Parental Controls for iPads
Please be aware that the default settings on Apple devices allow access to unrestricted adult/explicit content, apps, purchases and downloads...
The guide below provides instructions for setting up your child's device.
Use parental controls on your child's iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
With Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time, you can block or limit specific apps and features on your child's device. And restrict the settings on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch for explicit content, purchases and downloads, and privacy.
Set Content & Privacy Restrictions
- Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
- Tap Continue, then choose "This is My [Device]" or "This is My Child's [Device]."
- If you're the parent or guardian of your device and want to prevent another family member from changing your settings, tap Use Screen Time Passcode to create a passcode. Then re-enter the passcode to confirm.
- If you're setting up Screen Time on your child's device, follow the prompts until you get to Parent Passcode and enter a passcode. Re-enter the passcode to confirm.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode, then turn on Content & Privacy.
Prevent iTunes & App Store purchases
You can also prevent your child from being able to install or delete apps, make in-app purchases, and more. To prevent iTunes & App Store purchases or downloads:
- Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.
- Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases.
- Choose a setting (In-app Purchases) and set to Don't Allow.
You can also change your password settings for additional purchases from the iTunes & App Store or Book Store. Follow steps 1-3, then choose Always Require or Don't Require.
Allow built-in apps and features
You can restrict the use of built-in apps or features. If you turn off an app or feature, it won’t delete it, it’s just temporarily hidden from your Home screen. For example, if you turn off Mail, the Mail app won't appear on your Home Screen until you turn it back on.
To change your Allowed Apps:
- Go to Settings > Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Enter your Screen Time passcode.
- Tap Allowed Apps.
- Select the apps that you want to allow.
Turn off/hide the Apps you don't want your child to access
Prevent explicit content and content ratings
You can also prevent the playback of music with explicit content and movies or TV shows with specific ratings. Apps also have ratings that can be configured using content restrictions.
To restrict explicit content and content ratings:
- Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content Restrictions.
- Choose the settings you want for each feature.
Here are the types of content that you can restrict:
- Ratings For: Select the country or region in the ratings section to automatically apply the appropriate content ratings for that region
- Music, Podcasts & News: Prevent the playback of music, music videos, podcasts, and news containing explicit content
Default = Explicit --> Change this to Clean - Music Profiles & Posts: Prevent sharing what you're listening to with friends and seeing what they're listening to
- Films: Prevent movies with specific ratings
Default = Allow All Films --> Change this to appropriate age rating (U, PG, 12, 15) - TV Programmes: Prevent TV shows with specific ratings
Default = Allow All TV Programmes --> Change this to Caution - Books: Prevent content with specific ratings
Default = Explicit --> Change this to Clean - Apps: Prevent apps with specific ratings
Default = Allow All Apps --> Change this to appropriate age rating (4+, 9+, 12+, 17+)
Restrict Siri web search
To restrict Siri features:
- Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content Restrictions.
- Scroll down to Siri, then choose your settings.
You can restrict these Siri features:
- Web Search Content: Prevent Siri from searching the web when you ask a question
Default = Allow --> Change this to Don't Allow - Explicit Language: Prevent Siri from displaying explicit language
Default = Allow --> Change this to Don't Allow
Restrict Game Center
To restrict Game Center features:
- Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content Restrictions.
- Scroll down to Game Center, then choose your settings.
You can restrict these Game Center features:
- Multiplayer Games: Prevent the ability to play multiplayer games
Default = Allow --> Change this to Don't Allow - Adding Friends: Prevent the ability to add friends to Game Center
Default = Allow --> Change this to Don't Allow - Screen Recording: Prevent the ability to capture the screen and sound
Default = Allow --> Change this to Don't Allow
Prevent web content
iOS can automatically filter website content to limit access to adult content in Safari and apps on your device. You can also add specific websites to an approved or blocked list, or you can limit access to only approved websites. Follow these steps:
- Go to Settings > Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enter your Screen Time passcode.
- Tap Content Restrictions, then tap Web Content.
- Choose Unrestricted Access, Limit Adult Websites, or Allowed Websites Only.
Depending on the access you allow, you might need to add information, like the website that you want to restrict.
Allow changes to privacy settings
The privacy settings on your device give you control over which apps have access to information stored on your device or the hardware features. For example, you can allow a social-networking app to request access to use the camera, which allows you to take and upload pictures.
To allow changes to privacy settings:
- Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.
- Tap Privacy, then choose the settings you want to restrict.
Here are the things you can restrict:
- Location Services: Lock the settings to allow apps and websites to use location
- Contacts: Prevent apps from accessing your Contacts
- Calendars: Prevent apps from accessing your Calendar
- Reminders: Prevent apps from accessing your Reminders
- Photos: Prevent apps from requesting access to your photos
- Bluetooth sharing: Prevent devices and apps from sharing data through Bluetooth
- Share My Location: Lock the settings for location sharing in Messages and Find My Friends
- Microphone: Prevent apps from requesting access to your microphone
- Speech Recognition: Prevent apps from accessing Speech Recognition or Dictation
- Advertising: Prevent changes to advertising settings
- Media & Apple Music: Prevent apps from accessing your photos, videos, or music library
Allow changes to other settings and features
You can allow changes to other settings and features, the same way you can allow changes to privacy settings.
- Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.
- Under Allow Changes, select the features or settings you want to allow changes to and choose Allow or Don't Allow.
Here are some features and settings you can allow changes for:
- Passcode Changes: Prevent changes to your passcode.
- Account Changes: Prevent changes to settings for Accounts & Passwords
- Cellular Data Changes: Prevent changes to cellular data settings
- Volume Limit: Prevent changes to volume settings for safe listening
- Do Not Disturb While Driving: Prevent changes to Do Not Disturb While Driving
- TV Provider: Prevent changes to TV provider settings
- Background App Activities: Prevent changes to whether or not apps run in the background.
Guided Access
Guided Access limits your device to a single app and lets you control which features are available. You can turn on Guided Access when you let a child use your device, or when accidental gestures might distract you..