Disable Screen Time: Turn Off Apple’s Limit
This guide explains how to turn off Screen Time on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and what happens when you do. You’ll learn the exact steps to disable it entirely, how to turn off only specific limits, and what to do if you’ve forgotten your Screen Time passcode.
What Screen Time Does
Screen Time is a built-in Apple feature that tracks app usage, notifications, and pickups across your devices. It also lets you set daily limits for app categories, schedule downtime when only phone calls and apps you allow are available, and restrict content and privacy settings. Parents often use it to manage a child’s device, but many people enable it for personal productivity and then want to remove it.
How to Turn Off Screen Time on iPhone or iPad
The process differs slightly depending on whether you’re disabling it for yourself or for a family member.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Screen Time.
- If you’re the family organizer, tap the child’s name under Family; otherwise, stay at the top.
- Tap Turn Off Screen Time at the very bottom.
- Enter your Screen Time passcode if prompted, then tap Turn Off Screen Time again to confirm.
This disables all Screen Time features, including usage reports, app limits, downtime, and content restrictions. Your app data and history are deleted after a short grace period.
How to Turn Off Screen Time on Mac
On a Mac running macOS Catalina or later, the steps are similar:
- Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions).
- Click Screen Time in the sidebar.
- Click Options in the bottom-right corner.
- Click Turn Off in the top-right, then confirm.
If you’re using a child’s account, select the child’s name under Family in the sidebar first.
What If You Forgot the Screen Time Passcode?
If you can’t remember your Screen Time passcode, you cannot simply turn off Screen Time. Apple provides a recovery process that requires your Apple ID and password. During the recovery, you’ll be asked to enter your Apple ID credentials, after which you can reset the passcode. If you don’t know the Apple ID password, you’ll need to recover that first. For a child’s device, the family organizer’s Apple ID is used.
Note that if you set a Screen Time passcode and later restore your device from a backup, the passcode may be restored as well. If you’re still stuck, you can erase the device and set it up as new, but that removes all data unless you have a backup that doesn’t include the passcode.
Turning Off Only Specific Limits
You may not want to disable Screen Time entirely. To remove just one limit:
- Go to Settings > Screen Time (or System Settings > Screen Time on Mac).
- Tap App Limits (or Downtime).
- Tap the specific limit you want to remove, then tap Delete Limit.
- Alternatively, tap the limit and change the time to zero, which effectively disables it.
To disable downtime entirely, tap Downtime and toggle it off. To stop content restrictions, go to Content & Privacy Restrictions and toggle it off.
What Happens When You Turn Off Screen Time
After disabling Screen Time, you will no longer receive weekly usage reports. All app limits and downtime schedules are removed, so apps become available at all times. Content and privacy restrictions are lifted, meaning you can install apps, change settings, and access content that was previously blocked. Your usage data is eventually erased, so you won’t be able to see historical trends.
If you were using Screen Time to restrict a child’s device, turning it off removes those protections. Make sure you have another method in place if you still want to limit access.
Common Problems and Misconceptions
A frequent issue is that the Turn Off Screen Time button is grayed out. This happens when restrictions are enabled. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions, enter your passcode, and toggle off Content & Privacy Restrictions. Then try turning off Screen Time again.
Another misconception is that turning off Screen Time deletes all app data. It does not; it only deletes usage history and limits. Your apps, photos, and messages remain untouched.
People also confuse Screen Time with Do Not Disturb or Focus modes. Those only silence notifications; they don’t track usage or enforce limits. Disabling Screen Time won’t affect Focus modes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off Screen Time delete my app usage history?
Yes, Apple states that turning off Screen Time deletes your usage data after a short period. You won’t be able to recover it.
Can I turn off Screen Time remotely for a family member?
Yes, if you’re the family organizer, you can go to Settings > Screen Time and tap the child’s name, then follow the same steps. The change syncs to their device when it’s online.
Does disabling Screen Time affect iCloud backup?
No, it doesn’t affect iCloud backups. Your backup will simply not include Screen Time settings after you disable it.
Why is my Screen Time passcode different from my device passcode?
Screen Time uses a separate passcode that you set when you first enabled the feature. It’s independent from your device passcode, so you need to remember it separately.
Can I turn off Screen Time without a passcode if I’m the parent?
No, you need the Screen Time passcode or the family organizer’s Apple ID to reset it. If you don’t have either, you’ll need to erase the device.
What if I only want to stop the weekly report but keep limits?
You can’t disable the report without turning off Screen Time entirely. However, you can ignore the notification or delete it. The report is just a summary; limits remain active.
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