How to set up parental controls on an iPhone
Use Apple's Family Sharing and Screen Time to manage your child's iPhone – approve app downloads, filter content and set time limits.
- Time
- 20–30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
- Checked
What you’ll need
- Your iPhone and your child's iPhone or iPad, both updated
- Your Apple Account password
Safety first
- No parental control is perfect – keep talking to your child about what they see online and who they talk to.
- Don't share your Apple Account password with your child, or they can approve their own purchases.
Step by step
-
Step 1: Update both devices
Install the latest iOS on your device and your child's (Settings > General > Software Update). Apple's newest controls need up-to-date software.
Next: step 2 -
Step 2: Set up Family Sharing and a child account
On your iPhone go to Settings > Family (or Settings > [your name] > Family Sharing) and add your child. If they're under 13, create a Child Account for them rather than letting them use an adult account. You're the organiser, so you control their settings.
Next: step 3 -
Step 3: Turn on Ask to Buy
In your child's settings in Family, switch on Ask to Buy. They'll need your approval for app downloads and purchases, including free apps.
Next: step 4 -
Step 4: Set content and privacy restrictions
On their device (or from yours under Family > [child] > Screen Time), open Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. Set age ratings for apps, films, TV and music, limit adult websites in Safari, and control things like in-app purchases and Siri web search.
Next: step 5 -
Step 5: Set time limits
Use Downtime to schedule time away from the screen (for example, bedtime and school hours), App Limits to cap time on categories like games or social media, and Communication Limits to choose who they can contact.
Next: step 6 -
Step 6: Set a Screen Time passcode
Choose a passcode your child doesn't know, so they can't change the settings. Don't use your phone's unlock code.
Next: step 7 -
Step 7: Talk it through
Explain what you've set and why, and review the settings as they get older.
Tips
- Apple applies some age-appropriate settings automatically for child accounts – check what's already on before changing things.
- Most apps (TikTok, YouTube, Instagram etc.) have their own parental or teen settings too – set those up as well.
- Turn on location sharing in Find My if you want to see where they are.
Questions people ask
Can I manage my child's iPhone from my phone?
Yes, with Family Sharing you can change Screen Time settings for your child from your own device.
What age should a child have their own Apple Account?
Under-13s need a Child Account set up by a parent through Family Sharing; age rules can vary by country.
Sources
Checked 9 October 2026. We wrote this guide in our own words, using:
- Apple Support: Use parental controls on your child's iPhone or iPad (support.apple.com)
- NSPCC: Parental controls (nspcc.org.uk)
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Printed from howtoguides.uk/guides/how-to-set-up-parental-controls-on-an-iphone/ · Checked 9 October 2026 · General information only. For gas, electrics, structural work, medical, legal or money decisions, use a qualified professional.