This fall, Apple will bring new child safety features to iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate. Apple says parents will have access to a simpler setup experience with recommended apps, a new Ask to Browse feature for Safari, and a revamped Screen Time interface with time allowances.
Parents will be able to select the applications that a child can access, opting for a few essential applications, an organized set or the applications adapted to each child. Apps can be added over time and kids can get parental approval for app downloads with Ask to Buy. If the new Ask to Browse option is enabled, parents can also approve each new website a child visits.
There are tools to manage who kids can connect with on Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, and parents can enable a setting that will require kids to get permission before connecting with a new contact.
Communications Security is being updated to blur blood and violence in ‌FaceTime‌ messages and calls by default for users under 18. As with nudity, content will automatically be blurred when blood or violence is detected in images and videos.
With Time Allowances, parents can manage how much time kids spend in apps in the Entertainment, Games, and Social Media categories. Parents can set a limit based on the child’s age, with suggestions from the latest expert advice.
Daily Schedules allow parents to limit which apps kids can access and when based on the time and day of the week.
Screen Time gives parents an overview of their child’s device usage and most-used apps, with options to adjust access in the moment. Apple says parents will be able to quickly limit access during meals, outdoor play, and other times that “deserve full attention.”
Apple now has a dedicated child safety website where parents can learn more about the tools available in ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate.
