Apple today shared a video promoting the new parental control features it added in iOS 27.
Apple says Child Accounts are easier to set up in iOS 27 and more intuitive to use. Improved controls allow parents to choose the types of apps children have access to, while Ask to Buy lets kids request new apps and games.
Ask to Browse gives parents a way to block or allow the websites children visit in Safari, plus parents can decide who kids can call and message. Communication Safety in Messages and FaceTime detects and blocks both violence and nudity in images and videos.
Time Allowances and Schedules let parents customize what children can access by the day, hour, and activity, with options to limit apps during school hours. There are one-tap controls to pause access entirely during family events like dinnertime or allow unlimited screen time.
Apple's updated parental controls come as the company deals with regulatory pressure over child safety in countries like the UK, U.S., and Australia. The UK has called for device-level controls that keep kids from viewing and sharing inappropriate images, while the U.S. Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act is now in the Senate. Australia has already prohibited children under 16 from creating accounts on certain social media apps.
Apple's new child safety features became available on September 14 with the launch of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate. Every device in a Family Sharing group needs to be running the latest software for the Screen Time update to work.
