Guide to Parental Controls on iPhones and iPads

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In this post, we’ll guide you through enabling parental controls on your child’s iPhone. With this configuration, you can significantly enhance your child’s safety. Throughout this guide, you’ll discover how to block content, track your child’s location, set screen time limits, and more.

 

Family Sharing

Before implementing any parental controls on your child’s iPhone, the first step is to establish a Family Sharing account. This enables you to manage all screen time features remotely and apply content restrictions and purchasing limits to your child’s device.

Here’s how to set up a Family Sharing account with you as the organizer of the family group:

  1. On your iPhone, open Settings.
  2. Navigate to your Apple ID.
  3. Tap on Family Sharing and confirm by selecting Continue.
  4. You can then invite up to five other family members to join this space by tapping on Invite Others.

 

Screen Time

Parental controls are integrated within Screen Time, where you can also access information about how an iPhone is being utilized and for what duration. It’s essential to activate Screen Time before you can utilize these controls effectively.

To configure Screen Time:

  1. Step 1 – Navigate to “Settings” and select “Screen Time”.
  2. Step 2 – Proceed by tapping Continue, then opt for either “This is My [Device]” or “This is My Child’s [Device]”.
    • For shared devices where you wish to prevent settings alterations, tap “Use Screen Time Passcode”.
  3. Then, confirm by entering the passcode again.
  4. If it’s a child’s device, you can follow the prompts until you reach Parent Passcode and input a passcode. Confirm by entering it again.

You can read more about Screen Time on iPhones and iPads here.

 

App Store Purchases

To restrict children from accessing the App Store, where they could install apps (including paid ones) and make in-app purchases, as well as prevent them from deleting apps and their associated data, follow these steps:

  1. Open Settings and tap on Screen Time.
  2. Then, select Content & Privacy Restrictions.
  3. If prompted, enter the passcode used to set up Screen Time.
  4. Tap on iTunes & App Store Purchases.
  5. Now, you can choose to toggle off Installing Apps, Deleting Apps, or In-app Purchases, depending on your preferences, by selecting either ‘allow’ or ‘don’t allow’ next to each option.

 

Restrict content

Certain media content like music, movies, TV shows, games, books, apps, and podcasts may not be suitable for young audiences. Age ratings serve as a helpful tool to regulate what content a child is exposed to. By accessing the Settings app and tapping on Screen Time, you can effectively manage what a child can access.

To restrict content:

  1. Select Content & Privacy Restrictions. If prompted, input your passcode, then enable Content & Privacy.
  2. After setting up your code, within this section, you can control in-app purchases, app access, and automatically filter website content to restrict access to adult content in Safari and apps on your device.

 

Block websites

The online world can sometimes resemble the wild west, so you might find it crucial to limit a child’s access to the browser. You have the option to approve or block specific websites, even restricting access to only those websites you deem appropriate for them.

To access these controls:

  1. Open Settings and tap on Screen Time.
  2. Then, select Content & Privacy Restrictions.
  3. Tap on Content Restrictions and choose Web Content.
  4. From there, you can opt to limit adult websites or select specific Allowed Websites.

 

Guided Access

Guided Access enables you to lock your iPhone or iPad within a specific app. This can be particularly beneficial for children, preventing them from accessing other apps and settings.

To activate Guided Access:

  1. Navigate to “Settings”, tap “Accessibility”, then scroll and select “Guided Access”.
  2. Toggle the Guided Access switch to turn it on (it will turn green).
  3. Initiate Guided Access by tapping the side (power) button three times. Once activated, both the buttons and touchscreen will be disabled.
    • Within this section, you can also establish a passcode, set a time limit, and enable auto-lock features.
    • To deactivate Guided Access, tap the side button three times.
  4. Step 4 – Customize the options that appear in the bottom left of your screen to configure settings for the app you or your child is using.

 

Restricting Siri web search
  1. Navigate to Settings, then Screen Time. Tap on ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’.
  2. If prompted, enter your Screen Time passcode. Then, select ‘Content Restrictions’. Scroll down to Siri and adjust your settings.

You can restrict the following Siri features:

  • Web Search Content: Prevent Siri from searching the web when you ask a question
  • Explicit Language: Prevent Siri from displaying explicit language

 

Restricting Game Center
  1. Navigate to Settings, then Screen Time. Tap on ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’.
  2. Enter your Screen Time passcode. Then, select ‘Content Restrictions’. Scroll down to Game Center, and adjust your settings.

You can restrict the following Game Center features:

  • Multiplayer Games: Prevent the ability to play multiplayer games
  • Adding Friends: Prevent the ability to add friends to Game Center
  • Screen Recording: Prevent the ability to capture the screen and sound

 

Hide built-in Apps

An efficient method to prevent a child from using a built-in app is by hiding it from the Home Screen. This action doesn’t delete the app; you can easily restore it later, and you can hide as many apps as you wish. Follow these steps:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap on Screen Time, then select Content & Privacy Restrictions.
  3. Enter your Screen Time passcode and ensure Content & Privacy Restrictions are activated.
  4. Now, tap on Allowed Apps.
  5. Toggle off the apps you wish to hide.

 

Disabling Tracking

If you have iOS 14.5 update or newer, you can use the App Tracking Transparency feature to control whether apps can track your activity for advertising purposes. This might not be appropriate for children as it could lead to in-app spending.

To turn it off:

  1. Navigate to Settings, then ‘Privacy’.
  2. Tap on ‘Tracking’.
    • Ensure the toggle button is grey – indicating that the feature is disabled. A green toggle indicates it’s enabled.

Note: If you allow apps to request tracking permission, you’ll receive prompts from updated apps asking for permission to track your activity. If you decline these requests, all apps will be automatically blocked from tracking your activity.

 

Enabling Changes to Privacy Settings

The privacy settings on your device allow you to manage which apps can access information stored on your device or its hardware features.

To enable changes:

  1. Navigate to Settings, then Screen Time.
  2. Tap on ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’.
    • If prompted, enter your Screen Time passcode.
  3. Select ‘Privacy’, then adjust the settings according to your preferences.

 

Enabling Changes to Other Settings and Features

You can permit adjustments to other settings and features similar to how you enable changes to privacy settings.

Here’s how:

  1. Go to Settings, then Screen Time.
  2. Tap on ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’. If prompted, enter your Screen Time passcode.
  3. Under “Always Allowed,” select the features or settings you wish to allow changes to and toggle between “Allow” or “Don’t Allow.”

 

Why should parents consider their children’s safety on iPhones?

Ensuring child safety on iPhones is paramount for several reasons. While iPhones can be enticing for children, promoting sedentary behavior and excessive screen time, it’s crucial for parents to strike a balance.

On one hand, fostering a healthy relationship with technology involves setting boundaries and rules that children can comprehend. This approach encourages responsible usage and promotes other activities like physical exercise and reading.

On the other hand, parental control tools and apps available for iPhones offer practical solutions for limiting screen time and controlling app usage. These tools empower parents to enforce restrictions and maintain oversight over their children’s device usage.

By leveraging these features, parents can effectively manage their children’s iPhone usage, promoting a balanced lifestyle while ensuring their safety and well-being.