There can be problems with Screen Time on Huawei devices which are caused by inbuilt features. We have found that changing some of the phone settings can help Screen Time run smoothly, which settings you need to change depends on the version of Huawei’s software is on the device. To check what version you’re child’s device is running open Settings > About phone and check what the EMUI version is.
Depending on the model of Huawei that your child has, some of the above features might not be there. If you can’t see the feature then skip on to the next step.
EMUI 4.0, 3.0, 2.0
- Open Settings | All | Device | Power saving | Protected apps and tick the box for Screen Time to be protected, Screen Time will appear twice in that list, the blue icon and the white one, for now please include both.
- Open Settings | All | Device Manager | Startup Manager and add Screen Time to that list.
- Open Settings | Smart Assistance | Notification Panel and uncheck the box for Notification settings. This is to prevent the Ultra Battery Mode available from the notification area.
- Open Screen Time on your device and add the Phone Manager app to the Blocked Apps list, this app contains an optimiser which may allow Screen Time to be closed manually.
- Add the Settings app to the Blocked Apps list as well so that Step 1 can’t be unpicked without your authorisation.
EMUI 5.0
- Open Android Settings >> Apps >> Settings >> special Access >> usage access and make sure Screen Time is on.
- Then please open again Android Settings >> Battery make sure that power saving and ultra power saving is turned off >> lock screen cleanup and make sure that Screen Time is not selected on this list. Then go back to Battery and into the Battery Settings >> make sure that: power insensitive prompt is turned off and close excessively power intensive apps is also turned off.
- Open the phone manager app on this device >> Cleanup >> Cleanup settings >> memory cleanup white list >> select Screen Time.
EMUI 8.0
- On the Emui 8 there is a phone manager app. Please open it and open the section called cleanup there in the upper right corner select the little gear and deactivate auto clean up.
- Then, again in the phone manager, open Battery >> battery usage >> Screen Time >> disable launch manage automatically and select auto launch and run in background.
- Then, again in phone manager, select drop zone >> select Screen time to allow showing it in dropzone.
- This should ensure the app working correctly, but there is a feature on Huawei called “ultra power saving mode” this will shut down Screen Time and all other apps. However there might be a workaround, that you can try. On your child’s device tap on the square button at the bottom of your child’s device to show the apps that are currently running.
- Then find the Screen Time app in that list and tap on the padlock icon that you see there.
