So you want to add parental controls to your iPhone? Well, you’ve come to the right place!
In this tutorial, we will walk you through the steps to set up parental controls on your iPhone using the built-in Screen Time feature. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Open Settings
To begin, locate the Settings app on your iPhone and tap on it. The Settings app icon looks like a gear and is typically found on your home screen.
Step 2: Find and Tap on Screen Time
Within the Settings menu, scroll down until you find “Screen Time” and tap on it. This will open the Screen Time settings page.
Step 3: Enable Screen Time
On the Screen Time settings page, tap “Turn On Screen Time.” This will enable the feature on your device.
Step 4: Set Up a Passcode
Next, you’ll need to set up a passcode for accessing and making changes to the Screen Time settings. Tap “Use Screen Time Passcode” and follow the prompts to create a unique passcode for yourself. Make sure to remember this passcode as it will be required whenever you want to make changes.
Note:
If you already have a passcode set up for your device, you can choose “Use Current Passcode” instead of creating a new one.
Step 5: Set Up Downtime
Downtime allows you to schedule a specific period during which only essential apps and phone calls are available. To set up downtime:
- Tapping “Downtime”: On the Screen Time settings page, tap on “Downtime.”
- Toggle the switch: Toggle the switch to enable Downtime.
- Select start and end times: Set the start and end times for Downtime. During this period, only apps that you allow will be accessible.
- Select allowed apps: Tap “Always Allowed” to choose which apps can be accessed during Downtime.
Step 6: Set Up App Limits
App Limits allow you to set a usage limit for specific categories or individual apps on your iPhone. To set up app limits:
- Tapping “App Limits”: On the Screen Time settings page, tap on “App Limits.”
- Add Limit: Tap on “Add Limit” to add a new limit.
- Select categories or specific apps: Choose whether you want to set a limit for categories or individual apps.
- Set time limits: Select the category or app you want to limit and set the desired time limit using the picker. You can choose different time limits for each day of the week if needed.
Step 7: Content & Privacy Restrictions
The Content & Privacy Restrictions feature allows you to control access to explicit content, restrict certain features and settings, and prevent unauthorized purchases. To configure Content & Privacy Restrictions:
- Tapping “Content & Privacy Restrictions”: On the Screen Time settings page, tap on “Content & Privacy Restrictions.”
- Enable Restrictions: Toggle the switch at the top of the page to enable Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Explore options: Scroll through the various options to customize the restrictions according to your preference. You can restrict app installations, web content, explicit music, and much more.
Note:
Remember to set a passcode for Content & Privacy Restrictions that is different from your device passcode. This ensures that others cannot change these settings without your permission.
Congratulations! You have successfully set up parental controls on your iPhone using Screen Time. Now you can have peace of mind knowing that you have added an extra layer of protection for yourself or your loved ones.
Keep in mind that while parental controls are a powerful tool, open communication with your children about responsible device usage is equally important. Parental controls should be used as a supplement to guide and educate, rather than as a substitute for active parenting.
Happy parenting!