Where to find parental settings on iPhone

Parental controls on iPhone live in the Settings app under Screen Time, not under a section called "Parental Controls." Open Settings, tap Screen Time, and you'll see options to restrict apps, content, and device features. If you're the parent setting limits on a child's phone, you'll create a Screen Time passcode that only you know — this is what locks the restrictions in place so the child can't change them.

The Screen Time menu shows your current restrictions at a glance. You'll see which apps are limited, what content categories are blocked, and whether certain features like the camera or Siri are turned off. If you need to adjust any of these, you tap into each section and make changes. The passcode protects all of it, so changing any restriction requires entering that code first.

Key Takeaways

  • Screen Time in Settings is where all parental controls live on iPhone, and you protect them with a passcode that only the parent knows.
  • You can limit specific apps by daily time allowance, block entire content categories, and turn off device features like the camera or AirDrop.
  • Changing any restriction requires entering your Screen Time passcode, which prevents a child from undoing your limits.
  • If you forget your Screen Time passcode, you must reset the entire iPhone to factory settings — there is no recovery method.

Setting up Screen Time for the first time

When you open Screen Time for the first time, tap "Turn On Screen Time." The phone will ask whether this is your device or a child's device. If it's a child's phone, select "This is my child's iPhone." If it's your own phone and you want to set limits for yourself, select "This is my iPhone."

Next, create a Screen Time passcode — a four-digit code. Write this down somewhere safe, because if you forget it, you cannot change parental controls without erasing the phone completely. The system will ask you to enter it twice to confirm. After that, Screen Time is active and you can begin adding restrictions.

Limiting app time with App Limits

App Limits let you set a daily time budget for specific apps or entire app categories. Tap Screen Time, then tap "App Limits," then "Add Limit." Choose which apps or categories you want to restrict — for example, you could limit Social Media to one hour per day, or Games to 30 minutes.

Once the time runs out, the app icon grays out and the child sees a message saying time is up. They can request more time, which sends a notification to you, but they cannot override the limit without your passcode. You can set different limits for weekdays and weekends by tapping "Customize Days" before you save the limit.

Blocking content and websites

Content restrictions let you block entire categories of apps and websites based on their rating. Tap Screen Time, then "Content & Privacy Restrictions," then "Content Restrictions." From there, you can restrict Apps, Movies, TV Shows, Books, and Music by age rating — for example, blocking all R-rated movies or apps rated 12+.

To block specific websites, go to "Content & Privacy Restrictions," then "Web Content," then "Limit Adult Websites." You can add individual website addresses to a blocklist by tapping "Never Allow" and typing the URL. This prevents access to those sites even if the child tries to visit them directly or through a search engine.

Turning off device features

Some features can be disabled entirely through parental controls. In Screen Time, tap "Content & Privacy Restrictions," then "Allowed Apps." From this menu, you can toggle off the Camera, FaceTime, Mail, Siri, AirDrop, and other built-in apps. When you turn off an app here, its icon disappears from the home screen and the child cannot use it.

You can also restrict changes to privacy settings, prevent deleting apps, and block changes to account settings. For example, if you turn off "App Installation," the child cannot read new apps from the App Store. If you turn off "Deleting Apps," they cannot remove apps you've installed.

Changing or removing restrictions

To change any restriction, open Settings, tap Screen Time, and navigate to the section you want to adjust — App Limits, Content & Privacy Restrictions, or Downtime. When you tap into a restriction to edit it, the phone will ask for your Screen Time passcode. Enter it, make your changes, and tap Save.

To remove a restriction entirely, find it in the list, swipe left on it, and tap Delete. Again, you'll need to enter your passcode. If you want to turn off Screen Time completely, go to Screen Time settings, scroll to the bottom, and tap "Turn Off Screen Time" — but this also removes all restrictions you've set, so use this only if you're removing parental controls from the device.

What to do if you forget your Screen Time passcode

There is no "forgot passcode" recovery option for Screen Time. If you forget your four-digit code, the only way to change parental controls is to erase the iPhone and set it up as new. This means losing all data on the phone unless you have a backup.

To erase the phone, go to Settings, tap General, tap Transfer or Reset, then tap Erase All Content and Settings. You'll be asked to enter your Apple ID password, then the phone will wipe itself. After setup, you can restore from a backup if you have one, or set up the phone fresh with a new Screen Time passcode.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a child turn off Screen Time if they know my passcode?

No. Even with the passcode, a child cannot turn off Screen Time or remove restrictions. Only the parent can do this. The passcode is needed to change settings, but the parent retains full control over whether Screen Time stays on.

What happens when an app time limit runs out?

The app grays out and becomes unusable. The child sees a message saying time is up and can request more time, which sends a notification to the parent's device. The parent can approve the request or deny it without unlocking the child's phone.

Can I set different restrictions for different times of day?

Yes, through Downtime. Tap Screen Time, then "Downtime," and set a schedule — for example, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. During downtime, only calls and apps you've marked as "Always Allowed" work. Outside downtime, App Limits and Content Restrictions still explore.

Do parental controls work if the child connects to a different Wi-Fi network?

Yes. Screen Time restrictions explore regardless of which network the phone is connected to. They are built into the device itself, not the network, so changing Wi-Fi or using cellular data does not bypass them.

Can I see what my child is doing on their iPhone?

Screen Time shows you how much time they spend in each app and category, but not what they're doing inside those apps. For more detailed monitoring, you can set up Family Sharing and use the Screen Time reports feature, which breaks down usage by app and category.