entitlement points to the idp as a webserver for serving the JSON output AASA file. In this case that would be: authsrv: idp.company.com Anyone with experience implementing this structure with the IdP as webserver for serving the JSON output? Our problem is that trying to use the IdP as webserver for this purpose is that it is very complicated to modify the IdP’s webserver configuration. Also, this modification needs to be re-done every time we need to upgrade the IdP. My question is therefore also related to the options of which webserver to install the AASA file on. Has anyone installed the file on a generic webserver on the toplevel domain like “webserver.company.com” ?
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Apr ’25
FamilyActivityPicker: manage own device AND children device
Hello, I am unable to figure out how I tell the FamilyActivityPicker whether it should show apps installed on my personal device (to be used with AuthorizationCenter.shared.requestAuthorization(for: .individual)) or apps installed on my child’s device (authenticated their phone via AuthorizationCenter.shared.requestAuthorization(for: .child)). Is there any parameter or SwiftUI modifier I need to apply? Otherwise, how does the user or the app know which token belongs to them and which token belongs to their child’s device? Radar: FB17020977 Thanks a lot for your help!
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122
Mar ’25
Shielding all apps
I am trying to create an app that allows users to opt in and apply a shield to all of their apps during a specified amount of time each day, but they can always turn the shield off from our app or directly ignore the shield for 1 minute from a shield button. It is important that the user doesn't choose what apps to apply a shield to through the activity picker, as some users might not apply it to all apps. Currently I am doing everything I described in my app and shield all apps and webdomain categories with this: store.shield.applicationCategories = .all() store.shield.webDomainCategories = .all() But the, store.shield.applicationCategories = .all(), seems to block everything except for some system apps like Messages, Phone, FaceTime, Maps, Clock, Settings, Safari, Find My, Clock, Compass, Health, etc. It does block some system apps like Weather, Photos, Camera, Measure, App Store, etc. I know I can fully block applications from it's bundle identifier but I do not want to remove apps from the home screen. I only want to apply a shield to all of them. I have read every apple documentation possible about this and can't see a way to do it, currently how I am doing it seems to be the best way but it is still not enough. Even blocking a specific category token taken from the activity picker won't apply to some system level applications under it unless you get all the application tokens and apply the shield by applications and not category. I am really looking for help to see if there is something I can do to achieve my app's goal.
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164
Jul ’25
PSA: Call Screening breaks in a multitude of ways; no missed call notifications or badges; not lighting up screen; not visible when using focus;
Call Screening has serious issues right now leading to missing calls from genuine callers because the system does not acknowledge them with missed call notifications or badges in a lot of cases. I'm posting this in the hope of catching an engineer who can bring this to the attention of the teams working on this. Filed as FB20678829 — I ran the following tests with iOS 26.1 beta 3, but the issues have been occurring on iOS 26.0 as well. I used an iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac for this. The iPhone has Call Screening enabled with the option „Ask Reason for Calling“ The iPhone has call forwarding enabled to all devices. Test 1: Active Focus Turn on a focus like Do not Disturb on all devices. Lock all devices. Make a phone call to the iPhone with an unknown number. Behavior: iPhone: displays Call Screening UI on the Lock Screen, but it will not light up the screen. You don’t know Call Screening is happening unless you activate the display just in that moment on devices without Always On Display. Watch: does nothing. Mac: does nothing. iPad: displays Call Screening UI on the Lock Screen, but it will not light up the screen. You don’t know Call Screening is happening unless you activate the display just in that moment. In this test the caller does not answer any of the Call Screening questions and just hangs up. The result is that only the Mac displays a missed call notification. iPhone, iPad, and Watch do not acknowledge the missed call (no phone app icon badge, no notification, no badge inside the Phone app itself), you can only see the call inside the Calls list when manually looking for it. Test 2: No Focus Turn off any focus like Do not Disturb on all devices. Lock all devices. Make a phone call to the iPhone with an unknown number. Behavior: iPhone: displays Call Screening UI on the Lock Screen, but it will not light up the screen. You don’t know Call Screening is happening unless you activate the display just in that moment on devices without Always On Display. Watch: does nothing. Mac: displays Call Screening UI when unlocked. iPad: displays Call Screening UI on the Lock Screen, but it will not light up the screen. You don’t know Call Screening is happening unless you activate the display just in that moment. In this test the caller does not answer any of the Call Screening questions and just hangs up. The result is that only the Mac displays a missed call notification. iPhone, iPad, and Watch do not acknowledge the missed call (no phone app icon badge, no notification, no badge inside the Phone app itself), you can only see the call inside the Calls list when manually looking for it. The only improvement here is that the Mac now shows the Call Screening UI. Test 3: Caller answers Call Screening questions An active focus does not matter. Lock all devices. Make a phone call to the iPhone with an unknown number. Once the caller answered the Call Screening questions, the following happens: All devices ring like expected When the caller hangs up or I don’t answer: Mac: Shows Missed Call notification without details iPhone: Shows Missed Call notification with transcript of Call Screening (also badges phone app icon) iPad: does nothing. Watch: Shows the mirrored iPhone notification. Things to note: When turning off call forwarding on iPhone to other Apple devices like iPad and Mac, the phone app icon is always badged for missed calls when Call Screening was active, but no notification is displayed regardless.
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119
Oct ’25
Call log not updated by CallKit in TestFlight/iOS 26
We encountered an issue with iOS 26 and release version. We developed a voipout application and we created an entry in native call log on dev/prod version with our app that run under iOS 18.6 and earlier. On iOS 26 TestFlight version didn't create entry in call log but debug version did it. I don't find any clue in CallKit documentation for iOS 26 and we use action.fulfill(withDateStarted: .now) for call and end transaction and we develop under Xcode 26 Do you have any suggestion to solve our problems ?
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158
Sep ’25
Localization issue for appname(Singapore)
I need to display a different app name based on the user's region/language. This setup works correctly for regions like the United Kingdom, Australia. However, for Singapore, the app always falls back to the UK version (en-GB) instead of picking the localized name defined under en-SG. Interestingly, system alerts like location permission and app deletion do use the en-SG localization correctly. Could you help identify why the app name isn't picking up the en-SG version and suggest how we can resolve this?
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140
Jun ’25
FamilyActivityPicker not showing in iOS 26
Hi, after updating to iOS 26 I'm encountering an issue where the FamilyActivityPicker no longer opens. No errors are shown in the console, it just never shows up. It works fine pre iOS 26. I've never had any issues with the picker showing up until iOS 26. My latest update was rejected because of this issue, but I've changed nothing in the code. Is anyone else experiencing this?
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198
Sep ’25
Will the call screening feature be available in all iOS 26 capable iPhones?
I'm pretty excited for the all new iOS 26 redesign, but what I'm most excited for is the call screening feature to avoid unwanted calls. I downloaded the developer's beta on my secondary device to report bugs, but call screening doesn't work on it even though it's turned on. I already sent a feedback report, but I'm not sure if it's just a beta bug or that my iPhone won't support it. I haven't found much info about it. It's a 2nd gen SE. Thanks.
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160
Jun ’25
Using Picture-in-Picture for Background Audio Calls on iOS
I’m developing an app with audio calling functionality, and I’d like to take advantage of Picture-in-Picture (PiP) so that when the user moves the app to the background, the ongoing call can remain minimized on the Home screen. Based on my research, it seems possible to display a view in PiP mode and have it play, and I haven’t found any documentation stating that this is prohibited. Could you please confirm if this is allowed?
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332
Jul ’25