Quick Answer: Use Family Sharing with the child’s own Apple Account. On an updated parent iPhone or iPad, select the child in Settings → Family and choose the controls you need. Apple’s iPadOS 27 layout separates apps and websites, time allowances, schedules, and contacts. Older devices can show different Screen Time menus.
Start by deciding what you need to change. A child’s inability to install a new app, too much time in a game, and unexpected messages are three different problems. I find it helps to explain the rule first, so the child knows what should work and who to ask if a school or family task is blocked.
Check the family and software before changing settings
Verify that the child uses their own Apple Account and appears in Family Sharing. On the parent’s device, check that you are the organiser or have the parent/guardian role. Add the appropriate approving adult to the child’s contacts so requests can reach them. Apple’s current parental controls guide explains supported versions and regional or age-dependent defaults.
If a menu from this guide is missing, check the software on both devices and whether the family has moved to the new controls. On older software, look in the child’s Screen Time settings for App Limits, Downtime, Always Allowed and Content & Privacy Restrictions, as applicable. Do not assume new options or defaults are present on every iPad.
Choose the rule that matches the problem
| What you want to manage | Where to start on iPadOS 27 | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Downloads and sites | Family → child → Apps & Websites | Try an allowed school site and an unapproved one on the child’s device. |
| Daily time and routines | Time Allowances or Screen Time Schedule | Test an app during an allowed period and after the rule applies. |
| Contacts and sensitive media | Allowed Contacts and Communication Safety | Check an approved contact and review which apps the rule covers. |
| Purchases, ratings and privacy | Apps & Websites or Content & Privacy Restrictions | Check the exact setting and use an eligible request to confirm delivery. |
Set app, website and purchase boundaries
In the iPadOS 27 layout, open Settings, Family, the child’s name and Apps & Websites. Review app and website permissions there. To control web access, open Restrictions and check Filtering under Websites. Ask to Browse applies in Safari and other supported browsers. Use it, or Limit Adult Websites, according to the child’s age and need for access. Check an approved school website after making changes.
Ask to Buy governs eligible downloads and purchases. An app-install restriction is different: it can block installation instead of sending an approval request. Check which rule is actually in force before treating a missing request as a fault. Apple notes that age and location can affect defaults and whether a control can be turned off. Review the child’s installed apps as well as future requests.
Set time rules that leave room for school and contact
Time Allowances manage how long supported app categories can be used. Screen Time Schedule manages when access is available. On older Screen Time layouts, use App Limits and Downtime for their respective jobs. Plan a weekday and weekend routine, and check which study tools and family contacts need to stay available when restrictions apply.
Try a short test before relying on the schedule at bedtime. On the child’s usual iPad, confirm an allowed school task works and a restricted entertainment app behaves as expected. Restore the intended settings after testing. If a request arrives but the app stays restricted, check the selected child, the device, the exact exception and any other rule that still applies.
Handle contacts and privacy separately
Review Allowed Contacts and contact editing in the child’s Family settings where available. Apple describes its communication controls for supported services such as Messages, FaceTime and Phone. Do not assume they govern every game or social app. Check an app’s own contact settings where your child uses a separate account.
Communication Safety can warn about or help protect a child from supported sensitive photos and videos. It is not a complete message monitor. In Content & Privacy Restrictions, review changes to location, camera, microphone and other permissions. Choose the access a school or family app needs; avoid granting persistent access by default.
Review content ratings separately from screen time and communication. Check available ratings for apps, films, books and other media, plus relevant restrictions in Siri and Game Center. Use the ratings and labels displayed for your region instead of assuming the same scale applies everywhere.
Keep a simple handover and troubleshooting plan
Save the Screen Time passcode securely and keep account recovery details current. Write down which adult approves requests and what the child should do when a necessary app or site is blocked. Recheck the setup after replacing an iPad, updating the system or changing the child’s Apple Account. Do not share the parent’s Apple Account to make setup easier.
Start with a few clear rules, test them together and review what the child actually needs. If you are considering third-party tools, identify the specific gap first and check its current iPad feature coverage. A feature offered on another platform is not evidence it can monitor the same content on an iPad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I set iPad parental controls on iPadOS 27?
On a supported parent device, open Settings, Family and the child’s name. Choose the control by its purpose, such as Apps & Websites, Time Allowances or Allowed Contacts.
Are Ask to Buy and blocking installs the same?
No. Ask to Buy handles eligible requests. Blocking installation restricts access directly; check which rule is enabled.
Can Screen Time control every chat app?
Do not assume so. Check which Apple communication services are covered and review the settings of third-party apps separately.
What if my menus look different?
Check the software versions on the parent and child devices, Family Sharing roles, and whether the new controls are available for the child’s setup.
How should I test a change?
Use the child’s usual account and device. Check a permitted task and a restricted case, then restore any temporary test rule.
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Stuart Kerr Spindlow is Impulsec’s Publisher, Chief Editor and Lead Reviewer. He writes and maintains coverage of consumer cybersecurity and digital-safety software, with a focus on practical suitability, limitations and the evidence behind product claims. Read Stuart’s full profile.