A hostile has placed a screen time passcode on my iphone. I need to remove it and don't know the passcode nor the apple user id and password used to initiate the creation of the passcode. How do I remove or reset the passcode? Do I need to do a factory reset?
iPhone SE, iOS 26
Yes, if you do not know the Screen Time passcode and do not have the Apple Account credentials used to set it up, you must perform a factory reset/restore to remove it completely.
Do You Need a Factory Reset?
Yes, if you do not know the Screen Time passcode and do not have the Apple Account credentials used to set it up, you must perform a factory reset/restore to remove it completely.
Do You Need a Factory Reset?
Did you enter someone else's credentials on your phone? If so, you were scammed.
Unfortunately your phone is now a worthless brick. Putting it in Recovery mode will not unlock it, all you can do is recycle the phone now as it is permanently locked to the scammer. They most likely put it in lost mode and not even Apple can unlock it for you. Don't bother to pay the ransom as they will not unlock it and just keep asking you for more money.
Lesson learned, do not ever put anyone else's credential on your phone.
My phone was given a passcode without my permission
