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How to reset forgotten Restrictions password with iPhone restore?

Hi,

I set restrictions on my iphone to disable in-app purchases so that my children don't rack up a bill on my account. Unfortunately I've forgotten the password and now I need an in-app purchase for CoPilot navigation app.

Can I reset my iPhone and then restore from a backup to clear the restrictions password? If so, is there a step by step guide to do this? Much appreciate any help.

Boz

iPhone 3GS, iOS 4, Windows 7 (rocks)

Posted on Nov 30, 2010 9:49 AM

Reply
316 replies

Oct 7, 2013 1:08 PM in response to walldogkl

I downloaded backup extractor and at the bottom right it says "Expert Mode" so I clicked that, then Library, Preferences,

then scrolled down to find ".com.apple.springboard (HomeDomain).plist" as well as ".com.apple.springboard (RootDomain).plist". but neither have the information I need.


I also clicked on the long file highlighted in blue under the heading "folder" and went all the way to the bottom where it has a file called "info" and that looked like what everyone has been saying with the "<string>" in it but I can't seem to find the restrictions code.


Does any of this make sense? Getting frustrated.

Oct 7, 2013 1:32 PM in response to bphf98

The code isn't in there. You have to make the changes suggested in the post by the user on page 18 and then restore the amended back up.


It didn't work for me at first.

The only changes I made to his instructions was that I had to create a new windows account and then do a back up on that account. And then amend the backup on ibackupbot. And then restore via iTunes.

Dec 15, 2013 4:16 AM in response to walldogkl

After hours of searching and trying, walldogkl's solution on page 18 worked for me (thanks!) with some modifications. I'm running iOS7.0.4 on an iPhone 4 with iTunes 11.1.3 (8) on my MBPR 15".


After viewing, editing and saving the .plist file in iBackupBot, "Restoring Backup/File to iPhone" withiBackupBot did not work for me. But I was able to restore with iTunes.


So my steps were

1-6)

8d)

9)

then save in iBackupBot

then restore with iTunes


And I set my new password in step 9 (instead of '1234'), which makes step 14 unnecessary.

Jan 4, 2014 5:42 AM in response to jjkboswell

>>> So I could try all my codes, but Apple decided that I must wait 1, 5, 15 and then 60 minutes between each attempt. Thanks Apple. So I could go through the rest of my codes, one every hour, or I could try and work out how to restore my phone.


>> just commenting on 1,5,15,60 minutes wait.


but there is a one shortout that works around the wait. (works for me)


once you know you are going to start the attempt.

1. turn off automatic setting of timezone under general - settings - date&time.

so now the time setting is manual.

2. set some back date and time manually.

say if today is 20th Sept 10am 20mins, then set date as 1st sept 10am 20mins

3. now you are ready to start your guess attempts.


4. go to general - settings - restrictions and try your attempt.

if the guess is wrong...

it would tell you wait for 1 or 5 or 15 or 60 minutes depending upon how many failed attempts you have.


5. so now to by-pass the waiting minutes , go back to date and time.

general - settings - date&time. - forward the time by that many times.

so if the currect was 20th Sept 10am 20mins , and the failed restriction attempts says wait 60mins.

so change date time to 20th Sept 11am 21mins.

This fools the iphone to time that the wait time has passed away.


6. go back to general - settings - restrictions , and you will be able to enter restriction code attempt again.


Once you are done with you restriction code attempts, then you can reset the time back to the current date and time.

Jan 26, 2014 1:39 PM in response to walldogkl

Hi,

I was excited to find these posts and I followed all of the instructions (using iBackupBot, etc) and now my phone will not even turn on. Sometimes it will show the apple icon and try to load, and then stop. I think I should have just accepted that I had restrictions on a passcode I never set and lived with it instead of trying anything...now I do not have a phone 😟.


Any thoughts anyone? Thanks for your response.


P.S. my power button does not work, I use accessibility to turn my phone off and power charging by wall plug or usb plug to turn it back on. This might limit my ability to reset.

Mar 2, 2014 10:17 AM in response to jjkboswell

Just read thru all of this and I have the iOs7 and just wanted to remind some people that if you are able to download an app and parental restrictions wasn't used there.....you can download the app find my iPhone directly to the device as long as you know the apple I'D and password you can sign into the app and wipe the device under actions. That is an option like I said for people who don't have app purchase restrictions. After the wipe it is important that you try and reactivate the device as a new device but and you will.have to enter the apple ID and pass code one more time. The reason for that is when u remotely wiped it you were essentially saying that you lost ur phone and no one can activate it until the original owners verify with the apple id and pw. Good luck be this saved me a lot of time having to download stuff to my computer etc.

Mar 27, 2014 12:12 PM in response to jjkboswell

I was struggling with this thing all day. I did what the instructions had said to do and couldn't find the SBParentalControlsPin string and then it dawned on me "Is it possible that the PIN is the default 0000." Lo and behold, that was it!


For anyone trying to figure out why the SBParentalControlsPin string doesn't show up, try 0000 (zero, zero, zero, zero). It worked for me!

How to reset forgotten Restrictions password with iPhone restore?

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