What to Do When You Forgot Restrictions Passcode On iPad?

"forgot restrictions passcode iPad air 2"

You must have come across similar queries on the internet stating "I forgot my restrictions passcode on my iPad". It happens very often when people forget their restriction passcode on their iOS devices. If you are also one of them, then you must be struggling to find a reliable solution to reset or remove the restrictions passcode or screen time passcode on your iPad.

So, here in this article, we are going to discuss how to remove the forgotten restrictions/screen time passcode on iPad, iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini.

The restriction feature is for the parental control and hence it is vital that the users know the passcode. So, here are the methods that will erase the existing passcode and you will be able to set a new Screen Time lock for restrictions.

Method 1. Remove forgotten Screen Time of Restrictions Passcode without Data Loss

The first and most plausible method to use when you forgot iPad screen time passcode in iOS 12 is iPhone Backup Unlocker. Unlikely to its name, this software can easily remove the Screen Time restriction passcode without causing any kind of data loss in the iPad. With a simple click, the screen time passcode is removed successfully.

Step 1: Launch the software and select the "Remove Screen Time Passcode" option from the main interface.

choose remove screen time passcode option

Step 2: Now connect your device with the system and the software will automatically detect the device. Hit the start button to commence the process.

start passcode removal

Step 3: It will take a while to remove the passcode and when it is removed, you will be notified by the software.

removal is successful

After the passcode is removed, you can set up a new restrictions passcode and make sure that you remember it this time. Otherwise, this screen time removal software is always here for help.

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Method 2. Reset All Content and Settings (Data Loss)

I forgot my restrictions passcode on iPad, what can I do? Erase your iPad is another way to fix this issue.

Step 1: Open the Settings app and go to the General menu. There, you will see the Reset option. Click on it and further options will appear on the screen.

Step 2: From the Reset menu, choose the "Erase All Content and Settings" option and enter your device password when prompted.

erase all content and settings

This will remove the existing data and settings from the iPad along with the Screen Time Passcode. Thus, you will be able to restore the data through a manual backup and set up a new passcode for the feature.

Method 3. Find Your Restrictions/Screen Time Passcode from iTunes Backup File

If you've tried out the above methods and still looking for a possible solution when you meet the problem of forgot restriction passcode on an iPad 4/5, iPad Mini3/4, iPad Air/Air 2, Pro, then you can try finding the passcode from the iTunes Backup file. As the backup is stored in a different folder on both Mac and Windows PC, you can look for the file.

On Mac: Open Library > Application Support > App Store > find a file named "adoption.plist". Open the file with "Text edit" and look for a line of code with the following tags XXXX. The numbers should be the Restriction Passcode.

On Windows: Go to \Users\ (username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup > Find the adoption.plist file. You need to download and install the .plist opener to open the adoption.plist file. Open the file and find XXXX. The numbers in this format are the restriction code.

Method 4: Restore iPad in iTunes

The users can also use iTunes to reset it when you forgot restrictions password on iPad. This method is very useful if you have a backup which doesn't contain the Screen Time Passcode. This way, you will get to keep the data intact and still get rid of the restriction passcode. Follow the steps below to restore iPad in iTunes:

Step 1: Step 1: Make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes. If not, then update iTunes before you restore the iPad. Connect your iPad to the system and iTunes will automatically recognize the device.

Step 2: Get to the Summary tab and you will see the Restore option on the screen. Click on the button and you will get a pop-up to confirm the action. Hit the Restore button and the wait while iTunes restore the previous backup in the device.

restore iPad

Before you carry out this method, you have to be sure that the backup file doesn't contain Screen Time passcode otherwise the method will be useless.

The Bottom Line

Now, you know various methods that can be used to fix the "forgot restrictions passcode on iPad" issue. The methods are quite simple and easy. But there are some complications in each method. The best recommended and safe way is to use professional screen time passcode removal software.