It happens to everyone. You set a four-digit code six months ago because you wanted to stop doomscrolling TikTok at 2:00 AM, and now that you actually need to change a setting or give yourself "five more minutes," the numbers have vanished from your brain. You’re staring at that greyed-out screen. You’ve tried your birthday. Your old ATM pin. Your dog’s birthday? None of it works. Honestly, the frustration of the "i forgot my screen time password" moment is a specific kind of modern digital purgatory.
The good news is that we aren't in 2017 anymore. Back then, forgetting this specific passcode often meant a factory reset and a prayer that your iCloud backup was current. Apple finally got the hint and introduced a recovery flow that uses your Apple ID. It’s significantly less painful than it used to be, provided you remember your email password. If you don't? Well, things get a little more complicated, but it's still not a total dead end.
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Why Screen Time Passcodes are Different From Your Lock Screen
Most people assume the passcode they use to unlock their iPhone is the same as the Screen Time code. Sometimes it is, if you’re lazy with your security, but technically they are two separate layers of the iOS onion. The lock screen code gets you into the phone; the Screen Time passcode acts as the gatekeeper for Content & Privacy Restrictions and those pesky app limits.
Apple designed this to be harder to bypass because, let's face it, it's usually meant to keep kids (or impulsive adults) from overriding rules. If it were easy to guess or bypass, the whole "digital wellbeing" thing would be useless. But when you're the administrator of your own device and you're locked out, it feels less like "wellbeing" and more like being grounded by a robot.
The Apple ID Recovery Method (The Easy Way)
If your device is running anything newer than iOS 13.4 or iPadOS 13.4, you have a built-in escape hatch. You don't need a third-party "unlocker" tool that smells like malware. You just need your Apple ID credentials.
Go into your Settings, then tap on Screen Time. Look for the option that says Change Screen Time Passcode. You’ll tap it, and it will ask you again—tap Change Screen Time Passcode (or Turn Off). When the prompt appears asking for the old code, you’ll see a tiny link that says Forgot Passcode? right above the number pad.
This is where the magic happens.
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Enter the Apple ID and password you used to set up Screen Time. If you’ve forgotten your Apple ID password too, you're now in a "Russian Nesting Doll" of forgotten passwords, and you'll need to head to iforgot.apple.com first. Once the ID is authenticated, iOS lets you pick a brand new Screen Time code. Pick something you'll actually remember this time. Or write it down in a physical notebook. Old school works.
What if the Forgot Passcode Option Isn't There?
Sometimes, that "Forgot Passcode?" button just... doesn't show up. It’s annoying. This usually happens for a few specific reasons. Maybe you're on a very old version of iOS. Maybe the device is managed by a company (MDM) or a school. Or, most commonly, the Apple ID wasn't actually linked to the Screen Time passcode when it was first set up.
If you are a parent trying to reset a child's passcode, the process is slightly different. You don't do it on their phone. You do it on yours. You have to go to your own Settings, find Family Sharing, tap on the child’s name, and then look for Screen Time. From there, you can change their passcode without needing to know the old one. This is a huge lifesaver for parents whose kids "accidentally" changed the code to lock themselves into YouTube.
The Nuclear Option: Resetting Without a Backup
Let’s talk about the scenario no one wants. You don't have the Apple ID recovery option, you don't know the code, and you're stuck. In the past, you could use software like Pinfinder to dig through unencrypted iTunes backups to find the code in the raw data. Apple closed that loophole for security reasons. Now, the code isn't stored in a way that’s easily scrubbed.
If you absolutely cannot get the Apple ID recovery to work, you have to erase the device.
Wait. Don't just hit "Erase All Content and Settings" and restore from a backup. Here’s the kicker: the Screen Time passcode is often included in your iCloud and iTunes backups. If you back up a locked phone, erase it, and then restore that backup, you just restored the lock. You're back to square one. It’s a loop of failure.
To truly get rid of it without the Apple ID, you have to set the phone up as "New." This means you lose your photos, messages, and app data unless they are synced individually via iCloud (like iCloud Photos, Contacts, and Notes). It’s a high price to pay for a four-digit number.
Myths About Bypassing Screen Time
You'll see a lot of YouTube videos claiming you can bypass Screen Time by changing the system clock or using screen recording to "catch" the passcode. Most of these have been patched. Apple is pretty quick about closing "time-travel" exploits where users move the clock back to get more app time.
Also, be extremely wary of any "iPhone Unlocker" software that costs $40 and looks like it was designed in 2004. Most of these programs just automate the factory reset process you can do yourself for free with a computer and a USB cable. If a software claims it can "read" your passcode from a modern iPhone running iOS 17 or 18 without erasing it, they are likely lying. The encryption is just too strong.
Specific Steps for Mac Users
If you're seeing the Screen Time prompt on your MacBook or iMac, the process is similar but the UI is different. You'll head to System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS), click Screen Time, and then Change Passcode. The "Forgot Passcode" button should appear there as well. Since Macs are often tied to your iCloud login, it usually just requires your local Mac admin password or your Apple ID.
Real-World Scenarios and Nuances
I’ve seen cases where people bought a used iPhone and the previous owner forgot to sign out of Screen Time. That’s a nightmare. If the "Find My" activation lock is off, but Screen Time is on, you can still use the phone, but you can't change certain privacy settings. In this specific case, if you don't have the previous owner's Apple ID, you are effectively stuck with a factory reset. This is why you should always check Screen Time settings before handing over cash for a second-hand device.
Another weird glitch? Sometimes the Screen Time passcode prompt hangs or doesn't accept the correct Apple ID. If this happens, a hard restart of the device (Volume Up, Volume Down, then hold the Power button) usually clears the cache enough to make the recovery link work.
How to Prevent This Tomorrow
Once you get back in, do yourself a favor.
- Use a Password Manager: Store the code in 1Password, Bitwarden, or even a locked Note in your phone.
- Ensure Apple ID Recovery is ON: When you set a new code, iOS will specifically ask for an Apple ID for recovery. Do not skip this step.
- Don't use 0000 or 1234: If you're going to use something simple, at least make it a year that means something to you but isn't your birth year.
Actionable Steps to Fix It Now
If you're currently locked out, follow this exact sequence:
- Check your iOS version: Ensure you are updated to at least iOS 13.4. If you're on an older version, update the phone via a computer first; this might enable the recovery option.
- Try the "Forgot Passcode" link: Go to Settings > Screen Time > Change Screen Time Passcode and look for that link.
- Family Organizer check: If you’re part of an iCloud Family Sharing plan, ask the "Organizer" to reset it from their device. This works 90% of the time for kids and teens.
- The "Last Resort" Backup: If you must erase the phone, sync your Photos to iCloud first. Ensure your Contacts and Notes are toggled "On" in iCloud settings. These will sync back even if you don't restore a full backup.
- Factory Reset: Use a Mac or PC to put the phone into Recovery Mode and "Restore" it to factory settings. Set it up as a new device and sign in to iCloud to pull down your synced data.
Forget the "hacks" and the sketchy software. Stick to the Apple ID recovery path or the Family Sharing reset. They are the only reliable ways to move past the "i forgot my screen time password" hurdle without turning your iPhone into a very expensive paperweight.