How to Turn Off Screen Time on an iOS Device Without the Passcode

Screen Time, Apple‘s built-in tool for monitoring and limiting device usage, has become incredibly popular since its launch in 2018. According to Apple, the average iPhone user spends 3 hours and 54 minutes per day on their device. For many, Screen Time is an invaluable way to keep that usage in check and establish healthier digital habits.

In fact, a 2019 study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that using Screen Time reduced total phone usage by an average of 21% among young adults. The feature is especially helpful for parents looking to manage their children‘s device time. A 2020 Pew Research survey revealed that 2 out of 3 parents are concerned about their kids spending too much time in front of screens.

But what happens when you want to disable Screen Time and you‘ve forgotten the passcode you used to secure it? Whether you‘ve lost the Screen Time passcode, it was set by someone else, or your child managed to enable it without your knowledge, being locked out of Screen Time settings can be incredibly frustrating.

Fortunately, even without the passcode, there are still ways to get around the Screen Time lock and turn the feature off on your iPhone or iPad. In this guide, we‘ll cover three methods for disabling Screen Time, laid out step-by-step. These methods vary in terms of complexity and the level of device access required.

Let‘s start with the easiest way to regain control of Screen Time settings:

Method 1: Recover Screen Time Passcode Using Apple ID

Every iOS device is tied to an Apple ID used to set it up initially. If you know the password for that Apple ID, you can use it to reset the Screen Time passcode and then disable Screen Time. Here‘s how:

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Step 2: Tap "Screen Time" in the left sidebar.
Step 3: Scroll down and tap "Change Screen Time Passcode" near the bottom of the screen.
Step 4: On the pop up that appears, tap "Forgot Passcode?"
Step 5: You‘ll be prompted to enter the password for the Apple ID associated with the device. Type it in and tap "OK" to confirm.

After completing these steps, the old Screen Time passcode will be erased, allowing you to access Screen Time settings again. You‘ll see the "Change Screen Time Passcode" option has reverted to "Turn On Screen Time Passcode" since the feature is no longer password-protected.

From here, you can adjust your Screen Time settings or tap "Turn Off Screen Time" at the top of the Screen Time page to disable it entirely. The feature will remain off unless you or someone else on the device enables it again.

It‘s worth noting that you‘ll need to reset your Apple ID password first if you‘ve forgotten that as well. You can do so by visiting appleid.apple.com, clicking "Forgot Apple ID or password" and following the account recovery prompts.

In most cases, regaining access to Screen Time using your Apple ID is the best approach, as it doesn‘t risk losing any data or impacting any other device functions. However, if the Apple ID method fails, you can try signing out of iCloud altogether.

Method 2: Sign Out of iCloud on the Device

Another way to circumvent a forgotten Screen Time passcode is to sign out of the iCloud account associated with the device. Since Screen Time settings are tied to iCloud, doing so disables the feature along with other iCloud-dependent functions.

Before following the steps to sign out, be aware of what iCloud data you may lose access to, including:

• iCloud Photos
• iCloud Drive files
• Contacts, calendar events, reminders and notes stored in iCloud
• iCloud Mail (if set up)
• Recent iMessages (if Messages in iCloud is enabled)
• Find My tracking ability

Any data that hasn‘t been synced to iCloud will remain on the device, but you won‘t be able to access the above cloud-stored information until you sign back into iCloud again.

With that in mind, here‘s how to sign out of iCloud on an iPhone or iPad:

Step 1: Open the Settings app, then tap on your name/profile picture at the very top.
Step 2: Scroll down and tap "Sign Out" at the bottom of the Apple ID settings page.

Step 3: You may be asked whether you want to keep a copy of any iCloud data on the device. Select which data to retain a device copy of, then tap "Sign Out" again.
Step 4: Enter the password for your Apple ID to complete the sign out.

Once you‘ve signed out of iCloud, Screen Time will be turned off on the device. To re-enable it, you‘ll need to sign back into iCloud and set up Screen Time again.

Keep in mind that if Find My [device] is currently enabled, you‘ll be prompted to enter your Apple ID password to disable it prior to signing out. This is an anti-theft security feature that prevents someone from signing out of iCloud on a lost or stolen device. So even with this method, you‘ll need access to the Apple ID password.

If you‘re still unable to get into Screen Time settings with either of the above options, there is one last resort: resetting your device to its factory defaults.

Method 3: Erase Your iPhone or iPad

If you‘ve exhausted other options for disabling Screen Time, your last recourse is performing a factory reset. This will completely erase all content and settings on the device, returning it to its default setup.

Of course, resetting your iPhone or iPad just to remove Screen Time should only be done if absolutely necessary, as it will result in permanent data loss if you don‘t have an iCloud or computer backup. Also, any apps and media that don‘t transfer over with the backup will need to be downloaded again.

There are two ways to factory reset an iOS device: on the device itself or by connecting to a computer. The computer method is useful if you‘re locked out of device settings entirely.

Option A: Reset Using a Computer

To factory reset your iPhone or iPad by connecting it to a PC or Mac, follow these steps:

Step 1: Connect your device to the computer using a USB to Lightning or USB-C cable.
Step 2: Open Finder (macOS Catalina or later) or iTunes (PC/older macOS).
Step 3: Click the device icon in the Finder/iTunes window.
Step 4: Click "Restore iPhone/iPad" and then click Restore again to confirm.

Step 5: If prompted, enter your Apple ID password to disable Find My and allow the computer to activate the device after the reset.
Step 6: Keep the device connected and wait for the reset process to complete. This may take several minutes.
Step 7: Once the device reboots, you can disconnect the cable and set it up as new.

Option B: Reset in iOS Settings

If you‘re still able to access device settings, you can factory reset directly on the device by following these steps:

Step 1: Open Settings and navigate to General > Transfer or Reset iPhone/iPad.
Step 2: Tap "Erase All Content and Settings" and enter your device passcode to confirm.

Step 3: You may be prompted to enter your Apple ID password to disable Activation Lock as part of the erasure process.
Step 4: Confirm you wish to erase the device and wait for the process to complete, which may take a few minutes.
Step 5: Follow the prompts to set up the device again once it reboots.

After resetting the iPhone or iPad, Screen Time will be turned off when you go through the initial device setup steps again. You can choose whether or not to enable it during setup.

While a factory reset will remove Screen Time, it should really only be used if you don‘t know the Apple ID password and have exhausted other options. Even then, if Activation Lock is enabled, you‘ll need to enter the Apple ID before you can reset, as a security measure.

Alternative Parental Control Options

If you‘re using Screen Time mainly to manage a child‘s device usage, being locked out of the feature due to a forgotten passcode may have you considering alternative parental control solutions.

Some major third-party parental control services include:

• Bark: Bark is an all-in-one solution that monitors text messaging, YouTube, email and social media activity for signs of issues like cyberbullying, depression, online predators and more. It also includes web filtering and screen time management features.
• Qustodio: Qustodio‘s software lets you track your child‘s location, block inappropriate content, balance screen time across devices and monitor social media posts. You can manage all your child‘s devices from a centralized parent dashboard.
• Norton Family: Norton Family offers web and search filters to block unsuitable content as well as detailed reports on what your kids are searching for online. You can also set screen time limits, track location and receive alerts if your child visits suspicious sites.

While robust, most of these services do require an ongoing subscription. They also tend to go deeper on web/app monitoring compared to Screen Time. So it really depends on your specific needs and budget as to whether switching to a paid parental control makes sense.

Frequently Asked Screen Time Questions

To wrap up, let‘s go over some common questions about Screen Time settings, usage and troubleshooting:

Can I set communication limits for specific contacts?
Yes, with Screen Time you can manage which contacts your child can communicate with and during what hours. Go to your child‘s name in Screen Time settings and tap Communication Limits.

How do I track my app usage in Screen Time?
Screen Time automatically records your daily app usage. To view your usage stats and trends, go to Settings > Screen Time and scroll down to the Most Used section. Tap "See All Activity" for even more detailed breakdowns.

Why are my app limits not working?
If app limits seem to not be applying, check that the date, time and time zone are set correctly on your device. You may also need to reboot the device after setting limits initially for them to take effect.

How many hours of screen time is healthy per day?
Most experts agree that adults should aim to keep recreational screen time under 2 hours per day, not counting work-related device usage. For kids, a rough guideline is no more than 1 hour per day for ages 2-5, and no more than 2 hours for ages 5-18.

Screen Time Passcode FAQ

Will Screen Time turn off automatically when my child reaches a certain age?
No, Screen Time doesn‘t have any automatic age-based shutoff. The feature remains enabled on the device until it is manually turned off by a parent/guardian.

Is the Screen Time passcode the same as the device passcode?
No, the Screen Time passcode is a separate 4-digit code used specifically to secure Screen Time settings. By default, it is different from the passcode used to unlock the device.

Can I recover my Screen Time passcode another way if I don‘t know my Apple ID password?
No, resetting a forgotten Screen Time passcode requires either the Apple ID password associated with the device, or erasing the device entirely. There is no workaround for recovering the actual Screen Time passcode itself.

The Bottom Line

Screen Time is an excellent tool for managing your or your family‘s iOS device usage, but forgetting the passcode can put you in a difficult situation. Luckily, by using your Apple ID to reset the passcode, signing out of iCloud on the device, or if necessary, performing a factory reset, you should be able to disable Screen Time, even without knowing the code.

While Screen Time works well for basic usage tracking and control, some families may find they need more robust filtering and monitoring capabilities, as offered by some third-party parental control software. But for many, Screen Time is an adequate and free built-in solution.

Hopefully this guide has helped you better understand your options for bypassing a forgotten Screen Time passcode. Remember, while Screen Time is useful for developing healthy digital habits, open communication with kids about online activity and device usage is still the best policy.