Screen time pass code entered without needing appleid password

Question

Screen time pass code entered without needing appleid password

Not really a question, more of a complaint. A year or so ago my brother in law added a screentime passcode to my ipad so my son couldn’t watch adult content on you tube but didn’t make a note of the passcode. How was he able to do this without my apple id password? Now I am trying to set up in app purchases and I can’t because I can’t access screen time settings. So apparently now I jump through hoops to restore from back up? Ridiculous. And today’s christmas present? Doesn’t look like it will happen. Give me a way to reset the screen time password. It clearly is already flawed security wise.

iPad Air, iOS 12

Posted on Dec 24, 2019 4:26 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Dec 24, 2019 4:30 PM in response to Spaghettimess

You cannot reset the screen time password. The only way to remove the password if you do not remember it is to restore the iPad to factory and set it up as new. See this for additional information. Use parental controls on your child's iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

If the iPad was unlocked, then the screen time passcode setting does not require the Apple ID and password to set. Just access to Settings.

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Answer 2

Dec 25, 2019 2:38 PM in response to Spaghettimess

The article in the link has many options to fix the issue. I ended up doing the backup to itunes which took 12+ hours (maybe would have been faster if I had remembered to use the high speed usb port :/) then I ran pinfinder against the backup and it got my pin :) :). Pinfinder source is on github so all very transparent. No need to try to guess a pin and get locked out.

Problem solved. No wiping of the ipad required.

Good luck to others having the same problem.

iIf you do have this problem add your complaint to the pile so a better fix can be supplied for those of us on devices that didn’t get the appleid password option to reset the screentime code in the last round of iOS updates. Include that it is stopping you from making purchases.

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Answer 3

Dec 24, 2019 6:06 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Lol “no one else has access to it”. No one has access to it at all. No one ever did under the name “screen time”.

Parental controls requested a “set and forget“ passcode which people didn’t bother remembering.

I think you might want to prefix any future answers to this problem which isn‘t going away with “I have bad news”. Your response is displayed to me with three options “helpful”, “solved my problem” and “reply”. A full device reset “solution” is never ever going to be met with applause.

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Answer 4

Dec 24, 2019 6:54 PM in response to Spaghettimess

I am on iOS 12.4.4 with no updates available.

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Answer 5

Dec 24, 2019 5:08 PM in response to Spaghettimess

Furthermore it is a load of rubbish that this cannot be fixed. It is entirely possible to release a patch to allow the user to choose between the screen time pass code or their apple id pass code to allow the screen time pass code to be reset.

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Answer 6

Dec 24, 2019 5:25 PM in response to Spaghettimess

I would acknowledge again that you took the time to respond, and thankyou for that.

Repeating the unhelpful “solution” that has been repeated a million times already isn’t helpful.

On semantics: No reset option, but there is a change the pass code option. And wiping the device doesn’t really need to then include restoring my data from backup, which apparently I shouldn’t be doing anyway because it will restore the pass code that I don’t know.

Option 1: I wipe my device and lose all of the progress for the app which i am trying to purchase an in app item. So I lose there.

Option 2: I don’t make the in app purchase today or in the future. So I lose there too. As do the app developer. And Apple.

So my problem is not solved, it is not a solution. And offering a partial solution is not helpful.

I will now waste more of my time determining if I can somehow get my progress back in my game if I did elect to wipe the device. And I will also explore if I can set up an in app purchase on my iphone and have it transfer across to the ipad. Fingers crossed. If you have information to offer for those ideas, please do share.

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Answer 7

Dec 24, 2019 4:50 PM in response to Spaghettimess

Oh and I won’t be trying google’s suggested hacker websites :/

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Answer 8

Dec 25, 2019 2:41 PM in response to Spaghettimess

I pressed solve on the wrong post and can’t undo it :/

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Answer 9

Dec 24, 2019 4:49 PM in response to Spaghettimess

So reading up on screen time, looks like the pass code was inherited from restrictions, which was what my brother in law set a while ago.

But so so stupid on apple’s part because screen time is more than restrictions and in the old posts I am reading I think people forgot to remind Apple loudly enough that they just cut off access to the in app purchases settings.

Well less money spent is a good thing I guess... I won’t be wiping my device any time soon, just sticking to the free stuff as per usual. Wiping my device because they stuffed up. Ridiculous solution.

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Answer 10

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Dec 24, 2019 5:09 PM in response to Spaghettimess

Spaghettimess wrote:

That is not helpful and it has not solved my problem. Thankyou for replying.

What is not helpful? I told you the only way to remove Screen Time passcode it to restore the device to factory and set it up as new, without using a backup. That is the only way to solve your problem.

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Answer 11

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,309 points

Dec 24, 2019 5:44 PM in response to Spaghettimess

The screen time passcode only exists on your device and is encrypted and no one has access to it. That is why when you attempt to change a code, you have to enter the current code, to ensure that you are the one that can access it. No one else has access to it, that is why it cannot be changed without the original. It is a security measure. I'm sorry that you are upset about that, but there is nothing else that can be done. Also, you never indicated that you were aware of the information in the link I provided, so I wouldn't know that I was repeating something you were already aware of. While you may not feel your problem is solved, the only solution is the one I provided, whether you like it or not. In app purchases are controlled by the app developer, maybe contact them about making a purchase on your iPhone and see if it can be transferred. Only they could answer that question.

Lastly, I'm a user just like you that volunteers time here to try to help people. If you are upset with Apple, okay, but don't take your frustration out on any of us here.

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