It’s usually best to give a child an iPad for as long as possible, but once they reach the right age it can be a near-ideal computing device – provided the right constraints are in place. Here’s how to use them.
How to set parental controls on an iPad
Create a Family Sharing Group
The smartest way to manage parental controls is with a feature called Family Sharing. As the name suggests, up to six people can share app and media purchases, as well as subscriptions to services like iCloud Plus. But more importantly for our purposes, you can give kids their own Apple IDs and manage restrictions remotely.
If you don’t already have a Family Sharing group:
On your own iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app, then tap your name/Apple ID. (If you have a Mac, you can find options to create or manage Family Sharing in Apple menu > System Preferences.) Tap Family Sharing, then tap Set Up Family. Follow the instructions. If your child already has an Apple ID, you’ll need to send an invitation. If not, hopefully you should see an option to create a child account.
If you already have a Family Sharing group or don’t immediately see the option to create a child account, you can always add a child later by going to Settings > Family > Add Member. Choose Invite people if they already have an Apple ID, or create an account for a child. The former requires you or your child to enter their Apple ID login on your device.
Set restrictions for your child
When you add a child in Family Sharing for the first time, you’ll be prompted to select a set of optional content restrictions. Let’s break them down:
Apps, books, movies, and TV shows can be independently restricted to specific content ratings or blocked entirely. For example, in the US, you can limit a young child’s movies and television to the G/TV-G rating. Specifically, Apple Media covers Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple News, and Apple Fitness Plus. You can only choose clean or explicit. Music Videos and Music Profile options are connected to Apple Music. You can only turn them on or off. Web content controls the Safari web browser. To censor web content, select either Restrict adult sites or Allowed sites. If you choose the latter, you will need to whitelist websites that your child can access. We have instructions on how to do this below. Siri web search can be turned on or off. Explicit language handles general language censorship. Use Don’t Allow to block profanity. Deleting apps can be prevented, but this option is especially useful with very young children who don’t understand what they’re doing.
You’ll also be asked if you want to enable a feature called Downtime, which creates a window when your child needs your permission to use their device, or at least certain aspects of it. It’s usually designed to prevent your child from playing on their iPad when they should be asleep, but you can also delay or extend those hours to make sure homework gets done.
Another thing you can turn on is communication security. It uses algorithms to detect if a child is sending or receiving nude photos on the messaging app. When enabled, nude images will be blurred and children will receive guidance on making safe choices.
Restricting purchases and subscriptions in the App Store
If you go to Settings > Family > [child name] On an iPhone or iPad, there are a few options for controlling purchases and subscriptions in the App Store.
You can turn on Ask to Buy if you have Purchase Sharing turned on (via Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing). That’s a good idea, since Purchase Sharing routes billing to a single adult, otherwise you might find your bank card bled dry. Subscriptions determines which App Store-based subscriptions are shared with a child. This usually applies to things like Apple Music, iCloud Plus, and Apple TV Plus, since services like Netflix and Spotify don’t allow you to have in-app subscriptions.
Restrict access to websites, apps and contacts
If you go to Settings > Screen Time and tap your child’s name under Family, you can manage all of the restrictions we talked about and more, minus purchase requests and shared subscriptions. Here are some options we haven’t covered yet:
App Limits allows you to set time limits for individual apps. If you don’t want a child watching Twitch or YouTube for hours, here’s how. Communication limits allow you to control who your child can interact with via FaceTime or Messages. You can set separate restrictions in and out of downtime or even manage a child’s contacts directly, although they (or you) have to accept on the target device. Always Allowed lets you choose which apps and contacts work regardless of downtime. Content and privacy restrictions include content censorship, which is offered when setting up a child account, plus additional control over Safari, iTunes, and App Store purchases, some device settings, and allowed Apple apps.
Crucially, if you previously restricted your child to allowed websites, you must go to Content & Privacy Restrictions > Content Restrictions > Web Content to whitelist websites. Just tap Add Website to enter a name and URL if it’s not already on your list. You can also use the Web Content menu to switch modes, e.g. B. “Restrict adult sites” or “Unrestricted”.
frequently asked Questions
Can I control my child’s iPad remotely?
Only in the sense of a general child safety. You cannot control the input remotely.
Can I remotely lock or turn off my child’s iPad?
You can’t turn it off on the fly, but if you have Family Sharing turned on, go to Settings > Screen Time > [child’s name] > Enable Downtime and Block at Downtime, your device will be completely inaccessible during the downtime window unless you request permission and you or a partner grant it.
Are there parental control apps for the iPad?
Yes, but not with the same level of integration as Apple’s own software. They usually serve different purposes.
Can I block YouTube on my child’s iPad?
Indirect. If Family Sharing is turned on, you can exclude them from whitelisted Safari websites and/or prevent your child from installing new apps via Settings > Screen Time > [child’s name] > Content and Privacy Restrictions > iTunes and App Store Purchases. If you just want to limit the time they spend on YouTube, try Settings > Screen Time > [child’s name] > App Limits.
Can I turn off Safari on my child’s iPad?
Yes. With Family Sharing turned on, use Settings > Screen Time > [child’s name] > Content and privacy restrictions > Allowed apps. Alternatively, you can restrict Safari to whitelisted sites via Settings > Screen Time > [child’s name] > Content and Privacy Restrictions > Content Restrictions > Web Content.
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