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iPhone & iPad

Screen Time, content restrictions, app limits

Last updated: March 2026

Easy~8 minutes
1

Turn On Screen Time

On your child's iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, then tap "Screen Time." Tap "Turn On Screen Time." If you're setting this up on your child's device, tap "This is My Child's iPhone/iPad." If using Family Sharing, you can set this up from your own device. Screen Time is the central hub for all parental controls on Apple devices.

2

Enable Content & Privacy Restrictions

In Screen Time, tap "Content & Privacy Restrictions" and toggle it ON. This unlocks all the detailed controls below. Without this toggled on, none of the content restrictions will be active. This is the single most important step to complete.

3

Control Allowed Apps

Under Content & Privacy Restrictions, tap "Allowed Apps & Features." Here you can disable built-in apps entirely. Consider disabling Safari (the web browser), FaceTime, Camera (if your child is very young), AirDrop (used to receive content from strangers nearby), and Wallet. Disabled apps are completely hidden from the device until re-enabled.

4

Set Content Ratings and Restrictions

Under Content & Privacy Restrictions, tap "Store, Web, Siri & Game Center Content." Set age ratings for Movies, TV Shows, and Apps. Set "Web Content" to "Limit Adult Websites" (blocks known adult sites) or "Only Allowed Websites" (whitelist mode, strictest option). Set "Music, Podcasts, News & Workouts" to "Clean" to block explicit content. Set "Books" to "Clean" as well.

5

Set Communication Limits

In Screen Time, tap "Communication Limits." Under "During Screen Time," choose who your child can communicate with: "Contacts Only" is recommended. Under "During Downtime," set it to "Specific Contacts" and choose only family members. This controls Phone, FaceTime, Messages, and iCloud contacts. Turn on "Manage [Child's] Contacts" to prevent your child from adding contacts without your approval.

6

Set a Screen Time Passcode

In Screen Time, tap "Lock Screen Time Settings" (or "Use Screen Time Passcode"). Create a 4-digit passcode that is DIFFERENT from the device unlock passcode. This is critical: if you use the same code, your child can change their own restrictions. Your child will need this passcode to override any Screen Time limits. Choose a code they won't guess and don't share it with them.

Pro Tips

  • •Set up Apple Family Sharing so you can manage your child's Screen Time remotely from your own iPhone. Go to Settings, tap your name, then "Family Sharing."
  • •Enable "Ask to Buy" in Family Sharing. Your child will need your approval before downloading any app or making any purchase, even free apps.
  • •Use "App Limits" in Screen Time to set daily time limits on categories like Social Media, Games, or Entertainment. Your child gets a warning 5 minutes before the limit is reached.

What This Doesn’t Cover

  • •Determined teenagers can find workarounds online. Screen Time is a strong layer but not invulnerable. Check periodically that settings haven't been circumvented.
  • •Screen Time does not monitor the content of messages (iMessage, WhatsApp, etc.). It controls who your child can message, not what they say.
  • •Web content filtering ("Limit Adult Websites") uses Apple's blocklist and isn't exhaustive. For younger children, use "Only Allowed Websites" mode for maximum safety.

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