How to set up parental controls on iPhone & iPad
Everything on Apple devices runs through Screen Time (Settings → Screen Time). Turn it on, set a Screen Time passcode only you know, then work through Content & Privacy Restrictions: limit adult websites, set app age ratings, turn on Ask to Buy so every download and purchase needs your approval, set Downtime (a nightly cut-off) and App Limits, and use Communication Limits to control who your child can message and FaceTime. For a young child, set it up under Family Sharing so you can manage it from your own phone.
iPhone & iPad FAQs
How do I set parental controls on an iPhone?
Settings → Screen Time → set a passcode, then Content & Privacy Restrictions for web, apps, purchases (Ask to Buy) and Downtime.
Can I manage my child's iPhone from mine?
Yes — set them up in Family Sharing and you can adjust Screen Time and approve purchases remotely.
Lock it down — start tonight
Dad's free quick wins for iPhone & iPad. Do step 1 tonight; the rest are in the members' guide.
- 1Set up the device on a child Apple Account so Screen Time and Ask to Buy actually apply
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The rest of the iPhone & iPad lockdown
3 more quick wins — plus the full screen-by-screen walkthrough.
The full screen-by-screen walkthrough for iPhone & iPad lives in The Ultimate Parents Guide.
Device Scoreboard
Every device, scored head-to-head.
See alsoApp Scoreboard
App-by-app honest verdicts.
View ThenTalk to your kids
The conversation that makes the settings stick.
How to start