iOS Device Settings
PRIVACY AND LOCATION
The privacy settings on your device give you control over which apps have access to information stored on your device or the hardware features. For example, you can allow a social-networking app to request access to use the camera, which allows you to take and upload pictures.
To allow changes to privacy settings:
- Go to Settings and tap Screen
- Tap Content & Privacy If asked, enter your passcode.
- Tap Privacy, then choose the settings you want to restrict. Here are the things you can restrict:
- Location Services: Lock the settings to allow apps and websites to use location
- Contacts: Prevent apps from accessing your Contacts
- Calendars: Prevent apps from accessing your Calendar
- Reminders: Prevent apps from accessing your Reminders
- Photos: Prevent apps from requesting access to your photos
- Share My Location: Lock the settings for location sharing in Messages and Find My Friends
- Bluetooth sharing: Prevent devices and apps from sharing data through Bluetooth
- Microphone: Prevent apps from requesting access to your microphone
- Speech Recognition: Prevent apps from accessing Speech Recognition or Dictation
- Advertising: Prevent changes to advertising settings
- Media & Apple Music: Prevent apps from accessing your photos, videos, or music library
You can also allow changes to other settings and features, the same way you can allow changes to privacy settings.
- Go to Settings and tap Screen
- Tap Content & Privacy If asked, enter your passcode.
- Under Allow Changes, select the features or settings you want to allow changes to and choose Allow or Don’t
Here are some features and settings you can allow changes for:
- Passcode Changes: Prevent changes to your passcode
- Account Changes: Prevent changes to settings for Accounts & Passwords
- Cellular Data Changes: Prevent changes to cellular data settings
- Volume Limit: Prevent changes to volume settings for safe listening
- Do Not Disturb While Driving: Prevent changes to Do Not Disturb While Driving
- TV Provider: Prevent changes to TV provider settings
- Background App Activities: Prevent changes to whether or not apps run in the background
PARENTAL CONTROLS
With Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time, you can block or limit specific apps and features on your child’s device. And restrict the settings on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch for explicit content, purchases and downloads, and privacy.
Set Content & Privacy Restrictions
Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
Tap Continue, then choose “This is My [Device]” or “This is My Child’s [Device].”
If you’re the parent or guardian of your device and want to prevent another family member from changing your settings, tap Use Screen Time Passcode to create a passcode, then re-enter the passcode to confirm. In iOS 13.4 and later, after you confirm your passcode you’ll be asked to enter your Apple ID and password. This can be used to reset your Screen Time passcode if you forget it.
If you’re setting up Screen Time on your child’s device, follow the prompts until you get to Parent Passcode and enter a passcode. Re-enter the passcode to confirm. In iOS 13.4 and later, after you confirm your passcode you’ll be asked to enter your Apple ID and password. This can be used to reset your Screen Time passcode if you forget it.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode, then turn on Content & Privacy.
Make sure to choose a passcode that’s different from the passcode you use to unlock your device. To change or turn off the passcode on your child’s device, tap Settings > Screen Time > [your child’s name]. Then tap Change Screen Time Passcode or Turn Off Screen Time Passcode, and authenticate the change with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode.
Prevent iTunes & App Store purchases
You can also prevent your child from being able to install or delete apps, make in-app purchases, and more. To prevent iTunes & App Store purchases or downloads:
- Go to Settings and tap Screen
- Tap Content & Privacy If asked, enter your passcode.
- Tap iTunes & App Store
- Choose a setting and set to Don’t
You can also change your password settings for additional purchases from the iTunes & App Store or Book Store. Follow steps 1-3, then choose Always Require or Don’t Require.
Allow built-in apps and features
You can restrict the use of built-in apps or features. If you turn off an app or feature, it won’t delete it, it’s just temporarily hidden from your Home screen. For example, if you turn off Mail, the Mail app won’t appear on your Home Screen until you turn it back on.
To change your Allowed Apps:
- Go to Settings > Screen
- Tap Content & Privacy
- Enter your Screen Time passcode.
- Tap Allowed
- Select the apps that you want to
Prevent explicit content and content ratings
You can also prevent the playback of music with explicit content and movies or TV shows with specific ratings. Apps also have ratings that can be configured using content restrictions.
To restrict explicit content and content ratings:
- Go to Settings and tap Screen
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content
- Choose the settings you want for each feature or setting under Allowed Store
Here are the types of content that you can restrict:
- Ratings For: Select the country or region in the ratings section to automatically apply the appropriate content ratings for that region
- Music, Podcasts & News: Prevent the playback of music, music videos, podcasts, and news containing explicit content
- Music Videos: Prevent finding and viewing music videos
- Music Profiles: Prevent sharing what you’re listening to with friends and seeing what they’re listening to
- Movies: Prevent movies with specific ratings
- TV shows: Prevent TV shows with specific ratings
- Books: Prevent content with specific ratings
- Apps: Prevent apps with specific ratings.
Prevent web content
iOS can automatically filter website content to limit access to adult content in Safari and apps on your device. You can also add specific websites to an approved or blocked list, or you can limit access to only approved websites. Follow these steps:
- Go to Settings > Screen
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enter your Screen Time
- Tap Content Restrictions, then tap Web
- Choose Unrestricted Access, Limit Adult Websites, or Allowed Websites
Depending on the access you allow, you might need to add information, like the website that you want to restrict.
Restrict Siri web search
To restrict Siri features:
- Go to Settings and tap Screen
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content
- Scroll down to Siri, then choose your
You can restrict these Siri features:
- Web Search Content: Prevent Siri from searching the web when you ask a question
- Explicit Language: Prevent Siri from displaying explicit language
Restrict Game Center
To restrict Game Center features:
- Go to Settings and tap Screen
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content
- Scroll down to Game Center, then choose your settings. You can restrict these Game Center features:
- Multiplayer Games: Prevent the ability to play multiplayer games
- Adding Friends: Prevent the ability to add friends to Game Center
- Screen Recording: Prevent the ability to capture the screen and sound