We're here to help.
First off, we know this can be frustrating. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
Some apps continue running in the background even when you're not actively using them. iOS sometimes counts this background activity as "screen time" which can make it seem like you've been using the app when you haven't. Music apps and navigation apps are particularly known for this.
How to fix excessive background time recording:
Quick fix to try first:
Tap the "Refresh" button on your Roots homepage to update your screen time data
Reset "Screen Time" permissions:
Go to Settings > Screen Time > Apps with Screen Time Access
Toggle "Roots" OFF
Re-open the Roots app
Give access to screen time permissions when prompted
Note: Reconnecting may result in the loss of historical screen time data within the app
Consider excluding problematic apps:
If an app consistently shows incorrect background time and it's not one you want to limit, you can exclude it from your reports:
Go to Roots > Profile > Account Settings > Exclude Apps From Usage Reports
Still seeing incorrect time?
If the issue persists, please send us a screen recording showing:
iOS Settings > Screen Time with the app usage for today
Then show the same day's usage on your Roots homepage
This comparison helps us identify if it's an iOS reporting issue or something we can fix on our end.
Coming soon
We're working on a new feature (coming very soon!) that will let you manually clean up or edit inaccurate screen time entries — this should really help in situations where things slip through.
Need more help?
Get personal help from one of our founders here. We know this can be frustrating, and we appreciate your patience. We're happy to assist—and we'll even reward you for your valuable time!