To prevent anyone from unauthorized accessing the Screen Time setting, I prefer to use a 4 digit passcode to lock it. Unfortunately, the Screen Time passcode slipped out of my mind as it was different from my iPhone passcode (6-digit alphanumeric passcode). Damn! This is how my struggle to recover the Screen Time passcode began. Meanwhile, I found some helpful ways to reset Screen Time passcode on iPhone and iPad. If you’re reading this article, I’m assuming you’ve also forgotten the password and are desperately trying to reset it. So, without wasting any more time, let’s explore ways and means to cut the chase!
Reset Screen Time Password on iOS and iPadOS
First of all, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that you can reset the parental control password on your iOS or iPadOS device by restoring the device from an encrypted backup. The bad news is that if you haven’t made an encrypted backup of your device, you will need to set it up as new after deleting all the data. Just in case, if you don’t want to go through the grind, you can use a third-party tool like “iPhone Backup Extractor” to recover it. Remember, it comes with a high price tag.
1. Restore Your iPhone or iPad from an Encrypted Backup Using iTunes/Finder
The following action will wipe all data of your device. So make sure Find My iPhone/iPad is disabled. Open Settings app > Profile > Find > Find My iPhone/iPad. Now, turn off the switch. As mentioned above, make sure you have an encrypted backup of your device.
1. Connect your device to Mac or PC. Then start iTunes/Finder on your computer.
Note: With macOS Catalina, Apple removed iTunes. Now Finder allows users to sync iOS devices, back up or restore a backup.
2. Now select your device. In iTunes, you should see your device in the upper left corner. In Finder, your device locations episode.
3. Next, click on Restore iPhone/iPad.
4. Now you will see a popup asking if you want to backup your device before going to restore. To choose Support.
After the firmware update is finished, you will have the option. select preferred backup to restore your device. Now, make sure to select the backup you made before forgetting your screen time passcode. Also, make sure it’s encrypted.
2. Erase Your iPhone or iPad and Set It As New
Another workaround is to wipe your entire device and set it up as new. Yes, it is quite tedious and takes a lot of time. But never be afraid to take long roads when you don’t have a simple path. Make sure to back up your device via iTunes/Finder or iCloud (Settings app > Profile > iCloud > iCloud Backup).
- Open Settings application on your device > General > Reset.
2. Now, tap on Erase All Content and Settings. Then confirm. Once the device is wiped, set it as new.
3. Reset Screen Time Passcode Using iPhone Backup Extractor
- Download iPhone Backup Extractor on your computer. Make sure you have the premium version of the software ($59.95). After that, connect your device to your computer and launch the software. Then select your device from the sidebar.
2. After that, click on it. Vehicles Go to the tab and select Screen Time. Later, you will need Disable Find My iPhone/iPad (Settings > Profile > iCloud > Find My) if it’s turned on on your device. Then click on To get better.
After the process is complete, your device will reboot. It will appear on the setup screen after rebooting. Make sure to select it as all data will remain on your device. Transfer apps and data. It will ask you many questions during the installation, all you have to do is select “Continue” to review them all. After that, you can reset the Screen Time passcode as usual.
Possible Ways to Reset Screen Time Password
I hope you have successfully reset the Screen Time passcode on your iOS device. Things could get a lot easier in the future as Apple is said to be working on a more convenient way to recover the password. Considering how important it is to have a recovery tool, the tech giant should introduce it as error-free as the iCloud recovery tool. Anyway, do you have any feedback? Share with us.