Change your Screen Time passcode on an iPhone or iPad

With a Screen Time passcode, you can ensure the settings you choose for your device or your child’s device remain in place. Learn what to do if you forgot your Screen Time passcode, or just need to change it.

• How a Screen Time passcode works

• How to reset the Screen Time passcode for your child’s iPhone or iPad

• How to reset the Screen Time passcode for your iPhone or iPad

• If you can’t reset your Screen Time passcode

How a Screen Time passcode works

A Screen Time passcode isn’t the same as the passcode you use to unlock your device. It’s important to keep track of your Screen Time passcode because you need it to change the settings, limits or restrictions for your device or a child’s device.

To make sure your Screen Time settings sync across all of the devices in your Family Sharing group, update all of the devices to the latest software version before turning on or changing your Screen Time settings. If you have Share Across Devices turned on, your Screen Time passcode will be automatically updated on those devices if you reset it.

If you use Family Sharing to manage a child's Apple Account, the Family Sharing organiser or a parent/guardian needs to reset the Screen Time passcode on their own device, not the child's device.

Reset the Screen Time passcode for a child’s iPhone or iPad

These steps apply to iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 and later. Learn how to set a Screen Time passcode for your child's device on iOS 26 and earlier.

1. On the family organiser or parent/guardian's device, open the Settings app.

2. Tap Family, then tap your child's name. If you don’t see your child’s name under Family, make sure you’re both signed in to your devices with your own Apple Account and that your child's account is part of the Family Sharing group.

3. Tap Passcode & Management. If you don't see Passcode & Management, you may need to set up usage and parental controls first, then set up a Screen Time passcode.

4. Tap Change Screen Time Passcode, then tap Change Screen Time Passcode again.

5. Enter your old Screen Time passcode.

6. Enter a new Screen Time passcode, then enter it again to confirm.

Reset the Screen Time passcode for your iPhone or iPad

These steps apply to iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 and later. Learn how to set a Screen Time passcode for your child's device on iOS 26 and earlier.

1. Open the Settings app, then tap Screen Time.

2. Tap Passcode & Management.

3. Tap Change Screen Time Passcode, then tap Change Screen Time Passcode again. You need to authenticate with Face ID or enter the passcode used to unlock the device. If asked, enter the Apple Account email address and password that you used to set up the Screen Time passcode.

4. Enter a new Screen Time passcode, then enter it again to confirm.

It’s recommended that you don’t skip adding a Screen Time Passcode Recovery. That way, if you forget your Screen Time passcode, you can use your Apple Account to reset it. If you need to recover your Screen Time passcode, you must use the same account you entered when you first set up the Screen Time Passcode Recovery.

If you can’t reset your Screen Time passcode

If you can’t reset your Screen Time passcode, make sure that you’re using the same Apple Account email address and password that you used when setting up the Screen Time passcode. This may be a different Apple Account than the one that you’re signed in to on your device. If you’re part of a Family Sharing group, it may be a family member’s Apple Account or your child’s Apple Account.