Forgot iPhone Screen Time Passcode

This discussion will help, basically if forgotten you will need to Restore your device as new because the code is remembered in BackUp’s.

iOS 12 default Screen Time passcode?

I had the same issue with screentime requiring a passcode which I didn’t know. I have found a good article on how to find the passcode. It points to a website which will help you find passcode, it is not third party software that you have to down load. It worked for me! https://www.iphonelife.com/blog/5/tip-day-what-do-if-you-forget-your-restriction s-passcode#

Good luck!

JaeNjojo wrote:

As far as i have found to be successful is 1) log into “find my iphone” on the same device having issues

2) locate your device

3) erase device

4) download any one of your backups

screen time password does not carry over

That shouldn't work and goes again Apple's advice as per this article.

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

This is the relevant section.

You could try a third party password recovery tool as suggested earlier but you will be putting a lot of trust in someone else's software and giving it access to all your "sensitive" BackUp data, although they do say nothing is actually transmitted!

I haven’t enable ScreenTime yet, on the start-up screen after iOS12 rebooted I just skipped over that part and selected “Configure later”, or words to that affect. I hate configuring things on restarts because it’s prone to mistakes, much prefer to do it later when I can take my time about it.

If I had to guess, I would think the process is much like turning on your Device lock, if you enable it asks for a password, then asks you to confirm before finally enabling. Can’t you remember entering something at that start-up stage, even if you just pressed ”enter” key, if it’s locked now you must of set something up I would have thought.

Not sure what else to suggest, others might come along with ideas on how you can resolve.

ps. This discussion may help iOS 12 default Screen Time passcode?

If you simply don't remember the Restrictions Passcode you used previously, you'll have to restore your phone and not from backup. You can then bring your apps, photos, music, messages over after you've restored the phone. Again, DO NOT RESTORE FROM BACKUP.

This link will tell you how to restore from a forgotten passcode. There really is no other way around this: If you forgot the passcode for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or your device is disabled - Apple Support

As I suspected, forgetting one's Screen Time Passcode is virtually the same as forgetting one's Restrictions Passcode. This article I found tells you you'll need to restore your phone and start over:

https://appletoolbox.com/2018/08/reset-the-screen-time-passcode-on-ios-12/

Um3rJalil wrote:

Yes yesterday i update to IOS12 and check screenTime but it need passcode. So i dont know what is the passcode for screentime.

You may not have forgotten ScreenTime code, from what they are saying in the other discussion if you had Restrictions enabled the iOS12 update carries over the same passcode to ScreenTime, so can you remember your old Restrictions code, if so try that.

ps. Sorry rbrylawski if this is what you are implying in the above link, I just saw same in other discussion and thought it might help.

rbrylawski wrote:

...But I did have a Restrictions passcode set up on my iPhone X. I had to create a new passcode for ScreenTime when iOS12 loaded.

Another idea bites the dust then, I’ve just checked both my devices and never having had Restrictions set, I’m being asked to setup ScreenTime when going to that section, as one would expect.

Hope Um3rJalil can remember Restrictions code, like to see what happens when used.

Um3rJalil wrote:

I dont think , ever set the restriction code. If i did, then don’t remember the Passcode. What i explore on the internet only one solution. Take the backup and then reset the phone. :( so sad. Hopefully there is another way to recover the passcode.

I'm going to make your day worse. If you restore from backup, the same issue will present itself as the passcode that you can't remember is included in the backup. Don't restore from backup. You're going to have to restore your phone as new and rebuild things over again.

When I upgraded to iOS 12 it automatically turned on screentime and chose a passcode for screentime for me without my knowledge. Just as a guess, it tried using the first 4 digits of my 6 digit iPhone unlock code. It worked! I was able to turn off screentime. Phone call to apple support was unaware of this possible fix.

You most likely used that 4 digit code for your restrictions passcode on your previous phone. Assuming you did, the new phone simply used the stored passcode you had set (maybe years ago) which is contained in your backups.

Then you had a Restrictions Passcode setup on your iPad. Since you had a Restrictions passcode, when you updated to IOS 12, that is now the passcode for Screentime. If you didn't set up a restrictions passcode on your iPad, you likely set up your iPad when you got it from a backup of your iPhone at the time. The passcode is part of the backup.

I had this happen to me, with a sort of glitch where there were already four failed passcode attempts as soon as the update was downloaded. I tried so many things, all possible passcodes and nothing worked.

I just tried the first four numbers of my six number iPhone passcode, and it worked to let me in!

I had the same issue with screentime requiring a passcode which I didn’t know. I have found a good article on how to find the passcode. It points to a website which will help you find passcode, it is not third party software that you have to down load. It worked for me!

https://www.iphonelife.com/blog/5/tip-day-what-do-if-you-forget-your-restriction s-passcode#