Apple Rolls Out New Child Safety and Parental Control Features

Washington, September 27, 2026 :  Apple has rolled out a new suite of child safety and parental control features for iPhone, iPad, and Mac with its latest iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 updates. The tools give parents greater control over the apps, websites, and content their children can access, as well as when they can use their devices.

The new tools include a simplified setup process for Child Accounts, allowing parents to choose which apps their children can access and apply age-appropriate protections. Apple has also redesigned Screen Time to give parents an at-a-glance view of device usage and make it easier to adjust access to apps and the web.

Among the new features is "Ask to Browse," which requires children to request parental approval before visiting a new website in Safari. Parents can approve or decline each request, and approved websites are added to the allowed list.

Apple has also expanded "Communication Safety," which already helps protect children from nudity in shared images and videos. The feature now also steps in when gore or violent content is detected in shared images and videos, including supported FaceTime calls.

The updated Screen Time tools include "Time Allowances," which let parents set daily limits for categories such as Entertainment, Games, and Social Media, and "Schedules," which let them decide which apps are available at specific times of day or on certain days of the week. Apple provides age-based guidance for setting Time Allowances, drawing on input from clinical and child-development experts.

Apple also continues to offer "Ask to Buy," which requires children to request approval before making eligible purchases or downloading apps and other content.

The new parental controls are available with the latest Screen Time updates on devices running iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. Apple notes that some features may vary by region, language, and device model.

Source : QNA