Apple Revamps Screen Time and Enhances Parental Controls

At WWDC 2026, Apple unveiled a significant revamp of its Screen Time parental controls, designed to enhance safety for kids using iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. The upcoming updates in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 will empower parents and guardians with greater control over their children’s interactions in Messages and the content or apps they can access. This includes tailored recommendations for essential apps and time limits within Screen Time.

These new features are guided by insights from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which advises against social media access for children under 13. “We’re giving parents powerful, easy-to-use tools to help manage what kids can see, who they can talk to, and when they have access,” stated Apple’s software engineering chief Craig Federighi during the keynote.

While parents previously had the ability to set time limits on apps, the redesigned Screen Time now offers suggested time allowances based on app categories like Entertainment, Games, and Social Media, reflecting expert recommendations. Apple notes that these suggestions serve as a useful starting point for parents to decide on appropriate time limits for their children, which can be adjusted as necessary.

The updated Screen Time interface will give parents a clearer view of their children’s most-used apps and average device usage, allowing for quick adjustments to app and web access with just a tap. Additionally, Apple’s Communication Safety feature, which already blurs nudity in Messages and FaceTime calls, has been expanded to block any violent or gory content detected in images and videos shared with minors.

A new Ask to Browse feature will also be introduced for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, requiring kids to request parental permission before accessing new websites in Safari. Parents will have the ability to manage their children’s connections through Messages, FaceTime, and Phone apps, needing to approve any new contacts before communication can occur.

To help parents navigate these features and stay informed about child safety updates, Apple has launched a dedicated website offering guides on setting up Child Accounts, useful resources, and answers to common questions regarding parental controls and safety features. These new parental control enhancements will be available with the Screen Time update in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 later this year.