What is Screen Time passcode in iOS 12?

Upon advice of our local apple store technician all i did was to reset to factory settings and activate as a new phone. I did not synch to my timeline files. Also I saved my important files to my icloud drive..

I also had this problem. Would have sworn that I had never set any kind of previous restriction code. Following above advice, I did the following:

(1) opened iTunes on my desktop computer,

(2) connected my iPad to the computer,

(3) selected the iPad under ‘device’, and

(4) under ‘summary’ I performed an encrypted back-up of my iPad on iTunes.

(5) Then on the computer I downloaded a freeware program called pinfinder at https://pinfinder.net.

(6) Ran this program on the computer and it immediately identified a 4-digit code that I did not remember setting, but it was a number I recognized.

(7) Entered that number as the passcode for Screen Time and IT WORKED!

tnxgod wrote:

i too am 100% sure of the 4 digit password. it was the simplest password because it was just screen time. but when this was denied i tried to key in adjacent numbers as i often unintentionally punch the adjacent number. So is there a way to fix this mess?

The only way is to restore the phone and set it up as New.

So, it's true, or not ? Does screentime turn on by itself ? or you just messed up and dont remember ?

Screen time does not turn on by itself no. It will only be on after updating to iOS 12, if Restrictions were turned on, on the device before updating to iOS 12.

It's very common for people to turn on Restrictions for some reason, and then forget about it entirely.

The only other possibility I have seen, is if they had Guided Access turned on and had a passcode set for it. Some people report Screen Time will then be activated, with the Guided Access passcode.

After almost a week, my escalated issue was solved with the help of the engineering team. Since this was for my son's ipad, I was able to go into it through my iphone and set a master passcode under my screentime option.

I was able to fix this issue by taking out the child's account from the family plan and re-adding it. When you do this, the screen time gets reset and you can set it up again. hope this helps.

I also have no recollection of ever setting a password for Restrictions. Saw your post after already 8 failed attempts and tried '1111' which worked! Maybe a coincidence, but thanks for your post.

Wow, HUGE bug of iOS 12. I never setup screen time, yet it is enabled and with a password... If completely deleting my device and starting from square one... that better not be the answer. Also, what does that mean for my iPad, do I have to do the same with that one, which also expects a password I never created?

For those who are still struggling with this, and who don't want to restart their phone from new, I've figured out a method identify what your restrictions passcode is.

You can use https://pinfinder.net/ to look at your phone backup to identify the restrictions password. Unfortunately, it only works on iOS11 backups, so if you don't have that on your system, you will first need to downgrade your device (back to iOS 11), then make a backup, and run pinfinder on that backup.

To locate your backups, follow the instructions at Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support.

In order to downgrade your device back to the previous iOS, follow the instructions at https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-downgrade-from-ios-12/.

It's a bit of a workaround but it will do the trick.

I am facing same issue. I don't even know what is Restriction in iOS. 😢

I never used that either. The amount of time it is increasing on every wrong attempt is pathetic.

Apple has screwed it big time. Why on earth they enabled it by default 😠

Mine did the same thing. During the initial welcome pages of iOS 12 it just spontaneously displayed a message saying “Screen Time Passcode Set.” After 5 tries on the “Change Screen Time Passcode” screen in Settings, I got it to accept an older passcode I’d used to put restrictions on my phone back when my kid didn’t have one. Somehow it resurrected that code and supplied it for the new feature. Clearly a hiccup in iOS 12 that will break that feature for some people until Apple pushes out a fix (or until you set up your new XS!). Cuz personally, that feature (by itself) would never be worth the pain of a full restore on my 256GB phone. But I can confirm that, for me, it was indeed an old restrictions passcode that got put in there during setup without my having anything to do with it.

My son's ipad mini 4 all of a sudden after upgrading to iOS 12 has a screentime restriction of 1 hour. We don't have a passcode for it and I've wiped it 3 times and done a new install each time - and it keeps coming back. One was even a fresh install without downloading all old apps or content.

Neither my wife or I had set it up and now we can't get rid of it.

This is a maddening bug and it can't send me a recovery link. HELP!

i too am 100% sure of the 4 digit password. it was the simplest password because it was just screen time. but when this was denied i tried to key in adjacent numbers as i often unintentionally punch the adjacent number. So is there a way to fix this mess?

Yes my problem is screen time password. I set limits to social sites. I just wanted to test setting "time" restriction for me first. So any solutions? I tried reset and restore using backup. I have not tried setting to new

Restrictions passcode and now screen time pass codes, are stored in backups and will return on a restore.

Setting up as new is the only resolution.

See >>> Use Screen Time to prevent purchasing on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support