Raising Stoics

iPhone parental controls: a step-by-step setup

iPhone parental controls are part of Screen Time, and you set them from your own iPhone in Settings > Family, then your child's name. Your child needs their own Child Account in your Family Sharing group first. The key things to turn on are Content & Privacy Restrictions (age ratings for apps, movies, and more) and Ask to Buy, which Apple turns on by default for children under 13. In iOS 27, the newest controls work only when every device in your family group is updated; otherwise you can keep using the previous version of Screen Time.

Help your child handle big feelings. A 12-week program for kids 5–6: 20 minutes, twice a week.
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At a glance

WhereSettings > Family > your child's name (on your own iPhone) source
Time neededAbout 20–30 minutes for a first setup
You needFamily Sharing, a Child Account for your child, and a Screen Time passcode set on your device
Works oniPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro signed in with the child's Apple Account (newest controls need iOS 27 and matching versions)
Age rulesA parent must create the Apple Account for a child under 13 (age requirements vary by country or region) source
Official guideApple Support: Set up parental controls source

Checked October 2026. Menus change with updates; the official help page linked above has the latest steps.

Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.

How to create a Child Account and turn on Screen Time

Short answer: Add your child to Family Sharing with Create Child Account, then set up Screen Time from your own phone.

  1. On your iPhone, open Settings and tap Family.
  2. Tap the Add Member button, tap Create Child Account, then tap Continue.
  3. Enter your child's name and correct birthday, then follow the onscreen instructions.
  4. Back in Settings > Family, tap your child's name.
  5. Tap Screen Time and follow the onscreen instructions. Apple says to set the child's Screen Time passcode on your own device, not the child's.

How to set age ratings and filter websites

Short answer: Choose an age rating for each type of content, and limit Safari to adult-filtered or approved websites.

  1. Open Settings, tap Family, then tap your child's name.
  2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enter your Screen Time passcode if asked.
  3. Select a type of content under Content Restrictions, then choose Don't Allow, Unrated, Allow All, or a specific age rating.
  4. For websites, go back, tap Apps & Websites, tap Restrictions, then tap Filtering under Websites.
  5. Choose Limit Adult Websites, or set Approved Websites Only to use Ask to Browse.

How to turn on Ask to Buy and block apps

Short answer: Require Purchase Approval sends every download or purchase to you as a request.

  1. Open Settings, tap Family, then tap your child's name.
  2. Tap Apps & Websites and enter your Screen Time passcode if asked.
  3. Tap Restrictions, tap Ask to Buy, then turn on Require Purchase Approval.
  4. To block one app, go back to Apps & Websites, select the app, tap Block App, then tap again to confirm.

Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse are on by default for children under 13.

How to choose who your child can message and call

Short answer: Use Allowed Contacts so new people need your approval, and turn on Communication Safety.

  1. Open Settings, tap Family, then tap your child's name.
  2. Tap Allowed Contacts, tap During Screen Time, and choose Contacts Only, Contacts & Groups with at Least One Contact, or Everyone.
  3. In Allowed Contacts, turn on Manage Contacts and choose the contacts you approve. Keep Allow Contact Editing off if you want your child to ask before adding someone.
  4. Back on your child's page, tap Communication Safety, then turn on Communication Safety.

These settings cover Messages, FaceTime, and Phone.

How to set daily time limits and downtime on iPhone

Short answer: Time Allowances set how long; Screen Time Schedule sets when.

  1. Open Settings, tap Family, then tap your child's name.
  2. Tap Time Allowances, tap the Add button, then follow the onscreen instructions to set a daily budget by app category.
  3. To set times of day, tap Screen Time Schedule, then turn on Schedule.
  4. Scroll down, tap Add Schedule, and select the days it applies to.

What these settings can't do

  • They follow the account, not the phone. Apple says your child needs their own Apple Account and shouldn't share one with anyone else; settings apply to devices signed in with that account.
  • Mixed software versions limit features. The new iOS 27 controls need every device in the family group updated. Otherwise you keep the previous version of Screen Time or set controls on the child's device directly.
  • Not every control exists on every device. Apple notes that some parental controls aren't available on all Apple devices.
  • They don't reach inside other apps. Chat, purchases, and content inside apps like Roblox or YouTube have their own parental controls, set separately.

What the settings can't teach, and what your child can learn

Settings are a fence, not a skill: Screen Time can stop the apps, but it can't help a child through the moment the screen goes gray. In our program, 5- and 6-year-olds practice:

  • "The Pause Button" (stop, breathe, choose) for when a Time Allowance runs out mid-video.
  • "I'm the Boss of My Want" (practicing the pause between wanting something and getting it) for waiting while an Ask to Buy request sits with you.
  • "Two Baskets" (what's up to me, and what isn't) for the rules they can't change and the choices they can still make.

In our program, these are practiced offline, in 20-minute sessions twice a week, before kids need them online.

See our program

Parent guides for iPhone

Is it good for kids?

YouTube

Is YouTube safe for kids? The main app is rated 13+. Supervised accounts, AI age checks, comments and live chat, Premium, and the 2019 FTC settlement.

Is it good for kids?

TikTok

Is TikTok safe for kids? The facts for parents: its 13+ rating, the under-13 experience, Family Pairing, and the $400 million children's privacy settlement.

Is it good for kids?

Roblox

Is Roblox safe for kids? The facts for parents of 4- to 7-year-olds: the ESRB rating, the risks, state lawsuits, Roblox Kids accounts, and what research says.

Why you can trust this page: the main facts link to their sources, a separate reviewer checks each page before it goes live, and the date shows when we last checked. How we review · Report an error

FAQ

How do I put parental controls on an iPhone?

On your own iPhone, open Settings > Family, tap your child's name, then Screen Time, and follow the onscreen steps. Your child needs a Child Account in your Family Sharing group.

How do I set parental controls on my child's iPhone without their phone?

If you're the Family Sharing organizer or a parent/guardian in the group, you can set and change them from your own iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

How do I turn off parental controls on an iPhone?

Change or turn off each setting in Settings > Family > your child's name with your Screen Time passcode. In some places, Apple says settings like Screen Time and Ask to Buy can't be turned off for children.

Is Ask to Buy on by default?

Yes, for children under 13, Apple turns on Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse by default.

More parental control guides

Parental controls

Roblox

Link a parent account, set content maturity, turn chat off, and cap monthly Robux spending.

Parental controls

Disney+

Turn on Junior Mode, set a content rating per profile, add a Profile PIN, and lock profile creation.

Parental controls

Nintendo Switch and Switch 2

Link the free Parental Controls app, pick an age level, set play time, approve GameChat, and block eShop buys.

All parental control guides

Raising Stoics is a 12-week program for ages 5–6, built on Stoic philosophy and developmental psychology. One lesson is "The Pause Button": stop, breathe, choose.

See our program Is it good for kids?