Parental Lock on iPhone: What You Can or Can't Do?

iPhones and iPads, like other devices, have more qualities beyond calling and sending sms. While this is advantageous, it comes with some safety concerns that expose your children to social vices if not addressed.

Many parents wonder how to lock son's iPhone. Implementing the parental lock on your kid’s iPhone means reducing the number of hours they spend on the device.

Today, you will learn how to put a parental lock on an iPhone easily and quickly.

iPhone Parental lock is a feature in digital devices, especially iPhones and iPads. When activated, it restricts your kids' iPhone activities. This is quite important because there are so many social ills that are associated with the use of social media.

Therefore, putting a parental lock on your kid’s device does not in any way encroach on their privacy. Instead, it is a method of protecting your children. The following are some of the importance of parental lock on your kid’s device:

iPhone Parental locks help to reduce the amount of time your kid spends on his or her smartphone. This makes sure that your kid is not stuck to a tablet or mobile screen all day. This helps to avoid device addiction, which is a 21st-century concern.

Your child's web searches will not be streamlined without activating parental control apps or iPhone locks. They might easily be exposed to sexualized and other inappropriate content.

iPhone Parental locks help parents regulate their kids' interactions on social media, especially with strangers. When you activate a parental protection iPhone, you can restrict their access to certain messaging apps that are inappropriate for their age.

There are parental control apps such as FamiSafe that ensure your kid’s digital safety. However, if your kid is using an iPhone, you can set up the parental lock feature for their digital safety by doing the following:

The first step to activating the parental lock feature on your kid’s iPhone is to configure Family Sharing. It is after setting up the family sharing feature on your kid’s iOS that you can begin to restrict their web content and limit their screen time.

To configure the family sharing feature, you will:

Step 1: Locate the Settings Icon on your kid’s iOS.

Step 2: Click on your Apple ID.

Step 3: Tap on the Family Sharing option and click Continue to confirm.

Once you have activated the family sharing, you can click on the “back” to select the screen time option. The screen time option will enable you to manage your kid’s screen time on their phone apps. To set this up, you will:

Step 1: Click the Screen Time option in your kid’s iOS settings.

Step 2: Tap on Turn on Screen Time.

Step 3: Since you are setting the parental lock on your kid’s phone, select This is my kid’s phone when asked if the iPhone is for you or your child.

Step 4: Set up a Passcode that your kid cannot easily guess.

Step 5: Return to the Screen Time interface, where you will see various options. Select the Content & Privacy Restriction option.

Step 6: You will be asked to enter the screen time passcode you set up to confirm changes.

Once you have confirmed the changes, the content filter and app limit will be activated.

This will help you regulate the apps that are on your kid’s iOS devices. With this activated, your kids will not be able to access unallowed apps. Follow these steps to manage your kid’s apps on their devices.

Step 1: Click on Screen Time in your settings section.

Step 2: Click on Content & Privacy Restrictions.

Step 3: Input your Screen Time Passcode upon request.

Step 4: Tap on Allowed Features and Apps.

Step 5: Add Limit or Select the Apps you want to allow.

When you activate downtime on your kid’s iPhone, they won’t be able to access most apps during the scheduled downtime. Notifications will also be silenced during this scheduled downtime. The apps your kid can access during the scheduled downtime are the apps you set to “always allowed.” The following steps will help you activate downtime for your kids.

Step 1: Click on Screen Time after clicking on your Settings.

Step 2: Tap on Downtime.

Step 3: Choose whether 300 want to Schedule Downtime or turn on Downtime.

Setting your kid’s iOS device to filter explicit and inappropriate content will restrict them from accessing adult content while on their device. It will also prevent them from installing inappropriate apps on their iOS, such as dating apps. Do the following to prevent your kid from viewing age-inappropriate content:

Step 1: Select the Screen Time option in the iOS settings section

Step 2: Tap on Content & Privacy Restriction and click on Content Restrictions.

Step 3: Select the Allowed Store Content options.

Step 4: Set the apps based on your preference.

This will filter your kid's web searches. You can restrict them from making certain types of searches. You could also prevent them from visiting certain websites. The following are steps to block or limit your kid’s access to inappropriate websites:

Step 1: Open the Settings on your kid’s device and click on Screen Time.

Step 2: Tap on the Content and Privacy Restrictions and provide the screen time password.

Step 3: Tap the Content Restriction.

Step 4: Select the Store, Web, Siri, & Game options and subsequently Select Web Content.

Step 5: You can then change the unrestricted access to limit adult content or only allow websites.

Certain apps are regarded as built-in apps. These are apps that are installed on your kid’s iOS device during the phone's build. If you decide to hide the built-in apps, you should understand that they can still be found in the app library or by using the search menu.

To hide built-in apps, you will do the following:

Step 1: Go to the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on Screen Time and enable it if not already on.

Step 3: Choose Use Screen Time Passcode and set a passcode.

Step 4: Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enable it.

Step 5: Select Allowed Apps under Content Restrictions.

Step 6: Toggle off the built-in apps you want to hide.

Setting up the game center on your kids' iOS devices will help you manage their game activities on their iPhones. This will help you regulate your kids’ gaming activities. You can set whether or not they can add friends or join a multiplayer game. Follow these steps to set up the game center on your kid’s iOS.

Step 1: Tap on Screen Time after opening the settings of your kid’s iPhone.

Step 2: Tap on Content & Privacy Restriction.

Step 3: Input your Screen Time Passcode upon request.

Step 4: Click on Content Restriction.

Step 5: Scroll and tap on the Game Center once you locate it

Step 6: Select whether you want to allow your kid to be able to add friends, if multiplayer is allowed with everyone, or if screen recording is permitted, etc.

We have analyzed the various ways to manage your kid’s use of their device by activating various parental locks on their iPhone. However, there are certain aspects of your kid’s iPhone that you cannot control or micromanage. Some of them are:

1. Apps with chat features allow kids to communicate and share content without parental monitoring.
2. Encrypted family messaging apps prevent parents from viewing chats due to privacy settings.
3. User-generated content on active social media accounts is beyond parental control on iPhone.
4. Kids can alter iPhone settings if they learn the screen time passcode.
5. Turning off location services or using VPNs can bypass parental location tracking.
6. Kids may download content from unmonitored apps or websites despite restrictions.
7. Independent iCloud accounts let kids bypass Apple parental controls and family sharing.
8. Parental locks don’t apply to activities on their friend’s unregulated devices.
9. Kids may exploit advancements in technology to bypass parental restrictions.
10. Parents cannot fully manage interactions or subscriptions within allowed apps.

In addition to using iOS parental lock to manage your kid's digital activities, you can also leverage some effective parental control apps to effectively lock your child’s iPhone. Let’s explain one of the best parental control apps:

The FamiSafe parental control app is highly effective. FamiSafe works effectively on iOS. Using FamiSafe complements the parental lock on the iPhone. It also offers more restrictions and is more difficult to bypass.

FamiSafe has various features like the screen viewer, web filter, app rules, instant block, social app detection, etc. FamiSafe Screen Viewer gives you access to every activity on your child’s device. So whether they are using built-in apps or simple messaging apps that you allow under iOS screen time, you can monitor their digital activities better.

1. Activity Report: Get reports on screen time, app usage, and browsing history.
2. Photo Detection: Detects and alerts inappropriate images on devices.
3. Screen Viewer: Scheduled screen capture of anything on the child's screen.
4. Geofencing: Set safe zones and receive alerts for boundary crossings.
5. Web Filtering: Block inappropriate websites by category or URL.
6. Explicit Content Alerts: Monitor texts and social media for harmful content.

What makes FamiSafe even more helpful is that it fills in the gaps of what the built-in parental controls lack in an iPhone. It provides advanced features necessary for a parent to control their child's digital activities.

Step 1: Download the FamiSafe app on the Apple Store on your devices. Connect your kid’s device and yours on the FamiSafe app.

Step 2: Activate the Screen Viewer feature and get periodic screenshots of your child.

Step 3: Visit the Activity Report to see an overview of the overall activity of your child's phone.

Step 4: Enable Screen Time Limit and set custom time restrictions for specific apps.

Overall, iOS parental lock is a good way to ensure your kid’s safety on their iPhone. However, your parental control becomes better when you combine it with highly effective parental control apps like FamiSafe.

While the iPhone parental controls are somewhat limited, FamiSafe seals the gaps in the management and monitoring of your child's digital activities efficiently. You are guaranteed to let your child experience the online world safely and with even more control using FamiSafe.

How to lock my daughter's iPhone?

You can monitor your kid’s iPhone activities by using iPhone parental locks, such as activating family sharing and screen time. Using parental apps like FamiSafe alongside iPhone parental lock features will help you achieve better parental monitoring.

Can I put a parental lock on iPhone?

Yes, you can. There are various parental control apps that work effectively on iPhones, one of which is the FamiSafe parental control app.