How is my child bypassing screentime limits?

I haven’t read the other comments so I’m not sure if anyone has already said this, but when you turn your iPhone off and turn it back up again, it gives you around 30 seconds where all the apps are still loading. In those 30 seconds any app that has a limit on won’t have a limit and will be available to use while the iPhone is still loading everything in the background. Try it yourself: put a limit on an app of 1 minute. Use the app until the limit runs out and when it asks you for 1 more minute, use that minute too to run the app out of time completely. Then turn your phone off and on again. After turning your phone on, quickly go to that same app and try opening it again.

I’m not sure if you got anywhere with this. I realize it’s and older post. BUT I just found out from my own issues with my kid with this that they can use other apps like maps, Life360, watch, health, settings even! They go to the legal formats for the apps and click on the web browser link and then they are in to use the internet even if the internet is deleted from their phone. It’s very sneaky. I was able to delete everything but the settings app. I’ll just have to keep my eyes on it. Hope this helps someone

Hello,

Being a child (above 13) myself with Screen Time too, I know exactly what method has been being used. After reading through each post in this thread carefully, I examined the possibilities of what exploit could have been used. Here's the thing: Your child is not using any exploit.

You mentioned that your child does not know the Screen Time passcode but does in fact know your iPhone password. When your child reaches downtime/their limit for the day, they are presented the option to Request Time. Your child can request time and a popup will appear on family organizers' devices. Now, when clicked, this notification will ask for your screen time passcode. However, if you simply hold down the notification, you get four options.

Don't Approve

Approve for 15 minutes

Approve for 1 Hour

Approve for all day

When your child clicks Approve All Day, it does not ask for a screen time passcode and gives access to the app(s) requested until 12am (Midnight).

My recommendation is to change your passcode immediately! This will most likely fix your problem.

Some questions:

1) Did you (or another adult) as Family Organizer create the child’s AppleID as described here:

Create an Apple ID for your child - Apple Support

2) Did the Family Organizer personally setup the child’s device after it had been Factory Reset (or purchased new) … specifically selecting “This is a Child’s Device” during setup?

3) Did the Family Organizer additionally setup Screentime on the child’s device - again selecting “This is a Child’s Device” AND use a unique secret passcode unknown to the child?

Use parental controls on your child's iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

4) If the Organizer selected to use their OWN AppleID for Screentime passcode revovery, is the adult’s AppleID password indeed unknown to the child?

5) Within Screentime - specifically within the final group “Other Settings and Features” are restrictions set to prevent child from:

• Changing AppleID
• Changing Device Passcode
• Changing Data Plans

My teen has admitted to getting around screen time and restricted contacts by turning his phone off. When the phone is powered back on, it gives him access to apps and phone numbers for a few moments (I haven't timed how long) before the regular parental control settings start working again.

Mazaresbern wrote:

1. I have the same issue, and I know how he does it. I have been requesting support for this problem for a long time but there seems to be no solution from Apple.

The method used is the following:

Click on change screentime code.

2. Click on I forgot the password.

3. When asked Appe ID you write it and then click on “forgot password”

4. Then you are asked the 6 digit code of the phone (!!!) and there you go, it allows you to change the Apple ID password, with which you are allowed to change the 4 digit screen time code.

Now the kid can do whatever he wants.

If he has the 6 digit code for unblocking the phone, then the screen time can be overriden in a matter of seconds.

At least this is the problem I have, I hope this can help.

Cheers

When setting the ScreenTime passcode, you can optionally associate the ScreenTime passcode with an AppleID account. Choose an AppleID that is not the child's AppleID (e.g., you own AppleID - the password for which should be known only to you).

Alternatively, when setting the ScreenTime Passcode, you can skip associating the ScreenTime Passcode with an AppleID altogether. This will prevent reset of an unknown ScreenTime Passcode - but consider that a subsequently forgotten ScreenTime Passcode will entail complete reset of the iPad and starting again afresh; in this situation you will not be able to restore data from an iCloud or iTunes backup - as to do so you would also restore the unknown ScreenTime Passcode.

It’s actually a very simple bypass. My daughter restarts her phone and opens the app upon restart whichever she wants to use and from there it doesn’t turn it offf on her. She restarts with each app she uses I believe. It’s been going on for months after downtime and I havent been able to do anything to change that. The only way I knew was by checking her total screen time and it shows the times and amount they are on them. It’s ridiculous. Hope this helps

I have the same issue, and I know how he does it. I have been requesting support for this problem for a long time but there seems to be no solution from Apple.

The method used is the following:

1. Click on change screentime code.
2. Click on I forgot the password.
3. When asked Appe ID you write it and then click on “forgot password”
4. Then you are asked the 6 digit code of the phone (!!!) and there you go, it allows you to change the Apple ID password, with which you are allowed to change the 4 digit screen time code.

Now the kid can do whatever he wants.

If he has the 6 digit code for unblocking the phone, then the screen time can be overriden in a matter of seconds.

At least this is the problem I have, I hope this can help.

Cheers

Change your Screen Time passcode daily (keep it very different each time) & see if it still happens. It may be a PITA but if the unauthorized access still happens, you maybe he DOES know (by whatever means) the Screen Time passcode and may be keeping the access at a minimum (or within certain parameters) to draw attention away from it. It's worth a try anyways, especially if you don't change the Screen Time passcode regularly.

If changing the passcode daily does NOT stop the access, then he is gaining access in some other way (of which you are indeed trying to figure out).

Just a thought...I don't know that you mentioned it in what you've tried. Since these seem to be online apps (SnapChat and TikTok) that he wants to use, have you tried adding parental controls to the router/gateway to block all access to the internet from his specific device?

Momofabunch wrote:

My teen has admitted to getting around screen time and restricted contacts by turning his phone off. When the phone is powered back on, it gives him access to apps and phone numbers for a few moments (I haven't timed how long) before the regular parental control settings start working again.

Have you confirmed this?

It may also be that he knows your passcode and does not want to tell you. Even it it allowed access to an app for a few seconds it does not seem like it would be beneficial to restart your phone 30 times for just a minute of extra use.

This is exactly it. Mine does the same thing, admitted to it and showed me. They get exactly one minute to do what ever they want every time they reboot their phones before screentime kicks back in. This is a crappy design.

So far I am kind of ok with it as its annoying to them, but I would rather they not be allowed to do this. Defeats the purpose of screen time all together.

I have yet to find a fix.

jocie295 wrote:

Where are you finding where your child can change the passcode on their phone

Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Passcode Changes, and set that to Don't Allow to prevent a child from making Passcode changes.

Child bypasses using restart > one more minute > launch youtube in an inset window. The youtube won't show up on screentime as the app isn't considered active. The restrictions won't shut down the app because it isn't considered active.

Apple security is literally being defeated by grade-school children. I'm not being contentious, these are just the facts. Read the threads.