How to reset your Screen Time passcode on iPhone (iOS 16 and later)
Apple added the Apple ID recovery method in iOS 13.4 and improved it in iOS 16. These steps work on any iPhone running iOS 16.0 or later, including all iOS 17 and iOS 18 versions.
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap Screen Time.
- Tap Change Screen Time Passcode.
- Tap Change Screen Time Passcode again in the confirmation sheet that appears.
- Tap Forgot Passcode? at the bottom of the keypad.
- Enter the Apple ID email address you used when you originally set the Screen Time passcode.
- Enter your Apple ID password.
- Tap OK. Apple verifies your identity against their servers.
- You will now be prompted to enter and confirm a new 4-digit Screen Time passcode.
The whole process takes about 60 seconds on a stable internet connection. Apple verifies the Apple ID server-side, so you need a data connection -- Wi-Fi or cellular both work.
After the reset, your Screen Time settings (App Limits, Downtime, Communication Limits) remain intact. Only the passcode itself changes. You do not need to reconfigure any of your limits.
What to do if you also forgot your Apple ID or Apple ID password
The Screen Time passcode recovery flow requires the Apple ID that was linked during setup. If you cannot remember your Apple ID credentials, you have three paths depending on what you still have access to.
Path 1: recover your Apple ID password via iforgot.apple.com
Go to iforgot.apple.com from any browser (your phone, a computer, anything). Enter your Apple ID email address. Apple will offer one of several recovery options depending on your account setup:
- Two-factor authentication: a 6-digit code sent to a trusted device or phone number. This is the fastest path if you have another Apple device signed in.
- Recovery email or security questions: available on older Apple ID accounts that predate two-factor authentication.
- Account Recovery: if no trusted device or phone number is available, Apple opens an Account Recovery process. This can take several days, as Apple delays it to prevent unauthorized access.
Once you have regained Apple ID access, return to the Screen Time passcode reset steps above.
Path 2: try a different Apple ID
Some users set up the Screen Time passcode with a secondary Apple ID (an old address, a family account, a work address). If you have multiple Apple IDs, try each one in the "Forgot Passcode?" flow. There is no penalty for entering a wrong Apple ID.
Path 3: erase and restore the iPhone (last resort)
If you cannot recover the linked Apple ID by any means, the only remaining option is to erase the iPhone. Erasing removes Screen Time settings and the passcode along with all other data.
- Back up the phone via iCloud or Finder/iTunes if you can still unlock it.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
- Restore from your backup. Screen Time settings from the backup will not include the old passcode -- Screen Time will be in its initial unconfigured state.
This is a significant step. Exhaust the Apple ID recovery options first. An Account Recovery wait of a few days is almost always less painful than a full erase.
Screen Time passcode vs. iPhone lock screen password: what is the difference?
These two are frequently confused because they are both 4-digit (or 6-digit) codes on the same device. They are completely independent systems.
| Feature | iPhone lock screen passcode | Screen Time passcode |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Unlocks the phone from sleep | Locks Screen Time settings and app limits |
| Required? | Yes (mandatory on modern iOS) | Optional (you set it yourself) |
| Recovery method | Erase + restore (Apple ID for Activation Lock) | Apple ID linked at setup time |
| Changed in Settings via | Settings > Face ID & Passcode | Settings > Screen Time |
Searches for "lockscreen password" and "screenlock time password" often refer to the iPhone's primary unlock passcode rather than the Screen Time passcode. If you are locked out of your phone entirely and cannot get past the lock screen, the Screen Time recovery steps above will not help. In that case you need to erase and restore via Finder or iTunes, and then use your Apple ID to remove Activation Lock.
To change (not reset, just change) your iPhone's primary unlock passcode when you know the current one: go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Change Passcode. Enter your current code, then enter and confirm the new one.
What "Screen Time in iPhone" actually controls
Apple's Screen Time is a built-in iOS feature found under Settings. It has several distinct components, and the passcode governs all of them:
- App Limits: daily time budgets per app or app category. When you exceed your limit, the app goes dark with a frosted-glass screen. The Screen Time passcode determines whether you can tap "Ignore for today" (without it, anyone can bypass).
- Downtime: a scheduled window where only your allowed apps work (Phone, Messages, and whatever you add to "Always Allowed").
- Communication Limits: controls who can call or message during Downtime.
- Content and Privacy Restrictions: locks down app purchases, explicit content, and device settings. This is the parental-control side of Screen Time.
- Always Allowed: apps that are never blocked, even during Downtime or when a limit is hit.
The Screen Time passcode gates all of these. Without it, every setting can be changed freely. With it (and with a trusted person holding the code rather than yourself), you get a genuine commitment device rather than a soft suggestion.
How ScreenFine handles this differently: no passcode required
The core problem with Apple Screen Time as a self-control tool is social engineering: you know the passcode, so you can always talk yourself into entering it. Even when you give the code to a trusted person, you can ask them to change it for you with enough excuse-making.
ScreenFine uses a different mechanism. When you go over your daily screen time limit, your apps lock -- and the unlock requirement is not a code. It is a physical action: 25 pushups, 1,000 steps, 10 minutes of mindful breathing, or a verified workout. The lock cannot be bypassed by remembering something, because there is nothing to remember. You either do the reps or the apps stay locked.
There is nothing to forget. There is no "Forgot Passcode?" link. There is no trusted friend to text at 11 PM asking them to approve one more hour.
This is not a replacement for Apple Screen Time -- ScreenFine runs on top of it. Think of Apple Screen Time as the detection layer (it measures your usage and triggers the lock) and ScreenFine as the consequence layer (it determines what you have to do to get back in). Together they close the loop that Apple's "Ignore for today" button leaves open.
How to avoid forgetting your Screen Time passcode in the future
Now that you have reset your passcode, here is how to make sure this does not happen again.
1. Make it memorable but not obvious
Pick a 4-digit code with personal meaning that is not your birthday, zip code, or iPhone unlock code. Something like the year you started your current job, a jersey number, or the last four digits of an old phone number. Personally meaningful codes are easier to recall without being trivially guessable.
2. Store it in your password manager
Create an entry in 1Password, Bitwarden, iCloud Keychain, or whichever manager you use. Label it "Screen Time passcode" with a note about when you set it and which Apple ID is linked. The whole point of a Screen Time passcode is to keep yourself from bypassing it impulsively -- it does not need to be secret from your password manager.
3. Make sure your linked Apple ID is current and accessible
If you change your Apple ID email address in the future, note that the Screen Time recovery flow uses the Apple ID that was active when you set the passcode, not your current one. After any Apple ID change, go to Settings > Screen Time > Change Screen Time Passcode and set a new one to update the linked account.
4. Give the code to someone you trust
If your goal is genuine self-control rather than child parenting, the most effective setup is to give the passcode to a partner, close friend, or family member. You keep the Apple ID access for recovery, but day-to-day you ask them before changing limits. This small social contract is surprisingly effective at deterring impulsive overrides.
5. Verify your Apple ID recovery options are set up
Go to Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security. Confirm that your trusted phone number and recovery email are up to date. If two-factor authentication is off, turn it on. The Screen Time passcode recovery chain is only as strong as your Apple ID recovery chain.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reset the Screen Time passcode without Apple ID on iOS 17 or iOS 18?
No. Apple tightened this in iOS 17 specifically to prevent workarounds. The "Forgot Passcode?" link requires the Apple ID that was linked at setup time. There is no offline or local fallback. Without that Apple ID, you are looking at either Account Recovery (slow) or a full erase (fast but destructive).
My child set the Screen Time passcode and forgot it. What do I do?
If Screen Time was configured through Family Sharing with your Apple ID as the organizer, go to your own Settings > Screen Time > your child's name > Change Screen Time Passcode. You can reset it from the parent's device without needing the old code. If the child's device was set up independently (not under Family Sharing), the recovery steps above apply using whatever Apple ID was linked during setup.
Will resetting the Screen Time passcode delete my limits and history?
No. The reset changes only the 4-digit code. App Limits, Downtime schedules, Always Allowed apps, and usage history are unaffected.
I see "Forgot Passcode?" but tapping it asks for an Apple ID I do not recognize. What happened?
The recovery flow displays the email address (partially masked) that was linked. If you do not recognize it, it may be an old Apple ID from before an email change, a secondary account you used for testing, or someone else's Apple ID if the phone was previously configured by another person. Try all Apple IDs you have ever owned. If none work, Account Recovery at iforgot.apple.com is the next step.