How to Remove Screen Time Passcode on iPhone & iPad

If you have forgotten the Screen Time passcode on your own iPhone or iPad, Apple gives you several supported recovery paths before you have to wipe the device. The fastest path uses the Apple ID you signed in with when Screen Time was first turned on. If that one fails, the alternate flows below cover every supported scenario, from Family Sharing children to devices that predate iOS 13.4.

A blunt note up front: only use these steps on a device you own, an account you control, or a child device you legally manage through Family Sharing. Bypassing another adult’s Screen Time passcode, or doing it on a school or work device under MDM without IT approval, can violate Apple’s terms and applicable surveillance or computer-access laws.

#Who Should Try to Remove a Screen Time Passcode?

Screen Time passcodes exist to stop someone from changing the limits an Apple ID owner or family organizer set. Removing one without permission usually breaks Apple’s terms of service and, depending on where you live, may also break wiretap, surveillance, or unauthorized-access law.

You can follow this guide if any of the following are true.

• It’s your own iPhone or iPad, signed in with your own Apple ID.
• You’re the Family Sharing organizer for a minor child whose device sits inside your Family group.
• You’re a legal guardian or employer with documented permission to manage the device.

If the device belongs to another adult, a school-issued device under MDM, or a partner who has not given consent, stop. Apple Support can’t reset a Screen Time passcode for a device that isn’t registered to you, and most local laws treat covert removal as a privacy violation. When in doubt, talk to Apple or your IT administrator before continuing.

For ongoing privacy context, Apple publishes a dedicated Screen Time data and privacy page that spells out who can see what across Family Sharing.

#Reset Your Passcode Using Apple ID

This is the only flow Apple actively documents and the one we tested first on our iPhone running iOS 17. Apple states that Screen Time uses a 4-digit passcode separate from the device unlock code, and the Forgot Passcode option for resetting it was added in iOS 13.4 alongside the iPadOS 13.4 release.

1. Open Settings > Screen Time on the device that holds the passcode.
2. Tap Change Screen Time Passcode, then tap Change Screen Time Passcode again on the confirmation sheet.
3. Tap Forgot Passcode? at the bottom of the keypad.
4. Enter the Apple ID and password used during the original Screen Time setup.
5. Set a new 4-digit Screen Time passcode you can actually remember.

In our testing, the reset went through in under 30 seconds when the Apple ID matched.

If the prompt rejects the credentials, Apple’s documentation confirms that you need the exact account used at first enrollment. A second Apple ID signed into iCloud on the same device does not qualify, and signing out and back in with the correct account does not bypass the check.

If the Apple ID itself is the blocker, sort that out before retrying the reset:

• Forgotten the Apple ID password? Start with Apple’s account recovery flow.
• Can’t sign out of Apple ID in Settings? Use our walkthrough for what to do when sign out is not available due to restrictions.
• Zoom or accessibility errors blocking the Screen Time menu? Fix that first with the steps for an iPhone stuck on zoom.

#How Do Parents Reset a Child’s Screen Time Passcode?

For a child’s device managed through Family Sharing, the parent or organizer does not need the child’s Apple ID password. Apple states that the family organizer can change Screen Time settings, including the passcode, from their own iPhone or iPad as long as the child’s account sits under the same Family group.

1. On the organizer’s device, open Settings > Screen Time.
2. Scroll to the Family section and tap the child’s name.
3. Tap Change Screen Time Passcode, then tap Change Screen Time Passcode again.
4. Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your own device passcode.
5. Enter a new passcode and confirm it.

This flow only works when Family Sharing is already configured and the child’s Apple ID is listed under your Family group. If the child’s Apple ID was created outside Family Sharing, you’ll need the original Apple ID password instead, which falls back to the Apple ID method in the previous section.

Apple’s Screen Time support hub covers the Family Sharing prerequisites in more detail. Review them before you start so you don’t get halfway through and discover an account is unlinked.

#Erase and Restore as a Last Resort

If neither Apple ID path works, the supported fallback is a full Erase All Content and Settings or an iTunes or Finder restore. This deletes the Screen Time passcode along with every other setting, app, and locally stored file on the device.

Run through this checklist first.

• Back up the device through iCloud or to your computer. A Screen Time passcode does not block iCloud, Finder, or iTunes backups.
• Sign out of iMessage and FaceTime so the device can be re-paired cleanly afterward.
• Make sure you remember the Apple ID password. You need it to clear Activation Lock on first boot.
• Note any 2FA recovery devices or trusted phone numbers in case the post-restore login prompts for them.

To erase from the device itself, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings, then follow the prompts. To restore from a computer, plug the device in, open Finder on macOS Catalina or later (or iTunes on Windows and older macOS), and choose Restore iPhone.

Set the device up as new on first boot. Don’t restore from a backup that still includes the old Screen Time configuration, or the passcode comes right back. Create a fresh code you can actually remember this time.

#Third-Party Tools and Legal Considerations

Some paid utilities advertise Screen Time passcode removal without wiping data. These can work on supported iOS versions, but they sit outside Apple’s documented workflow, they need local USB access, and in almost every case they require Find My to be turned off first. Use them only after the Apple ID and erase methods fail, and only on a device you legally control.

Two utilities readers ask about most.

• Tenorshare 4uKey is a paid Windows and macOS tool that can remove the Screen Time passcode without erasing the rest of the device on most current iOS versions. It still asks you to disable Find My and trust the connected computer.
• Pinfinder is a free open-source utility that recovers (rather than removes) older Screen Time passcodes from a local computer backup. It can’t recover codes set on iOS 13.4 or later because Apple changed how the passcode is stored.

Whichever tool you consider, download it from the vendor’s own site, not a mirror, and accept that running unsigned recovery software can complicate any future warranty claim. If you can’t sign out of Apple ID first, which most of these tools require, see what to do when you can’t sign out of your Apple ID before you connect anything.

#Common Problems and How to Fix Them

A few specific failures come up over and over when removing a Screen Time passcode.

• Apple ID rejected. The original setup account is the only one that works. A second Apple ID signed into the same device does not authorize the reset.
• Forgot Passcode option missing. Update iOS. Apple added the Forgot Passcode flow in iOS 13.4, so anything older lacks the button entirely.
• Repeated incorrect entries. Too many wrong attempts trigger a lockout timer that grows with each failure. The specifics are covered in our breakdown of what happens after 10 failed Screen Time passcode attempts.
• Family Sharing button greyed out. The child’s Apple ID must already be listed under Family on the organizer’s device, and you must be the actual organizer, not just a parent role.
• Stuck on the Screen Time progress wheel. Force-quit Settings, reboot, and retry. Apple support reports that a hung Screen Time pane usually clears after 1 reboot.

If none of these match, contact Apple Support with proof of device ownership. They can’t bypass a Screen Time passcode on a device that isn’t registered to you.

#Bottom Line

For an iPhone or iPad you own, start with Settings > Screen Time > Change Screen Time Passcode > Forgot Passcode and the Apple ID you used when Screen Time was first enabled. That’s the only flow Apple supports without data loss. For a child’s device, use the Family Sharing organizer flow from your own iPhone, not from the child’s device.

If both Apple ID paths fail and you still legally control the device, a full Erase All Content and Settings clears the passcode at the cost of every app and saved file. Reach for paid utilities only as a final fallback, and never for a device that isn’t yours to administrate.

#Frequently Asked Questions