Forgot Your Screen Time Passcode on iPhone? How to Reset It

You want to change a Screen Time setting but you’ve forgotten the Screen Time passcode (the separate four-digit code, not your iPhone unlock code).

Why: Screen Time has its own passcode so the limits can’t be changed casually. If you set it up while signed in to your Apple Account, Apple lets you reset it with that account — no need to erase the phone.

Fix 1: Reset your own Screen Time passcode

Use the Apple Account entered when Screen Time Passcode Recovery was configured:

1. Open Settings > Screen Time > Manage Screen Time. On older iOS versions, Change Screen Time Passcode may appear directly on the Screen Time page.
2. Choose Change Screen Time Passcode, then choose it again. If the old-code screen offers Forgot Passcode?, use it.
3. Enter the Apple Account email address and password used for Screen Time recovery when prompted.
4. Set the new code and confirm it.

That recovery account may differ from the Apple Account currently signed in to the phone. Use the account actually saved for recovery, not a guessed family member’s credentials.

Fix 2: Reset a child’s code through Family Sharing

If a family organizer or parent/guardian manages the child’s Screen Time, use the adult’s own device, not the child’s:

1. On the adult’s iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Screen Time and select the child’s name under Family.
2. Open Manage Screen Time, then choose Change Screen Time Passcode twice. On older versions the change option may appear without the Manage Screen Time submenu.
3. Complete any authentication requested on the adult’s device, then enter and confirm the child’s new Screen Time code.

Update the devices to the latest supported software if their family settings are not syncing. The parent does not need to give their Apple Account password to the child.

Fix 3: If neither recovery route works

Confirm the original recovery account and the correct family organizer/parent route, then contact Apple Support through the source below. Do not erase the phone just because the reset option is missing on the child’s device.

Before considering an erase: it removes local content, and restoring a backup does not remove the Screen Time passcode. Check that important photos, files and account access are preserved separately, and confirm the appropriate next step with Apple. Avoid third-party tools that promise to bypass family restrictions or ask for your Apple Account password.

When setting a new passcode, add Screen Time Passcode Recovery so that it can be reset later.

FAQ

Is the Screen Time passcode the same as my unlock passcode? No. It’s a separate code specifically for Screen Time limits. If you forgot your iPhone unlock code, that’s a different recovery process.

Will I lose photos or apps? The personal and Family Sharing reset routes preserve your content. A device erase deletes local content; restoring a backup does not remove a Screen Time passcode.

I have Share Across Devices on. Your new Screen Time passcode automatically updates on your other devices after you reset it.

Sources: Apple Support — Change or reset your Screen Time passcode, Apple Support — Erase an iPhone or iPad