Forgot the Screen Time passcode? Here's how to get back in.
This one catches out an enormous number of parents: you set a Screen Time passcode months ago, never needed it, and now you can't change a setting on your own child's phone. There's a supported way out.
First: are you sure it's the Screen Time passcode?
iOS has three separate codes and they're easy to confuse:
- Device passcode — unlocks the phone.
- Screen Time passcode — 4 digits, guards Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Apple ID password — the account itself.
Everything below concerns the middle one.
Method 1: Recover with your Apple ID (the supported route)
If you added a recovery Apple ID when you first set the passcode, this takes a minute.
- Settings → Screen Time.
- Tap Change Screen Time Passcode → Change Screen Time Passcode again.
- Tap Forgot Passcode?
- Enter the Apple ID and password you used when setting it up.
- Set a new 4-digit passcode.
On a child's device managed through Family Sharing, do this from your phone: Settings → Screen Time → tap your child's name → Change Screen Time Passcode.
Method 2: If no recovery Apple ID was set
If you skipped that step, or the Apple ID isn't one you can access, Apple provides no way to recover the passcode. The only supported option is erasing the device and setting it up as new.
Back up first — iCloud or a computer. And note the important part: restoring from a backup restores the Screen Time passcode too. To clear it, you must set the device up as new, which means losing app data not covered by iCloud sync. Confirm what's actually backed up before you commit.
How to erase and start over
- Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings.
- Set up as new iPhone — not from backup.
- Sign in to iCloud to bring back photos, contacts, and messages.
- Reconfigure Screen Time, and this time attach a recovery Apple ID.
A PIN you recover without wiping the phone
Defenras PIN recovery runs through your verified parent email — no factory reset, no lost photos.
Get Defenras free →A warning about "passcode recovery" tools
Search results for this problem are dominated by desktop apps promising to remove a Screen Time passcode without data loss. Be careful:
- Most simply automate the same erase-and-restore process, then charge for it.
- They require full trust of your computer and your device.
- Several have historically bundled adware or harvested device identifiers.
- They generally won't work on current iOS versions anyway.
If you're going to erase the device regardless, do it through Apple's own flow and pay nothing.
Preventing the repeat
- Attach a recovery Apple ID when setting any Screen Time passcode. This is the single step that makes lockout a two-minute fix.
- Store the passcode in a password manager, not in your head and not in Notes on the device it locks.
- Don't reuse the device unlock code. Your child watches you type that one several times a day.
- Don't use a family birthday. It's the first thing tried, and it usually works.
Parents locked out of Screen Time frequently just turn the whole thing off to regain control of the phone — which removes every restriction at once. A recoverable PIN isn't only about convenience; it's what stops a lockout from becoming an unfiltered device.
Frequently asked questions
Can Apple Support reset a Screen Time passcode for me?
No. Apple has no back door into it. With a recovery Apple ID you reset it yourself; without one, erasing the device is the only supported path.
Will restoring from a backup remove the passcode?
No — the passcode is included in the backup and comes back with it. You have to set the device up as new.
Does Defenras have the same problem?
No. Defenras PIN recovery goes through your verified parent email, so a forgotten PIN never means wiping the device.
My teen changed the Screen Time passcode themselves. What now?
If you're the recovery Apple ID holder you can reset it from your own device via Family Sharing. If they removed the device from Family Sharing too, an erase is the remaining option — and that's worth a conversation before it's worth a reset.
Defenras blocks all of this — without collecting your child's data.
One app, every device, every browser. Adult content, gambling, vaping, scams, malware, social media — all blocked. PIN-locked. Free version available, no credit card.