A common use for the iPad is to give it to your kids to play games and educational apps on. However, with no parental controls set up, kids can access the app store and purchase games and in-game purchases, plus access social media and internet browsers.
This can lead to unwanted expenses as well as exposure to inappropriate content. Additionally, without limitations set up, your child may be over stimulated by all of the games and apps they can choose from.
By setting up parental controls on your iPad, you can prevent these things from happening. There are two main settings you will need to configure in order to do this. First you will set up device restrictions, then you will add profiles for different users.
The device restrictions include setting a passcode for the device, turning off the ability to make in-app purchases, enabling Find My iPad, and setting bedtime restrictions. The profiles will allow multiple users of different ages to have separate accounts with restricted settings for each one.
Click General
Under General, you will find settings for Language, Date and Time, Contact Info, iCloud, Find My iPad, Guided Access, and Passcode.
Language allows you to set your device to a specific language. This is helpful if you receive an iPad from a foreign country where the people speak a different language. You can choose the languages available via the Apple App Store.
Date and Time allows you to set your device’s time and date. This is helpful so that your child does not have access to inappropriate content due to the date. They also cannot make any reservations or purchases due to the time being set.
Contact Info allows you to enter in your information in case your child finds something they want from them. By having an option to contact you via email or phone call, you may be able to help them get what they want!
iCloud allows you to sync content across devices. Having this feature enabled can be helpful for keeping track of things, but may lead to exposure of personal information. It is up to the user whether or not they want this feature enabled.
Guided Access allows parents or caregivers to limit access on their device based on specific criteria such as proximity, time, category/category type (e.g., apps), and face recognition .
Click Restrictions
Once in Restrictions, you can set restrictions by clicking Allowed Content, Password Protect, Dictation, and Device Limits. Allowed Content allows you to restrict what categories of content are accessible- No Sexual Content, No Foul Language, No Defamatory Material, and No Profanity.
No Sexual Content limits the access to pornography which is a great safeguard for those who are vulnerable to sexual content. No Foul Language filters inappropriate words which is also a great setting for those who may not know all the profanities.
Password Protect locks your device with a 4-digit code which can be changed by the user. This is useful if the user does not know how to turn it off but needs some time away from it.
Enter your password
Once in the General menu, you can set up your parental controls by entering your password. This is the password you would create for a child using the iPad.
This is an important step as it locks down many features of the device, including iTunes Store purchases and explicit content access. You can also set time limits here, which is great for setting a limit on screen time!
If you do not enter a password, your child will have full access to the device! This is why it is important to enter a strong password and change the “Change Password” option to “Don’t Change.”
Children can be very determined so making sure they cannot change this password is an important part of setting up parental controls.
Make sure Limit Adult Content is ON
Apple includes a feature that allows you to limit access to certain content. This includes limiting access to the internet, specific apps, specific features in apps, and pornography.
Internet access can be limited using the Screen Time settings. Here, you can also enable Limit Adult Content, which uses domain filters provided by Apple to block adult content.
By turning this feature on, you can also set times when your child cannot use the iPad. For example, you could set up Screen Time so that they can only use the iPad in the morning before school and at night before bedtime, which would limit their time on the device.
This is a great way to set up some digital discipline. You can also turn off Internet access entirely using Screen Time, which would make the iPad function like an old tablet that only has apps installed on it.
Make sure Use Guest Mode is ON
A great way to let your child use the device is by using Guest Mode. In this mode, they can create a new account with their own password.
This allows them to have full access to the device while you have control over the main account. You can control what apps they have access to and what content they can see.
If you set up a parental control on the main account, then they will have the same restrictions in Guest Mode. This is very helpful in preventing them from messing with your settings!
By having two accounts on one device, you can also keep track of what they are doing. By having both an Instagram and Twitter account, for example, they can now put up their own posts and ads on the platform without getting into your accounts.
Select Content & Privacy
Once in Settings, you can then select Content & Privacy. Here, you can control what apps your child uses, what content they can access (such as movies or books), and how they can use the device.
For example, you can set limits on screen time. You can set a timer for how long your child can use the iPad each day, or restrict it to weekdays only.
You can also disable the ability to make purchases via the app store, which is a great safety precaution.
This is also the section where you can turn off social media apps! You can also limit their contact lists and who they can message by setting their phone number as the only contact.
Choose Movie Ratings
If you have a child-friendly app, then you can choose the movie ratings for your children.
Choose TV Show Ratings
If you have kids, you should also set up TV show ratings. This feature allows you to limit the access children have to shows based on their ratings.
You can set it to only allow kids’ shows, G-rated shows, or anything above a certain rating. You can also choose whether or not they can create profiles and whether or not they can download content.
This is an important one as it helps control the amount of time they spend on the app. Coupled with the time limit feature, this lets you control how long they spend watching TV.
By setting the time limit lower than the average TV show length, you are effectively cutting down their TV time. They will then have to choose which show to watch and take more time on each one instead of rushing through everything.
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