Screen Time and CarPlay in 2026

As much as I (and several other people) are disappointed with Screen Time, Apple appears to have made at least some improvements.

One of my biggest complaints with screen time was it counting CarPlay as screen time. This still exists, but I seem to have found a workaround.

If you stay on the Home Screen (the one with Map on the left, and suggestions + Music on the right), it doesn’t count as active usage!

Be aware, though, switching to a single app like Maps or Music still counts as screen time!

With all the focus on small improvements in iOS 27, I hope there are further improvements. But for now, this workaround is good enough.