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Screen Time · iPhone / Android · 4 min · Updated September 2026

My child can get around screen time

When screen time “doesn’t work”, it is usually the passcode, another device, or the limit sitting in the wrong app. ParentPilot does not explain how to bypass controls. Start with these three things — they fix most cases.

Phone and an hourglass

In short

Change the passcode to one your child does not know. Check that the limit applies to the phone actually being used. On iPhone that is Screen Time. On Android it is usually Family Link. A VPN or a second phone can make a limit look as if it is on. Calmly ask which device they use most — without accusing.

  1. 1

    Change the passcode

    If your child knows the Screen Time passcode or Family Link PIN, they can turn the limit off. Choose a new code and store it where they cannot reach it. Do not write it on a note by the computer.

  2. 2

    Check the right device

    The limit only applies where you set it. An old phone, an iPad, a school computer or a games console does not count unless you set it there too. Ask whether they use a friend’s phone or an old device in a drawer.

  3. 3

    iPhone: open Screen Time

    Settings → Screen Time. Check Downtime, App Limits and content. Turn on Share Across Devices if your child has more than one Apple device. Use Apple’s own guide if the menus have changed names. Also check iPad and iPhone — they can have different settings.

  4. 4

    Android: open Family Link

    In the Family Link app on your phone: select your child, then check screen time and app limits. Family Link controls the Google account they are signed in with — not some other user on the phone. If they switched accounts, you need to link the right one again.

If you are unsure, start a conversation about why the limit is there, rather than chasing every new loophole. A technical lock only holds if the code is yours. The Parents’ Helpline at Børns Vilkår can help with the conversation: 35 55 55 57. The Media Council for Children and Young People also has guidance on screen time. Agree a routine to check settings — for example every three months.

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More help in Denmark

If you need someone to talk to, use these — they are free, and they take parents and children.

  • Parents’ Helpline 35 55 55 57

    Børns Vilkår. Free, anonymous counselling for parents and relatives in Denmark on 35 55 55 57. They take calls about screens, conflict and online problems.

  • Media Council for Children and Young People

    Public guidance in Denmark on children, young people and digital media. Advice on age, content and parent conversations — without sales language.

Sources