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iOS 12: How to access parental controls and restrictions on iPhone and iPad

Managing parental controls and restrictions for your child’s iOS device(s) has changed in iOS 12. Not only have the features moved, but they have also been renamed. Follow along for how to manage your family’s devices with the newest software.

Parental controls were previously named ‘Restrictions’ and were found under Settings → General. Now the previous device management features have been rolled into the new Screen Time software.

iOS 12: How to access parental controls and restrictions on iPhone and iPad

  1. Tap Screen Time
  2. The first time you open Screen Time, you’ll see a splash screen with the option to Set up as a Parent, tap that
  3. Follow the prompts to add restrictions by customizing Downtime, App Limits, Content & Privacy, and creating your Parent Passcode
  4. If you’d like to make any adjustments, you can always return to Settings → Screen Time 

Alternately, you can remotely manage devices connected to your iCloud account via Family Sharing. Head to Settings → Your Name → Family Sharing → Screen Time.

To get a deeper look at how Screen Time works, check out our post here.

For more help getting the most out of your Apple devices, check out our how to guide as well as the following articles:


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