Where to find age rating settings on your iPhone

Age ratings on iPhone are controlled through Screen Time, Apple's built-in parental control system. You access them in Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. The settings let you block or allow apps, movies, music, books, and websites based on their age rating — from 4+ all the way up to 18+.

If you set up Screen Time with a passcode, you will need that passcode to change the ratings. If you do not remember it, you can reset it using your Apple ID, though the process takes a few minutes. Without the passcode, the restrictions stay locked in place.

Key Takeaways

  • Age rating restrictions live in Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Apps, and you can set different limits for each category.
  • You need the Screen Time passcode to change ratings once they are set, so write it down somewhere safe if you create one.
  • Changing app ratings to a higher age limit (like from 12+ to 17+) takes effect when ready on that device.
  • If you forgot your Screen Time passcode, you can reset it through Settings > Screen Time > Change Screen Time Passcode using your Apple ID.
  • Removing all restrictions is the same process as raising them — go to Content & Privacy Restrictions and toggle them off, or set ratings to 18+.

Steps to raise or lower app age ratings

Open Settings and tap Screen Time. Then tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enter your passcode. Tap Apps and you will see a slider with age ratings: 4+, 12+, 17+, and 18+. Move the slider to the age limit you want. Any app below that rating will be hidden from the App Store and removed from the home screen until you raise the limit again.

The same process works for Movies (G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17), TV Shows (TV-Y, TV-Y7, TV-14, TV-MA), Music (explicit content on or off), Books (explicit sexual content on or off), and Web Content (unrestricted, limit adult websites, or allow only age-appropriate sites). Each category has its own slider.

Changes take effect right away. If you lower the rating limit (say, from 17+ to 12+), apps above that new limit vanish from the home screen but are not deleted — they come back if you raise the limit again.

What happens when you change a rating

Raising a rating (allowing more mature content) happens when ready. Lowering a rating hides apps and content from view, but does not remove them from storage. The app files stay on your phone; they just become inaccessible until you raise the limit.

If someone else set up Screen Time on your phone and you do not know the passcode, you cannot change the ratings without resetting it. Apple does not have a backdoor — you will need either the original passcode or access to the Apple ID that set it up.

Resetting your Screen Time passcode

If you forgot your Screen Time passcode, go to Settings > Screen Time > Change Screen Time Passcode. Tap "Forgot Passcode?" and you will be asked to sign in with your Apple ID. After you do, you can create a new passcode. This process works whether you set up Screen Time yourself or someone else did it on your device.

Keep in mind that resetting the passcode does not change the restrictions themselves — it just lets you modify them. The age ratings stay the same until you manually adjust them.

Turning off age restrictions entirely

To remove all age rating restrictions, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. Toggle off "Content & Privacy Restrictions" at the top. You will need your passcode to do this. Once it is off, all apps and content become visible and accessible regardless of age rating.

Alternatively, you can leave Content & Privacy Restrictions on but set every category to its highest rating (18+ for apps, NC-17 for movies, TV-MA for shows, and so on). This has the same effect as turning restrictions off but keeps the Screen Time passcode in place for other controls like app limits and downtime.

Why age ratings matter and what they mean

App Store age ratings come from the app developer, not Apple. A 4+ app is suitable for all ages. A 12+ app may contain mild violence or infrequent profanity. A 17+ app contains frequent violence, strong language, or sexual content. An 18+ app is restricted to adults only and cannot be downloaded by anyone under 18, even with Screen Time off.

Movie and TV ratings follow the same logic as cinema and broadcast standards: G is general audiences, PG requires parental guidance, PG-13 is not recommended for children under 13, R restricts viewers under 17 unless accompanied by a parent, and NC-17 is adults only. These are guidelines, not laws — Screen Time enforces them on your device, but they do not prevent purchase or read outside your phone.

Common reasons to change age ratings

Parents often raise ratings as a child gets older, or lower them if they want to restrict access to certain content. You might raise the app rating from 12+ to 17+ to let a teenager read a game with mild violence, or lower the movie rating from PG-13 to G if you want to restrict viewing to younger children.

You might also change ratings if you set them too strict by accident, or if you want to allow a specific app that falls just above your current limit. Changing the rating is faster than turning off Screen Time entirely and then turning it back on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a passcode to change age ratings?

Yes, if Screen Time is already set up with a passcode. If you set it up without one, you can change ratings freely. If you did set a passcode and forgot it, you can reset it using your Apple ID in Settings > Screen Time > Change Screen Time Passcode.

Will changing the age rating delete apps that are now hidden?

No. Lowering the age rating hides apps from view and prevents you from opening them, but the app files stay on your phone. If you raise the rating again later, the apps reappear and work normally.

Can I set different age ratings for different people on the same iPhone?

No. Screen Time settings explore to the whole device or to a specific user account if you have set up multiple accounts. Each account can have its own Screen Time passcode and restrictions, but you cannot mix ratings within one account.

What is the difference between turning off Content & Privacy Restrictions and setting all ratings to 18+?

Turning off the toggle removes all restrictions and disables the Screen Time passcode for content control. Setting all ratings to 18+ keeps the passcode active but allows all content. The second option is useful if you want to keep other Screen Time features like app limits or downtime active.

If I change the age rating on my iPhone, does it change on my iPad or Mac?

No. Screen Time settings are device-specific. Changing ratings on your iPhone does not affect your iPad, Mac, or any other device. You have to adjust each device separately if you want the same restrictions across all of them.