How to Delete Screen Time on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Screen Time is Apple's built-in usage tracking and parental controls system. It logs how long you spend in apps, sets daily limits, and — when configured for families — lets parents manage a child's device remotely. Deleting or turning it off sounds straightforward, but the process varies depending on how Screen Time was set up and whether a passcode is protecting it.
What "Deleting" Screen Time Actually Means
Screen Time can't be uninstalled — it's baked into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. What you're really doing is turning it off, which stops all tracking, removes app limits, and clears the usage history. If a Screen Time passcode is active, you'll need that before the system lets you make any changes.
There are two meaningfully different situations:
- You set up Screen Time yourself on your own device — no passcode, or you know it.
- Screen Time was enabled by a parent or account manager via Family Sharing — and the passcode belongs to someone else.
The steps below cover both paths.
How to Turn Off Screen Time on iPhone or iPad
If you know the passcode (or none was set):
- Open Settings
- Tap Screen Time
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Turn Off Screen Time
- Enter your Screen Time passcode if prompted
- Confirm by tapping Turn Off Screen Time again
That's it. All usage data is wiped and limits are removed immediately.
If you forgot your Screen Time passcode:
This is where things get more complicated. Apple ties the Screen Time passcode to your Apple ID on devices running iOS 13.4 or later. If you've forgotten the passcode:
- Go to Settings → Screen Time
- Tap Change Screen Time Passcode
- Choose Forgot Passcode?
- Authenticate with your Apple ID and password
- Set a new passcode — then go back and turn Screen Time off
If that Apple ID recovery option doesn't appear, the device may be running an older OS version or Screen Time may have been configured through a Family Sharing child account, which requires a different approach.
How to Turn Off Screen Time on Mac
- Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions)
- Click Screen Time in the sidebar
- Click Turn Off or toggle Screen Time to off
- Enter the Screen Time passcode if prompted
On Macs running macOS Ventura or later, Screen Time settings are in the unified System Settings panel alongside other account preferences. On older macOS versions (Monterey and earlier), the layout differs slightly but the path is the same.
When Screen Time Is Managed by a Parent or Family Organizer 📱
If the device belongs to a child in a Family Sharing group, the Screen Time passcode is held by the family organizer — typically a parent. The child cannot turn off Screen Time without that passcode.
The family organizer can manage or disable Screen Time for the child's device in two ways:
- Directly on the child's device using the same steps above
- Remotely via their own device: Go to Settings → [Their Name] → Family Sharing → select the child → Screen Time → Turn Off Screen Time
This remote management only works when both devices are signed into iCloud and connected to the internet.
Factors That Affect How This Works
Not all Screen Time situations are identical. A few variables change what's possible:
| Variable | How It Affects the Process |
|---|---|
| iOS / macOS version | Apple ID recovery for forgotten passcodes requires iOS 13.4+ |
| Family Sharing setup | Child accounts need the organizer's passcode to make changes |
| Screen Time passcode status | No passcode = instant off; forgotten passcode = recovery steps needed |
| Device ownership | Your own device vs. a managed/supervised device differs significantly |
| MDM / enterprise enrollment | Managed devices (school, work) may have Screen Time locked via Mobile Device Management — turning it off requires admin action |
A Note on Supervised and MDM-Managed Devices 🔒
If a device was issued by a school or employer and enrolled in Mobile Device Management (MDM), Screen Time restrictions may be enforced at the profile level — not through the standard Settings menu. In that case, the standard turn-off steps won't work. The device administrator controls those settings, and changes need to go through them.
You can check whether a device is supervised by going to Settings → General → VPN & Device Management and looking for an enrolled configuration profile.
What Happens to Your Data When Screen Time Is Turned Off
When you turn off Screen Time, Apple deletes the stored usage history from the device. This includes:
- App usage logs
- Pickups and notification counts
- Website visit data tracked through Screen Time
The data is not recoverable after Screen Time is disabled. If you want to review your usage history before turning it off, screenshot or note anything important from the Screen Time reports in Settings first.
The Part That Depends on Your Situation
The mechanics of turning off Screen Time are consistent — but whether it's simple or complicated comes down entirely to your setup. A single adult on their own device with no passcode takes about ten seconds. A parent managing a child's account remotely, or someone locked out of a forgotten passcode on a supervised device, faces a meaningfully different set of steps.
Your OS version, whether Family Sharing is involved, and how Screen Time was originally configured in the first place all shape what the process looks like for you specifically.