Changing Screen Time Passcode does not protect apps with Screen Time enabled

Question

Created Sep ’22

Replies 4

Boosts 4

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Hello, The purpose of "Screen Time Passcode" under Settings/Screen Time is to protect Screen Time preferences and it is asked every time the user updates Downtime, App Limits, Content & Privacy Restrictions and so on.

But the private passcode is not requested if the user disables Screen Time for a particular app (only Face ID or phone passcode is requested, but not the private Screen Time passcode).

I think this is a mistake, I think the purpose of a private Screen Time passcode is to protect all settings, including apps that use this API, right? Is there any solution to this?

Thank you.

Boost

Answer 1

djbutler OP

Sep ’22

I have the exact same question. The correct passcode to ask for when authorizing an app to manage the Screen Time settings should be the Screen Time passcode, not the device passcode or Face ID.

The reason is pretty simple. If you want to use Screen Time for your own device, you need a way to lock the Screen Time settings with a passcode that you don't have memorized. You can write it down, or give it to a friend, so you yourself won't easily be able to change the Screen Time settings (for example, when a time limit is used up).

The same goes for locking an app that manages Screen Time settings for you using the new requestAuthorization(for: .individual) API. There ought to be a passcode, separate from the device passcode or Face ID, for locking in one of these apps that uses the new API. It would make the most sense for that to simply be the Screen Time passcode.

2

Answer 2

alexanderdeveloper OP

Oct ’22

Hi all,

I agree this seems like an oversight. Whoever is the user of the device will have access to the device passcode / face ID. Therefore, being able to turn off the app's Screen Time Access will be possible to whoever is using the device, rendering the restrictions useless. Therefore, I agree it should be the screen time passcode that is used to allow apps to manage restrictions or to remove those restrictions.

Have there been any updates on this issue? It's a shame because it means the new individual authorisation functionality with the Screen Time API is fundamentally flawed.

Thanks!

1

Answer 3

kgaidis OP

Oct ’22

+1 please create the ability to to restrict the user from disabling Screen Time access (ex. via ManagedSettings)

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Answer 4

sadasdasrewrew OP

Jun ’23

Hello, Unfortunately, with the new iOS 17 this problem is stil persistent.

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