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How to Hack Screen Time on iPhone and iPad

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This is how kids can hack Screen Time to get around parental controls in iOS 13, and what parents can do about it.

This is how kids can hack Screen Time to get around parental controls in iOS 13, and what parents can do about it.

  • Kids can get around Screen Time restrictions relatively easily.
  • Parents can take some steps to limit this.

Kids can get around Screen Time on the iPhone and iPad using a few easy tricks to hack Screen Time limitations on iOS 13. This is what kids need to know to get around Screen Time limits, and what parents can do to stop them.

Even on iOS 13 and iPadOS, 13 kids are finding ways to watch YouTube after going past time limits, using Siri to get around messaging limits and other hacks.

How to Hack Screen Time

There are a few ways that kids are hacking Screen Time on the iPhone and iPad to play more or to get around time restrictions. Here’s what kids are doing to get past iPad parental controls. Kids don’t need the Screen Time Passcode and these even work when Screen Time is applied with the Family Sharing feature.

Watching YouTube in Messages

Kids quickly discovered that they can open Messages, tap on the apps button, and then on YouTube to pull up a miniplay of YouTube that they can then use to search for and watch videos on the iPhone and iPad even if the app time limit is up.

Get Rid of Screen Time App Time Limits by Uninstalling and Reinstalling Apps

If parents lock down an app to a specific time limit kids can get around this by uninstalling the app and then reinstalling the app. Since it is an app that isn’t being purchased it is easy to install it again.

Once this happens the timer isn’t reset, it simply doesn’t carry back over to the new game. Do this once and specific app time limits disappear. This is an easy way to get around a time limit, but it’s not the only Screen Time hack.

Bypass Screen Time Limits by Changing The Time

Another way to limit kids is to set time limits that they can play during. Kids quickly discovered that they can change the date and time settings on the iPhone or iPad and play outside of designated times.

This will also allow kids to change the day to a weekend when they may have unrestricted or longer time periods.

Screen Recording to Steal Passcodes

We’re hearing reports of kids turning on-screen recording features to record when a parent enters a passcode for additional time, and then the child knows the passcode.

Getting Around Communication Limits

On iOS 13.3 kids can get around Communication Limits when an unknown number texts and then they can add to the address book. As long as it is not in iCloud the child can now communicate with this number, all without a parent entering a passcode.

Kids are also using Siri on the Apple Watch to get around this limitation, to call or text any number, contact or unknown. Apple is reportedly working on a fix for the first part of this issue.

What Parents Can Do About Screen Time Hacks

There is still something that parents can do to stop kids from getting around Screen Time limits and parental controls on the iPad and iPhone.

Here’s what you can do to prevent some of these Screen Time hacks and cheats.

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Tap on Screen Time
  3. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions
  4. Toggle On.
  5. Tap on iTunes & App Store Purchases
  6. Turn off Installing and or Deleting Apps

This will stop kids from uninstalling and reinstalling an app to get around Screen Time time limits.

You can also set a lock for time zone changing. It’s convoluted, but you only need to set this up once.

  1. On the kid’s iPhone turn off Screen Time.
  2. Go to Settings -> general -> Date& Time and choose Set Automatically.
  3. Turn Screen Time back on.
  4. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions -> Location Services -> System Services.
  5. Make sure Setting Time Zone is set to on.
  6. At the top of this screen, change to Don’t Allow Changes.

This should now make time zones greyed out.

Parents can also add a block for the YouTube website to prevent kids from using iMessage to watch YouTube.

  • To do this, go to Screen Time -> Content & Privacy Restrictions and enter your passcode.
  • Choose Web Content and Limit Adult Websites.
  • Now enter https://www.youtube.com

This should then prevent using YouTube in iMessage, and in any browser. So once the app time limit is up, YouTube is done for the day.

It is possible to turn off Siri on the iPhone or iPad to avoid kids using the assistant to send messages.

  • Go to Screen Time -> Content & Privacy Restrictions and enter your passcode.
  • Choose Allowed Apps.
  • Turn off Siri & Dictation

Apple may need to add this to make Screen Time a more useful tool for parents.

19 Cool Things the iPad Pro Can Do

Run Two Apps at the Same Time

Run Two Apps at the Same Time

The iPad Pro can run two apps at the same time. This allows you to use your email and look at a document, or browse the web and use social media at the same time. 

There are a few ways you can use two apps at the same time on the iPad Pro. You can use Split View to put two apps side by side, or you can use Slide Over to see a smaller version of an app in off to one side. 

To use Slide Over;

  1. Open the first app.
  2. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen. 
  3. Tap and hold on the app and then drag up to open in Slide Over. 

Now you can use that app in a pop up style window. It's limited to a smaller size, but you can move it around on the screen easier. You can move this into Split View. To do that you need to;

  1. Drag down on the  indicator at the top of the Slide Over window. 

Now you can change the width of the app windows so that you can see everything you need to see in both apps.  If you are on iOS 11 or higher, you can then drag a link, photo, text or file between apps. Just tap and hold on the item, and then drag it to another app. 

8 Comments

8 Comments

  1. ReenaKadri

    04/11/2019 at 12:23 pm

    I know a great way to stop the time and date problem! You change the restrictions for location services. Time is set automatically by where the phone is (eg New York, Toronto, Paris). You have to select don’t allow changes to location services. This will stop your child from changing the time!

  2. asdfgh

    06/26/2019 at 9:00 am

    snitch

    • gamerkid101

      09/09/2019 at 2:40 pm

      ikr what doo doo heads

      • [email protected]

        03/09/2021 at 6:37 pm

        OMG IKR, it is so annoying fr I am 13 and have barely any time!!!! My mom set downtime to end at 3 PM ITS LIKE WHAT THE HECK?!?

  3. Secret

    07/14/2019 at 9:36 am

    My parents are pretty smart so they fixed the problem before I knew that it was possible because I didn’t know how to change the time/ where to go to change it is there a way to bypass it

    • [email protected]

      03/09/2021 at 6:39 pm

      Yeah same- it annoys me tho cause i have 15 mins and I am a pretty good 13 yr old and it is like I am good and all but y do i need screen time… so yeah-

  4. gamerkid101

    09/09/2019 at 2:39 pm

    snitch

  5. parentsrannoying

    02/19/2021 at 9:15 am

    KIDS WILL AWAYS OUTSMART YOU PARENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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