How to Use Content and Privacy Restriction (Parents)

Set Content & Privacy Restrictions

With Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time, you can block or limit specific apps and features on your child's device. And restrict the settings on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch for explicit content, purchases and downloads, and privacy

Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
Tap Continue, then choose "This is My [Device]" or "This is My Child's [Device]".
- If you're the parent or guardian of your device and want to prevent another family member from changing your settings, tap Use Screen Time Passcode to create a passcode, then re-enter the passcode to confirm. In iOS 13.4 and later, after you confirm your passcode you'll be asked to enter your Apple ID and password. This can be used to reset your Screen Time passcode if you forget it.
- If you're setting up Screen Time on your child's device, follow the prompts until you get to Parent Passcode and enter a passcode. Re-enter the passcode to confirm. In iOS 13.4 and later, after you confirm your passcode you'll be asked to enter your Apple ID and password. This can be used to reset your Screen Time passcode if you forget it.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode, then turn on Content & Privacy.

Make sure that you choose a passcode that's different from the passcode you use to unlock your device. To change or turn off the passcode on your child's device, tap Settings > Screen Time > [your child's name]. Then tap Change Screen Time Passcode or Turn Off Screen Time Passcode, and authenticate the change with Face ID, Touch ID or your device passcode.

If you forgot your Screen Time passcode, update your device to the latest iOS or iPadOS then reset your passcode. If you can’t update your device, delete it and set it up as new to remove the passcode and choose a new one. Restoring your device from a backup won't remove your passcode.

Learn more about using Family Sharing with Screen Time.

Prevent iTunes & App Store purchases

You can also prevent your child from being able to install or delete apps, make in-app purchases and more. To prevent iTunes & App Store purchases or downloads:

Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.
Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases.
Choose a setting and set to Don't Allow.

You can also change your password settings for additional purchases from the iTunes & App Store or Book Store. Follow steps 1-3, then choose Always Require or Don't Require.

Allow built-in apps and features

You can restrict the use of built-in apps or features. If you turn off an app or feature, it won’t delete it, it’s just temporarily hidden from your Home screen. For example, if you turn off Mail, the Mail app won't appear on your Home Screen until you turn it back on.

To change your Allowed Apps:

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

Prevent explicit content and content ratings

You can also prevent the playback of music with explicit content and films or TV shows with specific ratings. Apps also have ratings that can be configured using content restrictions.

To restrict explicit content and content ratings:

Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content Restrictions.
Choose the settings you want for each feature or setting under Allowed Store Content.

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 Videos: Prevent finding and viewing music videos
Music Profiles: Prevent sharing what you're listening to with friends and seeing what they're listening to
Films: Prevent films with specific ratings
TV shows: Prevent TV shows with specific ratings
Books: Prevent content with specific ratings
Apps: Prevent apps with specific ratings

Prevent web content

iOS can automatically filter website content to limit access to adult content in Safari and apps on your device. You can also add specific websites to an approved or blocked list, or you can limit access to only approved websites. Follow these steps:

Go to Settings > Screen Time.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enter your Screen Time passcode.
Tap Content Restrictions, then tap Web Content.
Choose Unrestricted Access, Limit Adult Websites or Allowed Websites Only.

Depending on the access you allow, you may need to add information, like the website that you want to restrict.

Restrict Siri web search

To restrict Siri features:

Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content Restrictions.
Scroll down to Siri, then choose your settings.

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

Restrict Game Center

To restrict Game Center features:

Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content Restrictions.
Scroll down to Game Center, then choose your settings.

You can restrict these Game Center features:

Multiplayer Games: Prevent the ability to play multiplayer games
Adding Friends: Prevent the ability to add friends to Game Center
Screen Recording: Prevent the ability to capture the screen and sound

Allow changes to privacy settings

The privacy settings on your device give you control over which apps have access to information stored on your device or the hardware features. For example, you can allow a social networking app to request access to use the camera, which allows you to take and upload pictures.

To allow changes to privacy settings:

Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.
Tap Privacy, then choose the settings you want to restrict.

Here are the things you can restrict:

Location Services: Lock the settings to allow apps and websites to use location
Contacts: Prevent apps from accessing your Contacts
Calendars: Prevent apps from accessing your Calendar
Reminders: Prevent apps from accessing your Reminders
Photos: Prevent apps from requesting access to your photos
Share My Location: Lock the settings for location sharing in Messages and Find My Friends
Bluetooth sharing: Prevent devices and apps from sharing data through Bluetooth
Microphone: Prevent apps from requesting access to your microphone
Speech Recognition: Prevent apps from accessing Speech Recognition or Dictation
Advertising: Prevent changes to advertising settings
Media & Apple Music: Prevent apps from accessing your photos, videos or music library

Allow changes to other settings and features

You can allow changes to other settings and features, the same way you can allow changes to privacy settings.

Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.
Under Allow Changes, select the features or settings you want to allow changes to and choose Allow or Don't Allow.

Here are some features and settings you can allow changes for:

Passcode Changes: Prevent changes to your passcode
Account Changes: Prevent changes to settings for Accounts & Passwords
Cellular Data Changes: Prevent changes to cellular data settings
Volume Limit: Prevent changes to volume settings for safe listening
Do Not Disturb While Driving: Prevent changes to Do Not Disturb While Driving
TV Provider: Prevent changes to TV provider settings
Background App Activities: Prevent changes to whether or not apps run in the background

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