Screen Time on iPhone is a powerful tool for managing usage limits, content restrictions, and purchases — but actually turning it off isn't always obvious, especially when you forget the passcode or want to relax restrictions as a child grows up. This guide walks through every angle: turning Screen Time off when you remember the passcode, undoing only specific restrictions, resetting via Apple ID when the passcode is lost, and remotely managing a child's iPhone through Family Sharing.
Table of Contents
- Overview of Turning Off Screen Time
- If You Remember the Passcode
- If You Forgot the Passcode
- Turning Off Screen Time on a Child's iPhone
- Things to Consider Before You Disable Screen Time
- Summary
Overview of Turning Off Screen Time
"Turning off Screen Time" can mean different things depending on the situation. The three most common cases:
- A. You remember the passcode: Disable everything (or selected pieces) right inside the Settings app
- B. You forgot the passcode: If you linked an Apple ID at setup time, you can reset it via email-based verification
- C. You want to disable Screen Time on a child's iPhone: Use Family Sharing to control it remotely from the parent's device
The most common trouble is B (forgotten passcode). With an Apple ID linked, you can recover in a couple of minutes — but without an Apple ID link and without iCloud sign-in, the only remaining option is to reset the iPhone itself.
If You Remember the Passcode
The simplest case is the one where you still know the current passcode.
Turning Screen Time Off Entirely
Disabling Screen Time outright removes every usage limit and content restriction at once.
- Open the Settings app
- Tap Screen Time
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Turn Off Screen Time
- Enter your Screen Time passcode
- Confirm again by tapping Turn Off Screen Time in the confirmation dialog
After this, on-screen usage banners and the dimmed icons on restricted apps disappear, and every app becomes available without a time limit.
Turning it off does not delete your usage data — if you switch Screen Time back on later, your historical data returns with it.
Disabling Specific Restrictions Only
You may want to keep Screen Time on overall and only loosen specific restrictions. The main partial-disable options are:
- Turn off Downtime: Screen Time → Downtime → toggle off
- Remove an App Limit: App Limits → select the app → Delete Limit
- Disable Content & Privacy Restrictions: Flip the master toggle in Content & Privacy Restrictions to off
- Disable purchase restrictions: Content & Privacy Restrictions → iTunes & App Store Purchases → set everything back to Allow
Going piece by piece lets you keep, say, the nightly Downtime window or limits on a specific app while removing the rest.
If You Forgot the Passcode
Forgetting the Screen Time passcode you set yourself is extremely common.
Reset the Passcode With Your Apple ID
Starting with iOS 13.4, if you linked an Apple ID when you set up the Screen Time passcode, you can reset it via Apple ID authentication.
- Open Settings → Screen Time → Change Screen Time Passcode
- Tap Change Screen Time Passcode again
- On the passcode screen, tap Forgot Passcode?
- Enter the Apple ID and password you used when setting up Screen Time
- Set a new 4-digit passcode
If this works, you're back in business without resetting the iPhone. If you've also forgotten the Apple ID password, reset the Apple ID password first and then try again.
When a Full Reset Is the Only Option
If your Screen Time passcode was set up without linking an Apple ID, or if you've completely lost the Apple ID password you linked, the only way out is to erase the iPhone itself.
- Back up the iPhone (to iCloud or a computer)
- Open Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings
- Confirm — the iPhone wipes itself
- In Setup Assistant, choose Set Up as New iPhone
- If you restore, pick a backup that does not include Screen Time data
Note: Restoring from an iCloud backup will also restore the Screen Time configuration, so you need to set up as new to truly clear it. iCloud Photos and Contacts come back via sync after you sign back in with your Apple ID.
Turning Off Screen Time on a Child's iPhone
For a child's iPhone managed via Family Sharing, the parent can adjust restrictions remotely.
Remote Unlock From the Parent's iPhone
- On the parent's iPhone, open Settings
- Tap Family (or Family Sharing)
- Select the child's Apple ID
- Tap Screen Time
- Enter the Screen Time passcode you (the parent) set up
- Toggle off individual restrictions or tap Turn Off Screen Time
The child's iPhone doesn't need to be in your hand — you can loosen or remove limits from anywhere. This is especially handy around birthdays or other moments when you want to renegotiate the rules.
Updating the Child's Apple ID Age
When a child's Apple ID transitions from under 13 to 13 or older, Family Sharing's automatic restrictions (purchase requests and so on) drop away. The age updates automatically — you don't need to do anything.
Turning 13 is a natural inflection point to gradually unwind parent-managed Screen Time and transition the child toward managing their own usage.
Things to Consider Before You Disable Screen Time
A few things worth thinking about before you actually disable anything.
Talk Before Loosening Limits
Especially for a child's iPhone, removing every restriction at once usually goes badly. It's better to discuss what to keep and what to remove first — for example, "no social apps after 10 pm" or "an hour of games on weekdays" — and write down the household rules before changing anything.
Keep Web Content Filtering Until Last
Inside Content & Privacy Restrictions, the Web Content filter (adult-site blocking) is the one worth keeping the longest. Even as the child gets older it provides real value, and it can occasionally also block a misclicked phishing site.
Re-Link an Apple ID for Future Recovery
If you set Screen Time up again, link an Apple ID this time. Go to Settings → Screen Time → Change Screen Time Passcode, and when you set the new passcode, do not skip the Apple ID confirmation dialog.
With the Apple ID linked, even if you forget the passcode again, you can recover via Apple ID and avoid resetting the iPhone.
Summary
Turning off iPhone Screen Time is straightforward once you match the right approach to your situation.
- Passcode known: Settings → Screen Time → Turn Off Screen Time
- Want to keep some restrictions: Disable Downtime, App Limits, and purchase restrictions individually
- Passcode forgotten, Apple ID linked: Use "Forgot Passcode?" to recover
- Passcode forgotten, no Apple ID linked: Erase the iPhone (set up as new)
- A child's iPhone: Adjust remotely via Family Sharing from the parent's iPhone
- Setting it up again: Always link an Apple ID so a future lockout is recoverable
Whether you remove Screen Time entirely or keep a few restrictions in place is a personal or family choice. If you're disabling it because the child is older, take the chance to also link an Apple ID on the new passcode setup — that single step makes any future recovery painless.
If you also want to review the broader child-device setup, see How to Set iPhone Parental Controls.
