iOS · iPhone & iPad
How to Reset a Forgotten Screen Time Passcode on iPhone
Source-checked About 10 minutes
Answer
Use Settings > Screen Time > Change Screen Time Passcode, then authenticate with the Apple Account used when the passcode was created. There is no safe bypass: if family sharing manages the device, the family organizer must reset it from their device.
Open the Screen Time controls
On the iPhone, open Settings > Screen Time. Make sure you are working on the intended device and Apple Account before changing a family or child setting.
Start the passcode reset
Tap Change Screen Time Passcode, then tap Change Screen Time Passcode again. When the passcode screen appears, choose Forgot Passcode?
Authenticate with the recovery account
Enter the Apple Account email address and password used to set up the Screen Time passcode. This may be different from the account currently signed into iCloud on the device.
Create a new passcode
Enter a new four-digit Screen Time passcode and confirm it. Store it in a trusted password manager rather than reusing the iPhone unlock code.
Reset a child's passcode
For a child managed through Family Sharing, the family organizer opens Settings > Family > child's name > Screen Time on the organizer's device and follows the passcode-change prompts.
Update and retry the official flow
If Forgot Passcode? is absent, update every device in the family group and restart them. Confirm that the Apple Account is the one originally used for Screen Time recovery.
Use Apple Support when recovery fails
Contact Apple Support with proof of account ownership if the official recovery account is unavailable. Do not install an unlocker, configuration profile, or paid bypass tool; those cannot legitimately remove Activation Lock or account ownership controls.
Legacy sponsored link (not part of this fix)
This recorded third-party link is retained from the original tutorial for disclosure and continuity, but it is not a recommended remedy for the issue above. Do not use it to bypass country, school, workplace, age, account, or service restrictions, or to replace the product owner's supported app. Tech How may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
- If the iPhone is managed by a school or employer, its administrator may control Screen Time or restrictions.
- Erasing a device can cause data loss and does not remove Activation Lock; exhaust the official account-recovery path first.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: iPhone & iPad.
Follow the linked first-party guidance if labels differ after a platform or app update.