iOS Screen Time

The manufacturer Apple offers parental controls for its iPhones and iPads that are integrated directly into the operating system. However, the prerequisite for this is that both the child and the legal guardian use an Apple mobile device. It is not possible to control the parental controls via an Android device or PC, for example. Although the parental control program Google Family Link can also be used on iOS devices, basic functions such as blocking apps do not work.
In order to use the parental controls, the legal guardians must provide credit card information to prove their identity. In our test, we could not find any other way to activate the parental controls. If you don't have a credit card, you won't be able to use Apple's parental controls.
If the whole family is equipped with Apple devices, the parental controls in iOS offer many ways to make the children's devices safer. However, as with all other parental control programs, the same applies here: The setup requires a little patience and the settings must be checked again and again for their suitability.

What does the program promise?

With parental controls in iOS operating systems, parents can set up their children's smartphones or tablets more securely and keep an eye on their use. The settings can usually be individually adapted to the child's level of development. This means that it is possible to restrict a lot for younger children and give older children more freedom.

Usage times can be set for the use of the smartphone in the form of daily time limits. It is also possible to set time-outs. For example, you can specify that the device should not be used between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. at bedtime. Such restrictions can also be set for individual apps only. It is also possible for parents to always allow some functions. For example, the child can then receive and reply to messages from the parents even if the device has already reached the daily usage limit. Important functions such as emergency calls cannot be restricted and are always possible.

Parents can display the usage times of the child's device on their smartphone. This gives them an overview of how much their child uses the device and what activities the usage is divided into. The usage times can be displayed for each day or summarized for a week. Parents are also provided with a weekly report on their child's smartphone usage.

The parental controls in the iOS operating system also offer a content filter. Parents can specify which content in the Apple Stores (apps, films, TV shows, etc.) is displayed to the child. Apple uses its own age groups: 4+, 9+, 12+ and 17+. Depending on which age group has been selected for the child, only content with the appropriate or a lower age rating will be displayed in the Apple Stores.
The content filter for the Safari Internet browser is able to prevent access to adult websites relatively reliably. The filter can also be switched off or parents can individually allow only certain sites and block access to the rest of the Internet.

Parents can use parental controls to prevent purchases in the various Apple stores. The installation of free apps can also be restricted.

In addition, iOS parental controls offer the option of retrieving the location of the child's device and thus monitoring the child's whereabouts.

Our experience with iOS parental controls

The installation

In our test, we equipped a completely new iPhone with parental controls. However, it is also possible to retrofit a device with parental controls. When you set up a new device, you can select at the start that it is a child device. You will then be guided through the installation process. To be able to use parental controls, an Apple ID must also be created for the child. Credit card information must be entered to verify that the legal guardian is of legal age. Apple does not offer any other option for age verification. It is questionable what parents should do who either do not have a credit card or are not yet of legal age themselves. This procedure excludes them from setting up their children's Apple devices securely.

In our test, we set up the device for an 11-year-old child. Many settings are made automatically during installation based on the age entered for the child. For example, the child could only see apps with a maximum age rating of 9+ in the App Store. Nevertheless, it is necessary to go through the settings again individually after installation, as not all preset restrictions appear to make sense. For example, private messages to the 11-year-old child were possible in the Apple Game Center or the child had the option to remove individual restrictions independently.

www.medien-kindersicher.de will help you set up the iOS parental controls. With simple step-by-step instructions, you can set up the Apple device to suit your child's needs.
On the main page of our topic area on parental control programs, parents can also find educational tips on the use of technical aids in media education.

The handling

The parental controls in iOS are easy and intuitive to use. The fact that it is hidden in the settings under "Screen time" makes it unnecessarily difficult to find. But once you know where to look, you can quickly find the important menu items. On the one hand, it is positive that there are many individual setting options. On the other hand, this also means that there are some submenus that you have to click through. As with other parental control programs, parents will have to invest some time in setting the device to suit their child's needs.

Setting up time limits for the device or just for individual apps and time-outs is intuitive and offers the greatest possible freedom. If a time limit is used up, the children can use the app for another minute. This is practical, for example, if a game needs to be saved again. It is also possible for children to ask their parents for more usage time. This request then appears on the parents' device and can be answered positively or negatively by the parents.

The usage times of the child's device are recorded and are visible to the parents. They can also see how the usage time is divided between different applications. One problem is that in some cases the websites accessed were also visible with the URL in the parents' account. This function is certainly useful for younger children, but for older children it can be seen as a problematic invasion of their privacy. Parents should make it clear to their children that they can see which websites have been visited and not use this function secretly. In our test, it was not possible to find out how the recording works. Not all of the websites we visited appeared in the activity report later on. Under the "Restrictions" option, "Include website data" can be deactivated. This presumably prevents individual websites visited from appearing in the activity report.

The filter for inappropriate content on the Internet worked reliably for us. It is important to know that it only works fully in Apple's Safari browser. In the other browsers we tested, access to websites harmful to minors was also prevented. However, it was easy to switch off the default safe search in the well-known search engines. This meant, for example, that image searches for pornography were also possible on the children's device. In the Safari browser, these protective measures cannot be deactivated by the child. However, the filter does not offer complete protection here either. If you search long enough, you can find inappropriate content even with the filter activated.
However, parents also have the option of only allowing children to access individual websites they have selected. However, this function severely restricts the Internet and is particularly useful for younger children.
The content filter only works in the internet browser and not in apps. Inappropriate content, for example in social networks or messenger services, is not covered by the filter.

Nude images can be suppressed within Apple services. The device automatically detects whether the image shows a naked person and only displays the image in blurred form, accompanied by a text warning that it is probably a nude image. If you want, you can still display the picture. However, this requires several clicks, along with references to offers of help and information on what can be problematic about nude images. This function therefore does not generally prevent access to nude images, but only the unwanted confrontation with them. Parents are not informed about the receipt or possible viewing of a nude image. Important to know: This nude image filter only works within Apple offerings. These include iMessages, AirDrop (wireless transfer of media between Apple devices) and the photo gallery. Nude images that are sent to the child via a messenger such as WhatsApp or Signal, for example, will appear unchanged on the device screen.

When it comes to generally restricting or allowing apps, Apple's parental control function is unfortunately quite inflexible in some areas. In our test, for example, it was not possible to approve a messenger for our fictitious 11-year-old child. To do this, we would have had to allow our child to access all App Store content with a 12+ rating. This is because messengers such as WhatsApp are approved for ages 12+ in the App Store. It was not possible to allow a single app that exceeded the age rating. In this case, parents have to decide whether their child cannot use Messenger until their 12th birthday or whether they want to grant access to all App Store content from 12+, even though their child is actually still too young for this. The problem becomes even clearer when it comes to internet browsers. All browsers except the Safari browser have an age rating of 17+. If you want to set up a different browser for your child for data protection reasons, for example, you have to permanently approve all App Store content from 17+ for the child. Otherwise, the browser cannot be used.

Parental controls reliably prevent children from installing apps on their own. Parents must approve each installation. Changes to the settings can be secured with a four-digit "screen time code". If you want to be absolutely sure that children cannot change any settings, you can also change the code regularly.

Unfortunately, children are completely unaware of the changes made by their parents. If individual apps are blocked or usage times are changed, children do not receive any notification. Other parental control programs solve this differently and involve children better by sending automatic messages. Parents can of course inform their children of changes verbally or by message. In terms of media education based on mutual agreements and trust, this is certainly a sensible approach.

The location of the child's device did not work in our test, although GPS was switched on and also worked in a navigation app. During the test period, it was not possible to determine whether this was an operating error on our part or whether the tracking function generally does not work reliably.

Please note that we have not systematically tested the iOS parental controls. We tested it on a single device over a period of a few days. The impressions described here therefore only reflect our experiences during this period and with this device and are not representative.

What we liked

  • Once the iOS parental control is set correctly, it secures the child's device sensibly and works reliably.
  • There are many setting options to adapt the device to the needs of the individual child.
  • With the "naked picture filter", Apple offers a function that is not yet available on other devices.

You should know this

  • iOS parental controls only work within the "Apple ecosystem". All family members must own Apple devices and all need an Apple ID. This means that parents must also consent to the processing of their child's data by Apple.
  • As a parent, you must have a credit card to prove that you are of legal age. Parents who are not of legal age or do not have a credit card are not eligible.
  • You should allow some time for the setup and bear in mind that it makes sense, especially at the beginning, to check from time to time whether all settings are working as desired.
  • In some cases, parents can see which websites their child has visited. Depending on the age of the child, this can be a problematic invasion of privacy. The function can be switched off.
  • It is possible to locate the child's device. However, this function should only be used in consultation with the child and not in secret.
  • Apple's nude image filter only works in Apple services. The Internet filter also only works reliably in the Safari browser and has no effect on content in other apps.