What Is Screen Time Passcode and How to Use It to Set Restrictions

September 09, 2025Maya Bennett

Managing the usage of your iPhone or your child’s device has become a critical challenge. Fortunately, Apple has designed a specific feature to better control that through setting various restrictions. You can use Screen Time for intentional device management and parental control. This article tells what a Screen Time passcode is, how to set one and use it to add limits, and how to change or reset the Screen Time passcode.

What Is Screen Time Passcode

Part 1. What Is the Screen Time Passcode

Screen Time is an Apple security feature designed for parents to set up necessary controls for their child’s phone. The Screen Time passcode is a 4-digit code used exclusively to protect your Screen Time settings. It is a security layer exclusively for various Screen Time restrictions.

A Screen Time passcode differs from other device passwords. It is primarily designed to prevent unauthorized access to limited apps, purchases, or content. It also avoids unauthorized changes to the limitations you set up in Screen Time. The passcode stops your child from extending their app time, changing allowed websites, approving purchases, or altering privacy settings without your permission.

Part 2. How to Set a Screen Time Passcode on an iPhone or iPad

Step 1.
You can go to Settings and enter the Screen Time screen to set a passcode and customize related settings.

Tips: If it is the first time to enable Screen Time, you should turn on Screen Time and then follow the steps to create a password. Tap Continue and confirm the device belongs to you or your child.

Check Screen Time
Step 2.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions on the main Screen Time screen. Toggle Content & Privacy Restrictions to ON. You will be prompted to set a Screen Time passcode.
Step 3.
Enter a 4-digit code and re-enter it to confirm. Enter your Apple ID and password for later Recovery. That allows you to reset the Screen Time passcode if you forget it in the future.

After that, you can set restrictions based on your needs, such as Downtime, App Limits, Communication Limits, Content Restrictions, and more. The Screen Time passcode you just set will protect these settings.

Part 3. How to Change the Screen Time Passcode

When you need to change your Screen Time passcode on an iPhone or iPad, you should know the current passcode. Otherwise, you should use the linked Apple ID and passcode to perform a recovery.

Step 1.
Enter the Screen Time interface from the Settings app.
Step 2.
Tap Change Screen Time Passcode and then choose it again. You can also choose to turn off the password for Screen Time.
Step 3.
You will be prompted to enter the old Screen Time passcode. Type it in. Enter your new 4-digit passcode. You are required to enter the passcode again to verify it.
Change Screen Time Passcode

Part 4. How to Reset Your Screen Time Passcode Without a Password

When you have forgotten the current Screen Time passcode and want to reset it, the process will be extremely difficult. When you want to perform a passcode recovery, you still need the linked Apple ID password. You must enter your Apple ID and passcode when you originally set or last changed the Screen Time passcode.

It is generally considered impossible to reset the Screen Time passcode without a password. Even if you choose to factory reset the device, you still need the device passcode to confirm the action.

The Screen Time passcode is a separate code. As mentioned above, it is different from the passcodes used to unlock the screen or get apps. Its recovery can be complex if you forget your Screen Time passcode because Apple does not have a backup to recover it for you. Official recovery options are limited.

Part 5. Easy Way to Bypass the Screen Time Passcode If You Forgot

If you forget the current Screen Time passcode and want to bypass related restrictions, you can rely on the powerful iPhone Unlocker. It is specially designed to handle various password-forgotten issues. The software offers a straightforward way to bypass the Screen Time passcode.

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Step 1.
Download and launch iPhone Unlocker. Connect the target iOS device to the forgotten passcode. Choose the Unlock Screen Time.
Step 2.
Connect your iOS device and select one panel from the two. If the screen time lock was set up by yourself directly on your device, please click the left panel. If it was set up by your parents remotely from Family settings, please choose the right panel.
Screen-time Scenario Selection
Step 3.
Then, click Start Now to initiate the process.
Screen Time
Step 4.
Next, turn off Find My iPhone according to the guide on the screen. Plus, make sure that the screen passcode and the device's two-factor authentication are turned on. Then, click Unlock to begin unlocking.
Click Unlock After All Set Up

Part 6. FAQs of the Screen Time Passcode

Question 1. Does Screen Time have a default passcode?

No, Screen Time does not have a default passcode. As you can learn from above, when you first turn on the feature on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can set a passcode.

Question 2. How do I turn off the Screen Time passcode?

You can easily turn off the Screen Time passcode if you know the old passcode. Open Settings, tap Screen Time, scroll down to choose Change Screen Time Passcode, enter your current passcode to confirm, and then enter a new one and verify it.

Question 3. Can I hide apps from Screen Time?

No, you cannot hide apps from Screen Time. Apple’s Screen Time is designed to offer usage reports and set various restrictions. There is no built-in feature to prevent specific apps from being tracked.

Conclusion

Apple’s Screen Time served as a powerful solution to manage screen usage and enforce restrictions. The Screen Time passcode is a 4-digit code set up on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. It is distinct from your device passcode or Apple ID password. The passcode only controls access to changing Screen Time settings. After reading this post, I hope you can get a deeper understanding of the feature and foster healthier habits.

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