Apple has announced a new set of child safety and parental control features designed to help parents better manage what their children can see, who they can communicate with, and when they can access apps.
The updates will arrive with Apple’s software releases this fall and include a simpler child account setup, recommended starter apps, Ask to Browse, Time Allowances, and a redesigned Screen Time experience.
The company says the new tools build on its existing parental controls and are part of its wider effort to create a safer and more trusted digital experience for children. Apple said the features are designed to be easy to use while giving parents more control over their child’s device use.
Sumbul Desai, Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness, said Apple’s goal is to create technology that empowers people while helping keep them safe. She said every child is different, which is why Apple is building simple tools based on expert guidance so parents can shape their children’s digital experience in a way that works for their family.
Apple says the first step for parents is to create a child account. A child account enables age-based protections across the system, such as limiting adult websites, allowing age-appropriate media, and setting restrictions in the App Store. Apple requires child accounts for children under 13, while the option is available for children up to 18.
When setting up a new device for a child, parents will be guided through the child account setup process. After the account is created, they can choose which apps their child can access from the beginning. Parents can start with only essential apps, use a recommended starter set, or manually select the apps they feel are suitable. More apps can then be added gradually as the child grows or as parents decide they are appropriate.
Apple is also expanding its approval tools with a new feature called Ask to Browse. Parents already have Ask to Buy, which lets them approve app downloads and in-app purchases before a child can make them. With Ask to Browse, children will also need permission before visiting a new website in Safari. The feature works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
The company is also improving tools that help parents manage who their children can contact. Parents can control who their kids communicate with through Messages, FaceTime, and Phone. They can also require approval before a child connects with a new contact.
Apple’s Communication Safety feature, which already blurs nudity detected in Messages and FaceTime and is turned on by default for users under 18, is also being expanded. The feature will now intervene when gore or violent content is detected in shared images or videos.
Another major update is Time Allowances, which gives parents more flexible control over how much time their children spend in app categories such as Entertainment, Games, and Social Media. Apple says parents will receive age-based guidance informed by expert research, giving them a starting point that they can adjust based on their child’s needs.
Parents will also be able to create daily schedules to decide which apps their children can use at different times of the day or week. This can help children stay focused during school hours or other important times when parents want fewer distractions.
Screen Time is also getting a redesign. Apple says the updated experience will give parents a clearer view of their child’s average device usage and most-used apps. Parents will be able to quickly adjust access to apps and websites with a tap, including limiting access during meals, outdoor play, or family time. They can also extend app access when a child needs extra time to finish something.
Apple says the new features are guided by research from clinical, child development, and online safety experts. The company is also working with the American Academy of Pediatrics to adapt its Family Media Plan into a guide that parents can use with Apple products. Apple says it will continue working with researchers to better understand how technology affects children’s wellbeing.
To help families learn more, Apple has launched a dedicated website for parents. The site includes information about the latest tools, helpful resources, and answers to common questions about getting started with child safety features.
Apple also highlighted existing tools for families, including Screen Time Passcode Notifications, which alert parents when their Screen Time passcode is entered on a child’s device. User Reporting Tools, currently available in some countries and regions, allow harmful content to be reported directly to Apple and will be expanded globally.
Apple Watch For Your Kids also continues to give children access to Apple Watch features even if they do not have their own iPhone. Parents can use it to contact their child and check their location through Find My, while children can make calls, send messages, use Apple Maps, listen to Apple Music, track activity, and use Schooltime mode to stay focused by blocking notifications and disabling apps.
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Apple says developers also play an important role in creating age-appropriate app experiences. To support them, the company offers tools such as SensitiveContentAnalysis to help detect inappropriate content, PermissionKit to support parental approval for new in-app contacts, and the Declared Age Range API, which allows apps to request a child’s age range in a privacy-protective way without sharing the child’s birthday.
