What is Screen Time passcode in iOS 12?

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.

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.

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

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?

huhuhu! ididn’t enter any passcode on my screen time when i updated to ios 12..please help me.i try to entered my remembered passcode but it didn’t work..now its 10x failed and try again after 60mins.!

Here are the instructions on erasing when you can't remember one of the passcodes. You can't just simply do it from the iOS Settings.

If you forgot the passcode for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or your device is disabled - Apple Support

Erasing doesn’t work you need the screen time passcode.

You don't erase, you restore using iTunes. Very different.

See >>> Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support

That's a great idea. Why don't you suggest it to Apple? https://apple.com/feedback. Posting a suggestion here is a waste of time, as Apple does not read Apple Support Communities for suggestions or to provide support.

Guessing the code, BTW, is not terribly rewarding. You get 10 guesses before it locks out and requires restoring iOS and setting up as a new phone. And iOS 12 has a setting that prevents that. The pin finder has always been a weak spot, but until some "helpful" users posted a link to it kids would have been unlikely to find it.

The problem with Face ID is that until the Xs and Xs max the phone could only hold one face ID. Both that and fingerprints require the phone to be unlocked with a passcode if it has been powered off or reset.

cherylfromaiea wrote:

This is insane of Apple to do! I hope they’re reading all of our posts.

No, they are not reading any of our posts. This is a user to user forum. If you want to express an opinion to Apple use https://apple.com/feedback.

The Restrictions passcode exists for managing parental controls. If there was an easy way to get around it then it would be useless for that purpose.

Yes, great idea to go to another platform than Apple. However, no matter what platform you go to you will find features that you don't like. Such as Google spying on virtually everything that you do if you go to Android.

Backing up won't help, as the restrictions code is saved in the backup, so you will have to set up the phone as new, as your sons do.

Think this through. The Restrictions Passcode was in an iOS 11 backup. That means that Restrictions were enabled in iOS 11, before you updated to iOS 12. So Restrictions was ON before you updated. If Restrictions had not been enabled in iOS 11 there would have been no Restrictions Passcode to recover from an iOS 11 backup.

This means that someone enabled Restrictions and entered a Restrictions passcode - twice - at some time in the past. There are only 2 ways this can happen:

1. You or someone who had access to your phone did it.
2. You have or had a company email account on your phone. This gives the account administrator the ability to add restrictions and create a passcode.

Note that the Restrictions may have been enabled any time in the past, on any version of iOS, on this phone, or on any phone that was backed up and then restored to this phone. So it's possible that all of your phones and iOS versions have had Restrictions enabled, but you didn't notice until now.

And?

This passcode is separate to a lock screen passcode. One can be 6 digit while the other is 4.

My screen time was not enabled by default. I overtly enabled it, and disabled it, in settings using the dialogs seen above.

Sorry your experience was different,

It's not a bug. If you ever had a passcode for Restrictions then that passcode is now your Screen Time passcode. Many people don't remember setting a Restrictions passcode especially if they were just playing around with what options the Restrictions had and then never went into them again.

Regarding your iPad, go into the Restrictions and make sure there isn't a passcode. If there isn't, then you shouldn't have any problems upgrading to iOS 12 on the iPad and there won't be a passcode for Screen Time.

I experienced the same issue. The Screen Time Passcode was enabled after iOS 12 upgrade without being asked.

I recalled that have setup a separate 4 characters Restriction Passcode in the past.

The Screen Time Passcode is the same as the previously setup separate 4 characters Restriction Passcode. It works in my case.

Seriously, Apple should have explained it in a better manner.

I also have an iPhone 6s. Have you tried calling Apple Support directly for a tech support technician? I get through using #800-676-2775 or 800-692-7753 Also go to Settings and type in the search bar Control on Lock Screen.