How to Set up Parental Controls with Apple’s Screen Time for Your Child

Raising a child in the technological age is a huge challenge for parents. Do you know how to limit the time your child spends on the screen? Do you know how to block inappropriate content on your child’s device? It is important to monitor and restrict your child’s devices. Apple offers various parental control features that allow you to manage the functions, apps, and content that your child can or cannot access on an iPhone or iPad. Here’s a tutorial on how to set up parental controls with Apple’s screen time on your child’s iPhone/iPad.

If you have an iPhone or iPad, it’s important that you upgrade to Apple’s latest operating system: iOS 13. To check the operating system, go to Settings > General > Software Update.

How to Use Screen Time on iPhone and iPad

Before you start monitoring the use of your child’s device, it is recommended that you use “Screen Time” on your device to familiarize yourself with this feature.

The built-in Apple Screen Time feature enables you to track and monitor the time the child spends on the iPhone or iPad, and lock the child out of the app when the set time is reached. You can even ban access to your child’s Apple devices at a fixed time every night to prevent them from staying up late to play their favorite games before going to bed.

Create A Screen Time Passcode on iPhone and iPad

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Scroll down and choose your child’s name under Family.
3. Tap Turn on Screen Time, then tap Continue.
4. Set up Downtime, App Limits, and Content & Privacy with all of the limitations that you want for your child, or tap Not Now.
5. Tap Continue to set Screen Time Passcode, then enter a passcode when prompted. Re-enter the passcode to confirm.
6. Now you can check your child’s screen time.

Prevent Adult Content on iPhone and iPad

This feature makes it extremely easy to prevent your child from accessing adult-themed websites and regular content deemed inappropriate for young people.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Tap Content Restrictions.
4. Tap Web Content.
5. Choose Unrestricted Access, Limit Adult Websites, or Allowed Websites Only.

Restrict Built-In Apps and Features on iPhone and iPad

You can choose to allow your child to use certain apps and restrict him/her from using some apps that you find inappropriate.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Tap Allowed Apps.
4. Enter your Screen Time passcode.
5. Select the apps that you want to allow.

Block Strangers from Game Center on iPhone and iPad

For kids in families who use Game Center, you can use “Content and Privacy Restrictions” in “Screen Time” to block adding friends.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Tap Content Restrictions.
4. Find GAME CENTER, tap Adding Friends.
5. Tap Don’t Allow.

Set up Content Restrictions on iPhone and iPad

Here, you can set restrictions to block music with explicit content, prevent movies or TV shows with specific ratings, etc.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Tap Content Restrictions.
4. Choose the settings you want for each feature or setting under ALLOWED STORE CONTENT.
5. 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.
• Music Profiles: Prevent sharing what you’re listening to with friends and seeing what they’re listening to.
• Movies: Prevent movies with specific ratings.
• TV shows: Prevent TV shows with specific ratings.
• Books: Prevent content with specific ratings.
• Apps: Prevent apps with specific ratings.

Restrict Siri Web Search on iPhone and iPad

You can restrict Siri commands based on explicit language and web access.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Tap Content Restrictions.
4. Scroll down to SIRI.
5. You can restrict these Siri features:

• Web Search Content: Prevent Siri from searching the web when you ask a question.
• Explicit Language: Prevent Siri from displaying explicit language.

Protect Your Child’s Private Data on iPhone and iPad

In “Settings”, scroll down and tap “Privacy” to display a series of private data such as location services, contacts, and photos.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Find PRIVACY.
4. Choose the settings you want to restrict.

Prevent iTunes & App Store Purchases on iPhone and iPad

It is difficult for kids to resist the temptation to buy their favorite games/apps, which will cost a lot of money. You can use this feature to restrict your child’s in-app purchases.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases.
4. Choose a setting and set to Don’t Allow.

Set up Communication Limits on iPhone and iPad

You can control who your child talks to and how long it lasts. This setting applies to Phone, FaceTime, Messages, and iCloud Contacts.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap Communication Limits.
3. Tap During Screen Time. Select Contacts Only, Contacts & Groups with at Least One Contact or Everyone.
4. Tap During Downtime. Select Specific Contacts or Everyone.

How to View Screen Time Report

Screen time can provide you with detailed reports on how your child’s device is used, apps opened and websites visited, which you can view at any time.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap See All Activity.

iKeyMonitor – Ultimate Monitoring App for Parental Control

iKeyMonitor is a monitoring app that works on Android and Apple devices. You can download the program on your child’s smartphone. It not only provides screen time feature, but also provides detailed information about your child’s mobile phone usage, and allows you to monitor call logs, social apps, screenshots, keystrokes, phone surroundings, and many other online activities. In addition, it also provides a free trial version. You only need to visit the official website and register to get a free account.