Apple has announced a refreshed version of the iPhone's Screen Time features for iOS 27, giving parents a new way to ensure children only access the content that's right for them.
Alongside iOS 27, parental controls will also extend to the iPad with iPadOS 27 and the Mac, with macOS 27.
Screen Time has long allowed parents to limit which apps their kids use, and how long they can use them. With iOS 27, announced at WWDC 2026, Apple has refreshed the way this system works.
Access control
With iOS 27, Apple makes it easier for parents to create a new Apple Account for their children. A child account will be required for all children under 13 and available for those under 18.
Parents will be shown how to modify their child's access to the apps installed on that device, including allowing age-appropriate media. More apps and expanded access can be enabled over time, too.
Apple also announced that iOS 27 will build on an existing feature that allows children to request access to an app. With iOS 27 installed, this will be expanded to include websites with Ask to Browse, giving parents the ability to preview the site before approving it for viewing.
Ask to Browse will work across iPhone, iPad, and Mac when using the Safari web browser. It's unclear whether support for third-party browsers will become available.
Communication and Screen Time
With Apple's 2026 software updates, kids will also be warned if they receive an iMessage that includes blood or gore. Currently, this feature is limited to images with possible nudity.
Time Allowances will give parents more control over how long and when their children can use their devices. Building on the existing Screen Time features, Time Allowances is a clearer, more easily managed system at a time when screen time is a hot topic for parents.
For parents of school-age children, Time Allowances will help them ensure lessons are being focused on. They'll be able to manage which apps their child has access to at different times, and on different days, throughout the week.
Apple says it will give parents guidance on how to set up their child's access, based on expert research, tailored to their age.
To help back up this refreshed and expanded Screen Time experience, developers will be given a slew of APIs to use. Apple's new software updates will then hook into these APIs when managing a child's access to apps and features.
To help back up this refreshed and expanded Screen Time experience, developers will be given a slew of APIs to use. Apple's new software updates will then hook into these APIs when managing a child's access to apps and features.
Apple's new software updates are set to be made available for all of its platforms later in 2026.
Alongside the new updates, Apple also announced a dedicated website for parents. It'll help them understand the latest tools and features, and teach them how to best use them.
