What to Do If You Forgot Restrictions Passcode on iPhone

If you are wondering what is the restriction code on your iPhone, the following guide sheds light on it and gives you more information about the code. It tells you where the code is used and what you can do if you ever forget the code. Read on to find out.

Author Avatar Joy Taylor Last Updated: Sep. 20, 2022

Apple understands that not all the content available on an iPhone is suitable for all audiences. In order to provide you with controls as to what your kids can do on your iPhone, Apple has added a parental control feature to its smartphone. As the name implies, the feature lets you, as a parent, control what apps and what songs your kid can listen to on your device.

AnyUnlock – iPhone Screen Time Passcode Remover

Free download AnyUnlock to 1-click unlock Screen Time password locked iOS devices.

However, if you forgot the Restrictions passcode, you will not be able to access your iPhone. If this happens, you may make operations on your iOS devices to save your phone, or, you can unlock iPhone with a third-party tool directly. Let’s dive in to see the specific steps.

What to Do when Forgetting Restrictions Passcode

Whether you have already forgotten your restrictions passcode or you think you may forget it in the future, you will want to know what you can do in that situation. Officially, you cannot do anything except for restoring your iPhone with iTunes.

However, there is an unofficial method available to help you find out your restrictions passcode for your iPhone. The following shows both the methods for you.

1. Find out the Restrictions Passcode for iPhone

In this method, what you are going to do is you are going to locate and open the file that stores your restrictions passcode. Once you have found the file, you can easily find your passcode and enter it on your iPhone to access your settings. Then how do I find out my restrictions passcode on my iPhone? Here are instructions for both Windows and Mac users:

For Windows Users:

  1. Download and install the Plist Pad app on your PC. The app will let you open the file type that Apple uses to store your passcode.
  2. Head over to the path C:/users/[username]/AppData/Roaming/Apple Computer/MobileSync/Backup/ on PC replacing username with your own username. Then find a file named adoption.plist and open it with the newly installed app.
  3. When the file opens in the app, you will find your restrictions passcode between the <interger> and </interger> tags. There you go. You may now go ahead and enter the passcode on your iPhone.

For Mac Users:

  1. Open a Finder window on your Mac computer and click on Go at the top and then select Go to Folder.
  2. When the Go to Folder feature opens, type in ~/Library/Application Support/App Store/ and hit Go.
  3. When the path opens, look for a file named adoption.plist and right-click on it and select Open With followed by TextEdit. You will find your passcode between the <interger> and </interger> tags.
Click on Go to Folder

Click on Go to Folder

You are all set. That is how you recover restrictions passcode for an iPhone.

2. Restore as A New iPhone Using iTunes

If you could not find your restrictions passcode using the above method and you’d like to know how do you reset an iPhone without the restrictions passcode, you can restore your iPhone using the iTunes app. It will set up your device as a new one and it will not ask you to enter any passcode to access the settings. The following is how you do it.

  1. Connect your iPhone to the computer using a suitable cable and launch the iTunes app.
  2. Click on your iPhone in the app, click on the Summary tab, and then choose the option that says Restore iPhone.
  3. Do not choose an existing backup to be restored on your iPhone. Instead, go for the set up as a new device option.
Click on Restore iPhone

Click on Restore iPhone

3. Erase All Settings to Remove the Forgotten Restriction Passcodes

Generally speaking, you can reset all the settings to erase the restriction passcodes if the data loss won’t bother you that much. Here are the steps to remove restrictions passcodes from resetting.

  1. Go to Setting and click on General.
  2. Scroll down to the Reset and tap on it.
  3. Click on the Erase All Content and Settings button.

You have to wait for a while and minutes later you can set your device from square one.

Reset iPhone/iPad to Erase All Settings

Reset iPhone/iPad to Erase All Settings

This method will erase all the stuff you have on your device and if you choose to Reset your iPhone/iPad, it won’t undo it. Here we highly recommend you back up your data in case of data loss. Or you can try the tips below, using AnyUnlock, to get rid of the forgotten-restriction passcodes.

4. Erase iPhone with iCloud

If you don’t have immediate physical access to your iPhone, you can use iCloud to wipe it remotely. This feature is especially useful if your iPhone is lost or stolen.

Step 1. Open a new tab in your browser and head over to the iCloud website. Log-in to your account if you have not already done so.

Step 2. On the main iCloud interface, you will find several options to use. Find the one that says Find iPhone and click on it to access the Find My iPhone feature.

Step 3. On the following screen, click on the option that says All Devices at the top to view your available devices. Then, choose your iPhone from the list so you can perform actions on it.

Step 4. You should now see various actions that you can execute on your iPhone. To remove the passcode from your phone and to erase it, click on the Erase iPhone option and follow the on-screen instructions.

Erase iPhone via iCloud

Erase iPhone via iCloud

If your iPhone is connected to the Internet, it will immediately start erasing. If it is not connected to a WiFi network, it will erase when it connects to the Internet. Once the iPhone is erased, you will need to set it up like you normally would and it will start working.

Unlock Screen Time Passcode with Simple Steps

Parents set screen time passcode to put restrictions on their children’s phones. Generally speaking, the unlock screen time lock, then the restriction is off. Thus, you need a third-party iOS devices unlocker. We recommend AnyUnlock – iPhone Password Unlocker.

As a professional passcode management tool, AnyUnlock provides a safe and quick way to erase Screen Time passcode with just on click. You can just follow the arrows and then get a non-restriction iPhone. In addition to the Unlock Screen Time passcodes, AnyUnlock can do many other things, check them below:

AnyUnlock – iPhone Password Unlocker

  • Remove the Screen Passcodes if you failed to access your iPhone/iPad.
  • Unlock the Apple ID if you lost or forgot your passcodes.
  • Retrieve or remove the iTunes backup passwords.
  • Easily bypass iCloud activation lock.

Free Download100% Clean & Safe

Free Download100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Step 1. Download AnyUnlock and launch it on your computer. Please connect your iPhone to the computer and then choose the Unlock Screen Time Passcode on the up-right corner.

Choose Unlock Screen Time Passcode Mode

Choose Unlock Screen Time Passcode Mode

Step 2. Click on the Unlock Now, and start to remove your passcode.

Click Unlock Now to Continue

Click Unlock Now to Continue

Please turn off  the Find My Phone function if your iPhone is working on iOS 13 or later version.

Step 3. Before the analysis of your iPhone, AnyUnlock will encrypt your backup while backing up your iPhone. All of these will ensure your data safety on the iPhone.

Backing up iPhone via AnyUnlock

Backing up iPhone via AnyUnlock

Step 4. Well, it may take a while. And then, you will get an iPhone without Restriction(Screen Time passcode).

Successfully Removed Screen Time Passcode

Successfully Removed Screen Time Passcode

Your iPhone will be set up as a new phone. You will find the restrictions passcode is gone from your device.

The Bottom Line

We are sure the term restrictions passcode is no longer jargon for you after reading the above guide. The guide also tells you the things you can do when you forget your passcode for your iPhone. Well, as AnyUnlock will unlock your restriction passcode easily, why not give it a try.

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Author Avatar
Joy Taylor Twitter Share Facebook Share

Senior writer of the iMobie team as well as an Apple fan, love to help more users solve various types of iOS & Android-related issues.

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