unhackchildhood.com/how-to/iphone-ipad-parental-controls · Checked against official instructions on September 24, 2026
THE WALKTHROUGH
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Tap a step’s number to check it off. Your progress stays on this device.
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Update, then turn on the new controls
Apple rebuilt parental controls in iOS 27. To use them, every device in your Family Sharing group needs version 27 or later, and the organizer or a parent must update the family’s parental controls. If a device can’t update, you can keep using the previous version of Screen Time, but the menus below won’t match.
Set up Screen Time from your phone
On your own iPhone, open Settings > Family > your child’s name > Screen Time and follow the prompts. Apple says the organizer or a parent must set the child’s Screen Time passcode on their own device, not the child’s. Make sure a parent is in your child’s contacts, so their requests can reach you.
Approve apps and purchases
Go to Settings > Family > your child > Apps & Websites > Restrictions > Ask to Buy, and turn on Require Purchase Approval. Under Apps & Websites > App Store, choose whether installing apps is allowed. Ask to Buy is on by default for children under 13. A blocked app is dimmed on the Home Screen, not deleted.
Choose how they browse
In Apps & Websites > Restrictions > Filtering, choose Limit Adult Websites, or Approved Websites Only to use Ask to Browse, where your child requests each new site. Ask to Browse is on by default under 13, and Limit Adult Websites under 18. You can approve sites ahead of time, like one for a school project.
Decide who they can contact
Open Allowed Contacts, turn on Manage Contacts, and choose the people you approve. Leave Allow Contact Editing off so a new contact needs your OK. Under During Screen Time, pick Contacts Only. If someone new messages your child, they can’t see it until a parent approves.
Set schedules and time allowances
Tap Screen Time Schedule, turn on Schedule, then Add Schedule and pick the days. Set time windows like Before School, School, and After School, and which app categories each allows. Time Allowances sets a daily budget by category, like Games or Social Media. Choose Always Allowed contacts so your child can always reach you.
Set content limits and Communication Safety
Content & Privacy Restrictions sets age ratings for apps, music, movies, and books, plus Siri and privacy settings. Game Center friends and messaging are under Apps & Websites > Restrictions. Then tap Communication Safety and turn it on: it helps protect your child from viewing or sharing detected nudity, gore, or violence, including in FaceTime calls.
FIVE-MINUTE CHECK
Verify, don't assume.
- Your child has their own Child Account in Family Sharing
- Every family device runs version 27 or later, and the new controls are on
- A test app download and a test website both send you a request
- Allowed Contacts and Always Allowed include the people your child needs
- Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances match your family plan
WHAT THE CONTROLS DO NOT SOLVE
- Screen Time is a guardrail, not a substitute for reviewing new apps and talking about how they are used.
- Defaults vary by state and age, and Apple says some settings can’t be turned off. Recheck after major updates: Apple rebuilt these controls in iOS 27.
- Your child can ask for exceptions to limits you set. Decide in advance how your family will handle those requests.
OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS
Platform features and menus change frequently. This guide was checked against the linked official documentation on September 24, 2026.