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What is Screen Time passcode in iOS 12?

I just upgraded to ios12. Screen Time was enabled by default. I want to turn it off. It demands a pass code. Obviously, I never set a pass code for Screen Time, since it didn't exist prior to the upgrade.


1) Restrictions, aka Parental controls, was not on when I upgraded. It's possible I messed around with it in the distant past and set a pass code at some point.


2) My screen lock pass code is 6 digits, while the Screen Time pass code is 4 digits, so the ST pc default is not the same as the screen lock pc.


3) I have tried several obvious (to me) pass codes, including 0000. Nothing works. I am now up to a 5 minute wait between tries.


[Insert nasty comments about Apple here]

[Re-Titled by Host]

Posted on Sep 17, 2018 6:09 PM

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Posted on Sep 18, 2018 3:58 PM

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.

171 replies

Oct 7, 2018 8:52 AM in response to JD9451

If you go to that website and follow the instructions your problem will be resolved. If you don't go to that website or don't follow the instructions in it then you are on your own. You will have to do your own research. But any solution that you find will be similar.


The only official Apple solution is to restore your phone and set it up as a new phone. You can always do that. Any other solution is a hack, and thus Apple will not support it. A harmless hack, but a hack nonetheless. If you want an expensive hack that really works go to https://iphonebackupextractor.com

EDITED: Correct the link

Oct 7, 2018 9:21 AM in response to debbiefromsan jose

debbiefromsan jose wrote:


After spending HOURS trying to make my iPhone work the way I wanted it to work, I finally found the solution. I went to Best Buy and bought a new Samsung. One hour later - I have a phone that works FOR ME. Bazinga! No need to bang my head against the wall trying to remember a 4 digit code I set up accidentally 4 upgrades ago.

Thanks for sharing.


Of course, you could have just set up the phone as New, and that would have solved the problem. Cost: $0. Time: 5 minutes.


Instead you spent how many hours traveling and waiting, and how much money for a new Samsung, that you had to set up as New anyway. I am so happy for you have unlimited time and money.

Oct 7, 2018 9:43 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

But after setting up my iPhone as "new" I would have had to spend hours restoring it to how I wanted it in the first place, hoping to gosh Apple doesn't send another Big Brother restriction my way with another update. About the "unlimited time" have you read the thread on this issue? I've already spent HOURS dinking around with this update (and the one before) and Apple's only solution is for ME to set up my phone as new. So the unlimited time my be with the Apple Community who calmly explain why as a consumer, it is my responsibility to figure out each and every update the Engineering Staff comes up with. And don't even get me started on iPhoto on my MAC. Even Genius Bar people felt sorry for me for putting 15 years of memories on that app. (with every back-up many get duplicated). Have a great day.

Oct 7, 2018 10:13 AM in response to debbiefromsan jose

Setting up your new Android would take just as long as setting up your iPhone, actually longer and more expensive, as you would have to buy all of the apps you use over again from the Google Play Store, not to mention finding apps in the Play Store that were not spyware.


If YOU had read this thread (I have, BTW) you would know that there are trivially easy ways to find out the restrictions/screen time passcode. In fact, the Solved post at the very top of every page tells you how. And I've even posted a couple. But I'm sure you don't care because you are getting an Android phone, which, of course, will be completely intuitive to use and will never have any problems, so you will not have to spend time in any support forums or contact Android support (which doesn't exist, BTW).


I could solve your iPhoto problems in 5 minutes, but I won't because you are getting an Android.

Oct 8, 2018 3:16 PM in response to Joe Sixpack

Hope this helps someone: iOS 12 used the 4 digit passcode for my iPad and applied it to Screen Time!


No, I have never set up any restrictions on this phone. I have never used that code on this device.


So if you’re stuck like I was, try any 4 number code you’ve used on any iOS device associated with that iCloud account. Good luck.

Oct 13, 2018 11:14 AM in response to virginiafromgainesville

Thank you but I used that one already. I currently have a list of over 80 four digit pass codes I've tried over the past 6 months including but not limited to 0000, 1234, 5678, the year of my birth, the year of my children's birth, the last four my social, part of my zip code, etc., etc., each time having to wait one day to try the next. In the meantime, I am unable to use Airdrop and other functions. Complete waste of time.

Oct 26, 2018 12:04 AM in response to Joe Sixpack

This is insane of Apple to do! I hope they’re reading all of our posts. What a waste of time trying to figure out a passcode that may have been set God knows when. I don’t even remember setting one specifically for this. And all passwords I’ve ever used in my life...all don’t work. Apple - you NEED to fix this! I do not want to have to reset my phone. And both of my sons have to set it back to new?? Since they don’t meticulous back it up like I do. This is absurd. I’m this close to leaving iPhones completely.

Oct 28, 2018 5:23 PM in response to Joe Sixpack

In this modern world one needs to change and remember so many passwords... and when Apple decided to include “screen time” as part of its new OS, and protects with a password from who-knows-where. With only recourse to erase and start your device as new - IT SUCK!

I NEVER agreed to install screen time on my device and to use an old password from a different application entirely.

Very arrogant from Apple to assume they know what’s good for me

Oct 28, 2018 6:21 PM in response to anypats

In my case, and I assume many other cases, Screen Time was turned on by default, and I wanted to turn it off. Or, at the very least, change the Screen Time settings. Restrictions was not turned on at the time of the upgrade, but Guided Access was. There was no reason to believe that having Guided Access turned on would result in some completely new App being turned on and locked up with a passcode. And, if I remember my set up correctly, Guided Access was controlled with a finger print, not a long forgotten passcode. Just admit it--Apple screwed up here. No, it's not that big a deal, but it surely is annoying.

What is Screen Time passcode in iOS 12?

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