Apple previews new child safety features - Apple

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PRESS RELEASE

June 8, 2026

Apple previews new child safety features

Apple is providing simple and intuitive tools, based on guidance from online safety and health experts, to help parents create safer, more enriching digital experiences for their kids

Apple today previewed a new suite of powerful, intuitive, and easy-to-use tools that are designed to help parents create safer digital experiences for their kids.

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today previewed a new suite of powerful, intuitive, and easy-to-use features designed to allow parents to more easily manage the content their children can see, who they can communicate with, and when they have access to apps. With software updates this fall, parents will be able to access new child safety features, including a simpler setup experience with a recommended set of essential apps, Ask to Browse, Time Allowances, and a redesigned Screen Time. These updates enhance Apple’s already industry-leading parental controls and underscore its commitment to building a safe and trusted platform for kids.

“At Apple, our mission has always been to create technology that empowers people and enriches their lives, while helping keep them safe,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness. “Our approach to helping families create safer digital experiences is grounded in the belief that every child is unique. That’s why we build simple and intuitive tools, based on expert guidance, to let parents tailor their kids’ digital journey. Today, we’re introducing major updates to help families thoughtfully establish age-based protections and develop healthy digital habits.”

The new updates are informed by expert research and enhance Apple’s industry-leading parental controls as part of its commitment to building a safe and trusted platform for kids.

Getting Kids Started with a Child Account

The first and most important step parents can take to create age-appropriate experiences for their child is to set up a child account. It enables safeguards across the system, tailored to the child’s age, like limiting adult websites, only allowing age-appropriate media, and setting age-based restrictions in the App Store. Parents are guided through creating a child account when setting up a new device for their child. A child account is required for children under 131 and available for children up to 18.

By setting up a child account, required for children under age 13 and available for children up to 18, parents take the first and most important step toward creating an age-appropriate experience for their child.

What Content Kids Can See

Once a child account is created, parents can help their kids get a focused start by choosing exactly which apps they can access on their device. Parents have the option to start with just a few essential apps, a curated set, or choose just the apps they feel are appropriate for their child. Parents can then gradually add more apps over time, while staying in control at every step.

Parents have been able to easily expand access to additional apps over time with Ask to Buy, which enables parents to require that their child get their approval before downloading an app from the App Store — whether free or paid — or making an in-app purchase. With the new Ask to Browse, parents can also require that kids ask permission to access a new website in Safari. This feature works seamlessly across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Once a child account is set up, parents can use Setup Assistant to choose which apps their kids can access from the start.

Ask to Buy lets parents approve their child’s new app downloads from the App Store, including free apps.

Across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with Safari, Ask to Browse ensures kids will get permission from parents before accessing a new website.

Who Kids Can Communicate With

From the start, parents are able to manage who their children can connect with over Messages, FaceTime, and Phone. As kids look to communicate with new contacts, parents can require their kids to ask for approval before connecting with anyone new.

Communication Safety already blurs nudity when detected in Messages and FaceTime calls, and is turned on by default for users under 18, and now it will also intervene to block gore or violent content when detected in shared images or videos.

From the start, parents can more easily manage who their children can connect with over Messages, FaceTime, and Phone.

Communication Safety, which already blurs nudity when detected in Messages and FaceTime, will now intervene to block gore or violent content when detected in shared images or videos.

When Kids Can Access Apps

Time Allowances give parents more flexible ways to manage the time their kids spend in apps across categories, including Entertainment, Games, and Social Media. When setting Time Allowances, parents are provided with guidance, based on expert research,...