How to set up iOS 27 parental controls on iPhone and iPad

What the new controls offer

Apple's iOS 27 parental controls help families manage which apps children use, who they talk to and how much time they spend on their devices. According to Apple Insider, the settings cover contact management, app allowances and device schedules.

The idea is to act like guardrails rather than hard limits. Children keep room for education and creativity, while parents set boundaries that protect sleep, homework, exercise and family time.

Apple Insider notes that rules work best when they match a child's age and readiness. Younger children need closer guidance, while older children can take on more responsibility over time.

Preparing before you start

The guide recommends choosing a quiet, distraction-free place before touching any settings, since rushing through menus can mean missing something important.

Both the parent's device and the child's device should be updated to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS. This matters especially if one device is still on iOS 26 while the other has moved to iOS 27, because matching versions helps everything line up correctly.

Apple Insider also suggests charging both devices fully and setting aside part of an afternoon. The first setup may take a couple of hours, but later setups are much quicker.

Setting up Family Sharing

Everything starts with a Family Sharing group. The parent needs to run the group, or have access to the device of the person who does.

During setup, you can add members. If your child already has a Child Account, you enter their account password on your device to add them. If not, you tap Create Child Account and follow the on-screen steps.

Apple then walks you through parental controls, location sharing and more. Families who want finer control can go further into the detailed safety settings.

Apps, purchases and content limits

Before restricting anything, Apple Insider advises deciding which apps and websites are appropriate. The App Store provides safety labels showing a recommended age rating and the controls an app offers. For children aged 8 or older, the guide suggests discussing the choices with them directly.

Ask to Buy is a key feature. When enabled, parents get a notification whenever a child tries to buy or download an eligible item, including apps as well as purchases from the iTunes Store, Apple Music or Apple Books. It is on by default for children under 13, but parents can enable it for older children too.

Parents can also limit apps by age rating and control actions such as installing or deleting apps, making purchases, using App Clips and playing in Game Center. Content restrictions for music, books and TV shows are filtered automatically by age for child accounts, and can be adjusted at any time.

Web access and communication

App limits mean little if a child can browse the web freely. Apple enables Approved Websites Only by default for child accounts under 13, and Limit Adult Websites for those under 18, or the equivalent rule for the country the account is registered in. Parents can switch between approved sites only, adult-content filtering or unrestricted access.

Communication can be managed too. Parents can control a child's contact list from their own device, decide whether the child can add or edit contacts, and require permission before the child communicates with someone new. The child must approve the parent's request before contacts can be managed.

Why it matters

Apple Insider argues that what children do on devices matters as much as how long they use them. Thoughtful limits can support creative activities while protecting time for rest and study.

Combined with regular conversations, the iOS 27 parental controls are presented as a foundation for children to use technology confidently and responsibly. The full step-by-step instructions are in the original guide on Apple Insider.