Screen Time Password is preset by apple. Why?

Apple does not set Screen Time passwords on its own, if you did not have a screentime password set up, then the update would not have set it up automatically. It's simply not something it does.

You must have had one set up at some point and you simply forgot about it and now you can't change it. Or if you are part of family sharing your Family Organizer may have set it up.

In any case, you would need to restore the iPhone and not use a backup to set it back up, as the back up would contain the screen time passcode and would put it back.

click here ➜ Change your Screen Time passcode on an iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

Welcome and thank you for reaching out. 🤗

According to Apple:

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 that your Screen Time settings sync across all the devices in your Family Sharing group, update all 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 automatically updates on those devices if you reset it.

If you use Family Sharing to manage a child's Apple Account, the Family Sharing organizer 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 organizer 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 might 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 might be a family member's Apple Account or your child's Apple Account.

If you need more help, contact Apple Support directly.

Good Luck! 👋🏼😉

Smiliñ 😎 Brian | Community Volunteer

The same thing happened to my patner's 16e. She had never used screen time, but somehow a setting there was enabled and need to be disabled. When she went to screen time, it was locked. As part of our trial and error we entered her 4 digit Windows passkey. By some miracle it worked. It might work for you too.

as i can see in the video you have mentioned it is saying that in the change screen time password there is a option for Forgot password but there is no option showing Forgot Password. See the Attachment below.

Any updates on your matter? Same thing happened to my iPhone 14...

Hi Phil,

I can confirm the issue this user has described. I had a screen time passcode set up during COVID but long, long disabled. This update has reinstated it and I have no idea what it is. 🤯