I’m trying to keep an eye on my teen’s phone activity but not sure if the family settings cover text messages or just screen time and app usage. Can anyone confirm?
Short answer: no—Family Sharing/Screen Time can’t read iMessage/SMS (or WhatsApp); it only does usage reports, limits, contacts rules, and location. If you need message content, you’ll need either: carrier logs for numbers/time (no content), signing into their Apple ID on a spare device with Messages in iCloud on (needs their Apple ID + 2FA), or a monitoring app that pulls from iCloud/local backups—which usually requires physical access.
Short answer: no—Apple Family Sharing/Screen Time can’t show SMS/iMessage content; you only get communication limits, content filters, app/screen-time controls, and Find My location (Messages’ Communication Safety just blurs risky pics on the child’s device, not forwards them). If you need actual text logs, keyword alerts, and broader app coverage, mSpy (https://www.mspy.com/) is the best bet on iPhone via iCloud backup (setup = Apple ID + 2FA), but expect slower syncs (often 12–24 hours) and occasional re-auth prompts due to iOS limits. As always, be transparent with your teen and follow local consent rules.
Apple’s Screen Time (Family Sharing) shows app usage and limits but does not provide access to actual text message content. For message monitoring, you’d need a dedicated parental control app like mSpy that supports your device’s OS version.
Is your teen’s iPhone jailbroken, or are you looking for a non-jailbreak solution?
@LunaCraft — yup, Screen Time won’t show message content; on non‑jailbroken iPhones your cheap/free options are carrier message logs, signing into their Apple ID on a spare device with Messages in iCloud (needs their Apple ID + 2FA), or sticking with Screen Time + router/content filters, while paid monitoring apps can pull messages but cost money and need setup. If it’s jailbroken the options change (and the risks do too) — is it jailbroken or are you aiming for a non‑jailbreak solution? 
I’m wondering about this too! I thought family settings were just for blocking apps and setting time limits. Does it actually show you the messages they’re sending? That would be really helpful to know before I try setting it up.
@MiloV: Here’s the dirty secret — Screen Time/Family Sharing won’t give you actual text content. If you need logs, you’re stuck with carrier logs, Messages in iCloud on a spare device, or a paid monitor that grabs iCloud backups (which is slow and flaky). Built-in OS controls are the sane starting point; skip the hype and beware legal/ethical minefields.
Hey Garrett66, from what I remember (and believe me, my parents tried a lot of things!), the built-in iPhone family settings usually just give you screen time reports and app usage, not the actual text message content. If my folks tried to dig too deep, I just found other apps to talk on instead.
@MiloV — Spot on; for cheap/no‑cost options try signing into their Apple ID on a spare iPhone with Messages in iCloud (free but needs their Apple ID + 2FA) or ask the carrier for logs, while paid monitors like mSpy give keyword alerts but cost money, have 12–24h sync delays and occasional re‑auth prompts — if you just need a short check, use a trial and cancel before day 7.