How to Set Up Parental Controls on iPhone for Better Privacy With an iOS VPN

Apple’s built-in parental controls let you restrict websites, approve app downloads, limit screen time, and manage who your child can communicate with. You can set up most of these restrictions through Screen Time and Family Sharing without installing another app.

If you want to know how to set up parental controls on an iPhone, start by adding your child’s Apple Account to your Family Sharing group. From there, you can manage their device settings directly from your own iPhone.

This guide covers Apple’s redesigned parental controls in iOS 27. If your iPhone runs an older version, some menus and features will differ. 

How to Set Up Parental Controls on iPhone Using Screen Time

Before you begin, make sure your child has their own Apple Account and is part of your Family Sharing group. You must be the family organizer or a designated parent or guardian to manage their settings from your device.

Follow these steps:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Tap Family and select your child’s name.
3. Follow the setup prompts to review restrictions for apps, websites, communication, and screen time.
4. Open Passcode & Management and select Lock Screen Time Settings.
5. Create a four-digit Screen Time passcode to prevent unauthorized changes.
6. Review the available parental controls and adjust them based on your child’s age and needs.

Use a Screen Time passcode that is different from your child’s device unlock code.

Using an older iOS version? Open Settings > Screen Time, select your child under Family, and use Content & Privacy Restrictions to manage apps, websites, purchases, and other settings.

Apple’s redesigned iOS 27 controls require compatible software across the Family Sharing group. If some devices cannot be updated, you can continue using the previous Screen Time controls.

How to Block Websites on Your Child’s iPhone

You can block individual websites, limit adult content, or require your child to request permission before visiting new websites.

On iOS 27:

1. Open Settings > Family and select your child’s name.
2. Tap Apps & Websites.
3. Select Restrictions.
4. Under Websites, tap Filtering.
5. Choose the browsing restriction you want to apply.

Apple provides three main options:

• Unrestricted: Allows access to websites without Apple’s parental website filtering.
• Limit Adult Websites: Restricts access to detected adult websites while allowing general browsing.
• Approved Websites Only: Allows your child to visit approved websites and request permission to access others through Ask to Browse.

For younger children, Approved Websites Only gives you greater control over which websites they visit. You can approve school websites and other trusted resources in advance.

If you only want to block a particular website, open Apps & Websites, find or add the website, and select Block Website.

Website filtering works in Safari and supported browsers, although no automatic content filter catches everything.

Related Read: How to Block Website on My Phone 

How to Block Apps and Approve Downloads on iPhone

You can decide which apps your child installs, block existing apps, and require approval for eligible App Store purchases.

Require Approval for App Downloads

Apple’s Ask to Buy feature lets your child request an app while you decide whether to approve it.

To enable it:

1. Open Settings > Family and select your child.
2. Tap Apps & Websites > Restrictions.
3. Select Ask to Buy.
4. Turn on Require Purchase Approval.

When your child requests an eligible download or purchase, you receive a notification. You can review the request and approve or decline it.

Ask to Buy can already be enabled by default for child accounts, depending on their age and region.

Block App Installations or Specific Apps

To prevent app installations:

1. Open Settings > Family > Apps & Websites for your child.
2. Select App Store.
3. Tap Installing Apps.
4. Choose Blocked.

You can also block an app your child already has through Apps & Websites. Select the app and tap Block App. The app remains installed but becomes unavailable to your child.

Use Ask to Buy when you want to review new downloads individually. Block installations when you do not want your child adding apps at all.

Related Read: 

How to Set Screen Time Limits on iPhone

Screen Time lets you control how long your child spends using apps and when those apps are available.

In iOS 27, Apple provides two main controls: Time Allowances and Screen Time Schedules.

Set Daily App Limits With Time Allowances

Time Allowances let you set a daily usage budget for categories such as Games, Entertainment, and Social Media.

To configure them:

1. Open Settings > Family and select your child.
2. Tap Time Allowances.
3. Set a daily time allowance using the available controls.
4. Adjust the allowance for individual categories.
5. Save your settings.

For example, you can allow 60 minutes of gaming daily while setting a different limit for social media.

You can also create or modify categories to manage the apps that count toward each allowance.

Schedule When Your Child Can Use Apps

Screen Time Schedules let you choose which categories of apps your child can access at different times.

To create a schedule:

1. Go to Settings > Family and select your child.
2. Tap Screen Time Schedule.
3. Turn on Schedule.
4. Select Add Schedule and choose the days.
5. Add time windows and select which app categories are allowed.

You can create separate schedules for school days and weekends. For instance, entertainment apps can remain unavailable during school hours while essential apps stay accessible.

Use Always Allowed to keep important apps and contacts available regardless of the limits you set.

How to Set Age Restrictions for Apps, Movies, and Other Content

Apple lets you restrict content according to age ratings, including movies, TV shows, books, and music.

To adjust these settings:

1. Open Settings > Family and select your child.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Choose a category under Content Restrictions.
4. Select the appropriate age rating or restriction.

You can prevent access to explicit music, restrict movies above a chosen rating, and control other supported content.

Apple applies some restrictions automatically based on a child’s age, but you can review and adjust the available settings.

How to Control Who Your Child Can Contact on iPhone

Screen Time also lets you manage communication through Apple’s supported calling and messaging features.

To adjust communication permissions:

1. Open Settings > Family and select your child.
2. Tap Allowed Contacts.
3. Select During Screen Time.
4. Choose Contacts Only, Contacts & Groups with at Least One Contact, or Everyone.

You can also enable Manage Contacts and disable Allow Contact Editing if you want your child to request approval before adding new contacts.

For additional protection, open Communication Safety in your child’s Family settings. This feature can detect and blur sensitive images and videos in supported apps and provide guidance before your child views or shares them.

Communication Safety is enabled by default for many child accounts, depending on age and region.

Related Read: How to Set Up Snapchat Parental Controls

How to Manage Location Sharing on Your Child’s iPhone

If your family uses Apple’s Find My app, you can share locations to help coordinate school pickups, visits, and travel.

You can also restrict changes to your child’s location-sharing settings.

1. Open Settings > Family and select your child.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Select Allow Changes to Settings.
4. Find Location Services or Share My Location.
5. Restrict changes to the settings you want to keep in place.

Location sharing must first be configured appropriately in Find My. Explain to your child when and why their location is being shared.

How to Change or Remove Parental Controls on iPhone

You can update or remove individual restrictions whenever your child’s needs change.

To modify existing parental controls:

1. Open Settings > Family and select your child.
2. Choose the relevant section, such as Apps & Websites, Time Allowances, Screen Time Schedule, or Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Enter your Screen Time passcode if requested.
4. Select the restriction you want to change.
5. Adjust or disable the setting.

For example, you can allow a previously blocked website, approve an app, increase a daily time allowance, or turn off a Screen Time Schedule.

To remove parental controls entirely, review each section and disable the restrictions, allowances, and schedules you no longer want to enforce. Some age-based restrictions may remain mandatory for child accounts depending on regional requirements.

How to Turn Off the Screen Time Passcode

If you no longer want to require a passcode for changing Screen Time settings:

1. Open Settings > Family and select your child.
2. Tap Passcode & Management.
3. Select Change Screen Time Passcode.
4. Tap Turn Off Screen Time Passcode.
5. Enter the current passcode to confirm.

Removing the passcode does not automatically disable parental controls. Existing restrictions and limits remain configured, but your child can change their Screen Time settings without entering the passcode.

How Does an iOS VPN Add Privacy to Your Child’s iPhone?

Your child might use their iPhone on public WiFi at school, in a café, or while travelling. Although many websites already encrypt their connections, a VPN adds protection on public WiFi by encrypting internet traffic between the iPhone and the VPN server.

An iOS VPN also masks the device’s public IP address from the websites and services it connects to.

PureVPN offers several useful features for families:

• Encrypted VPN connections: Help protect internet traffic from interception on shared or public networks.
• Tracker and Ad Blocker: Helps block certain ads and tracking requests while connected to PureVPN.
• Automatic connection options: Configure VPN on Demand to connect when selected domains are accessed, reducing the need to activate the VPN manually.
• Up to 10 simultaneous connections: Protect multiple compatible family devices with one subscription.

PureVPN also maintains an independently audited no-logs policy.

Can an iOS VPN Replace iPhone Parental Controls?

No. A VPN can help protect children online by encrypting traffic and masking their public IP address, but it does not set screen time limits, approve downloads, restrict communication, or automatically block age-inappropriate apps.

Some VPNs can also affect separate network-level filtering systems, depending on how those systems work.

Use Apple’s Screen Time to manage what your child can access and PureVPN for additional connection privacy.

How to Install PureVPN on Your Child’s iPhone

1. Get a PureVPN subscription.
2. Open the App Store on your child’s iPhone.
3. Search for PureVPN and install the app.
4. Sign in with your PureVPN account.
5. Select a server from the list.
6. Approve the VPN configuration when iOS prompts you.

If app installation restrictions are enabled, you will need to allow the installation through the relevant parental controls first.

Related Read: Is It Safe to Use an iOS VPN for Mobile Banking?

Frequently Asked Questions