iPad and iPhone parental controls (iOS 27)

By Lewis C. Checked against Apple's guide for iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 (published 15 September 2026) on 1 October 2026. We wrote this from the official guide and haven't yet checked every screen on our own device. Spot a menu that doesn't match? Tell us.

Quick answer

Give your child their own Child Account in your Family Sharing group, update every device to iOS 27 or iPadOS 27, then manage it all from your phone under Settings, Family, [your child's name]. For under-13s, Ask to Buy (approving apps) and Ask to Browse (approving websites) are already on. Add a daily time allowance, check who they can message, and you're done.

Before you start

  1. Set up Family Sharing if you haven't.
  2. Create a Child Account for your child and add it to the family. Apple is clear: they need their own account, not yours or a sibling's.
  3. Update every device in the family to iOS 27 / iPadOS 27 to get the new controls. If you can't, the older Screen Time controls still work.
  4. Make sure you're in your child's contacts, so their requests reach you.

Everything below is under Settings, Family, then your child's name on your own device. Some screens ask for your Screen Time passcode. Pick one your child doesn't know.

Apps: approve what they download

  • Ask to Buy sends you a request for every download and purchase. It's on by default for under-13s. Find it under Apps & Websites, Restrictions, Ask to Buy: Require Purchase Approval.
  • Block any app from Apps & Websites. It stays on the device but greys out. You can also block apps above an age rating.
  • In iOS 26 and later, your child can ask for an exception to a limit, and you approve or refuse it.

Websites: approve what they visit

Ask to Browse is new in iOS 27. Your child asks before opening any new website in Safari and other supported browsers, and you can approve sites in advance (like the school's). It's on by default for under-13s. For older kids, switch to Limit Adult Websites, which is on by default for under-18s. Both live under Apps & Websites, Restrictions, Filtering.

People: choose who they can message

  • Allowed Contacts, then During Screen Time: Contacts Only, Contacts & Groups with at least one contact, or Everyone.
  • Turn on Manage Contacts and leave Allow Contact Editing off. Your child then has to ask you before adding anyone new. If a stranger messages them, they can't see it until you approve.
  • Turn on Communication Safety. It helps stop them viewing or sending photos and videos with detected nudity, gore or violence, including in messages and FaceTime calls.

Time: set allowances and a schedule

  • Time Allowances give a daily budget, which you can split by category: games, entertainment, social media.
  • Screen Time Schedule sets which apps work when: before school, school hours, after school, bedtime. Weekdays and weekends can differ.
  • You can pause the device, or allow unlimited use for a day, from your own phone.

Content: age ratings for everything

Content & Privacy Restrictions sets age ratings for apps, films, TV, music and books. Apple applies many of these automatically from your child's age. You can also block Siri features like image creation, and Game Center friends and private messages (under Apps & Websites, Restrictions).

What Apple's controls don't cover

Screen Time stops at the app's front door. Inside Roblox, Fortnite or YouTube, chat and spending have their own settings. Set those too:

Questions parents ask

How do I put parental controls on my child's iPad?

Give your child their own Child Account in your Family Sharing group. Then on your own iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap Family, tap your child's name, and set Apps & Websites, Allowed Contacts, Time Allowances and Content & Privacy Restrictions from there.

How do I stop my child buying apps on the iPad?

Ask to Buy. It's on by default for under-13s. To check, open Settings, tap Family, your child's name, Apps & Websites, Restrictions, then Ask to Buy, and make sure Require Purchase Approval is on.

Should my child use my Apple account on their iPad?

No. Apple says each child should have their own Apple Account and not share one. On your account none of the child protections apply, and they can buy things with your card.

What's changed in iOS 27?

Screen Time has been reworked. Parents now manage everything from Settings, then Family. New features include Ask to Browse (approving websites), Time Allowances by app category, Screen Time Schedules for weekdays and weekends, and approving new contacts. Every device in the family needs updating to iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 to use them.

Where this comes from