Published · Screen Trace team
Use Screen Time for usage totals, App Privacy Report for recorded permission and sensor access, and diagnostic archives for retained activity events. These sources describe different aspects of the phone's activity.
Compare the three sources
| Source | Useful for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Time | Durations, app rankings and activity distribution | Check the device and date; it is not an event-by-event timeline |
| App Privacy Report | Data, sensor access and network activity | Collection starts after enabling it; access does not reveal exact content |
| Diagnostic archives | Recognizable retained activity events | Records can be missing and timestamp meanings require checking |
Screen Time: How long were apps used?
Open Settings → Screen Time to review App & Website Activity. Check whether the figures belong to one iPhone or aggregate shared device activity. An hour containing app usage does not establish the exact time of every opening or closing.
App Privacy Report: Which permissions were accessed?
Open Settings → Privacy & Security → App Privacy Report. Apple explains that collection begins after the report is enabled. It reports data and sensor access over the past seven days, along with network activity. An initially empty view may simply have no collected data yet.
A camera or microphone access event can help you review activity. It does not independently establish what was captured, who operated the device, or whether anything was sent.
Diagnostic files: Events with context
System diagnostics may contain activity from several sources. Screen Trace checks a file you select and organizes recognizable records locally into a timeline and report. You do not need to upload the complete archive to this website.
Sources may use different time zones, offsets or event meanings. If timestamps differ, examine the original fields and context instead of assuming that one source is always correct. A lock event, sleep event or collection gap is not automatically a shutdown.
Match the source to the question
- For daily usage totals, begin with Screen Time.
- For camera or microphone access, review an already-enabled App Privacy Report.
- For a period of app and system events, check whether diagnostic records still cover that period.
Keep original material and note the model, OS version, date and time zone. Preserve inconsistencies and gaps rather than selecting only records that support an assumption.
Where Screen Trace fits
Screen Trace checks and organizes selected system files. It cannot reconstruct data the system did not retain, or independently establish a person's identity, specific actions or a privacy breach.
References
Apple documents explain built-in features. Diagnostic analysis and product descriptions are our own guidance, not an Apple endorsement.
Explore Screen Trace
Check a selected diagnostic file locally and review the anonymous sample before deciding whether to generate a paid report.