Apple changed how iOS 27 parental controls work, and the change is large enough that the old setup habits no longer apply. On September 14, Apple announced that its redesigned Screen Time and Family Sharing tools were available with iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27. The new pieces include Ask to Browse for Safari, daily Time Allowances by app category, and school-day schedules.

There is one catch that trips up most families. Every device in the Family Sharing group has to be on version 27 or later before you can use the new system. A single forgotten iPad on iPadOS 26 holds up the whole set.

This walkthrough covers the order I would follow: update everything, review existing settings, then tune the three controls that matter most. Menu names come from Apple Support pages published for iOS 27. Where Apple’s own pages disagree with each other, I say so.

What You Need

Start with the account structure, since Apple’s guide lists it as a prerequisite. You need Family Sharing already set up, and your child needs their own Apple Account inside the group rather than a shared login. Apple also says to add the Family Sharing organizer or another parent or guardian to the child’s contacts, so that approval requests have somewhere to land.

Next comes hardware. A report on the iOS 27 launch says the release supports the iPhone 11 and newer, plus the second- and third-generation iPhone SE. A device older than that cannot take iOS 27, and Apple covers that case with a Legacy Devices list, discussed in the troubleshooting section.

Finally, set aside the Screen Time passcode. The setup flow asks you to create a four-digit code that you will need to change any of these controls later. Pick something your child will not guess, write it down somewhere sensible, and do not reuse your phone’s unlock code.

Step 1: Update Every Family Device to Version 27

On each device, open Settings (System Settings on a Mac), choose General, then Software Update, and follow the prompts. Apple’s page for this task names iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27 as the target versions.

iOS 27 Parental Controls: How to Set Up Your Child's iPhone - detail view

Once your own device is updated, open Settings, choose Family, and tap View Family Devices. That list shows eligible devices that still need an update, and other parents or guardians in the group can see it as well. If something is missing from the list, Apple’s page points to Find My. If you no longer own a device that appears there, you can remove it from your Apple Account device list.

Do this first, before touching any restrictions. Apple states plainly that the new controls require every device in the group to be updated, and otherwise you can keep using the previous version of Screen Time or adjust controls on the child’s device itself. Half-migrated families end up with two sets of rules and no clear idea which one is in force.

Step 2: Run the Guided Setup for Each Child

After the family is updated, Apple says you will be invited to set up parental controls for each child. Tap Get Started. If you cannot finish in one sitting, return through Family Sharing Settings and your child’s name. On an iPhone, the path Apple documents is Settings, then Family, then the child’s name.

If you had parental controls before, expect to be prompted to review and update them. Apple’s page says that after all devices are updated, you can go to Settings, select Family, and tap Get Started to transfer existing parental controls or set up new ones. Take the transfer option seriously and read what comes across, because limits you set years ago may no longer match your child’s age.

The guided flow covers content access, communication limits, daily hours, school hours, Time Allowances and the passcode, in that order. The next three steps unpack the parts with the most consequence. If a screen in your build looks different from my description, trust the screen; Apple notes that labels on earlier versions may differ or be unavailable.

Step 3: Set Website and Communication Limits

The content screen lets you choose how Safari treats websites: Approved Websites Only, Ask to Browse, Limit Adult Websites, or unrestricted access. It also sets age ratings for books, movies, TV shows and music in Apple apps, or blocks explicit content.

Ask to Browse is the new one. When your child tries to open a site you have not approved, they can send a request, and you can also approve sites in advance. Apple says Ask to Browse is on by default for children under 13 and Limit Adult Websites is on by default for children under 18, with ages that vary by country or region.

Here Apple’s own documents disagree a little. The setup guide lists Ask to Browse as one of four choices, while the separate Family Sharing page for iOS 27 describes reaching it by going to Apps and Websites, entering the passcode, tapping Restrictions, tapping Filtering under Websites, and selecting Approved Websites Only. I could not tell from the pages whether those are the same switch under two names. After you finish, test it by trying a new site on the child’s device.

The communication screen is simpler. You can require approval before your child messages or calls a new contact in Phone, Messages or FaceTime, either for everyone in a group chat or for a single contact in a thread. You can also turn on Communication Safety, which blurs detected nudity in shared photos and videos and, with this release, also gore and violent content. Apple says it is on by default for children under 18.

Step 4: Set Schedules and Time Allowances

Two controls handle time, and they do different jobs. A schedule decides when apps are available. A Time Allowance decides how much of a category your child gets once they are available.

iOS 27 Parental Controls: How to Set Up Your Child's iPhone - working context

For schedules, the setup flow asks for Available From and Available Until times, separately for weekdays and weekends. Outside those hours, Apple says most apps and notifications pause. A separate Pause During School Hours option takes a Start Time and End Time and pauses Entertainment, Games and Social Media during school. To adjust later, Apple’s page sends you to your child’s name, then Screen Time Schedule, where you turn on Schedule, tap Add Schedule and pick the days.

For Time Allowances, you set a total across Entertainment, Games and Social Media, then adjust each category. A slider shows age-based guidance, which Apple describes as based on expert research. You can add categories or change which apps belong to them. Later, open Time Allowances from the child’s name, tap the Add button and follow the prompts.

A practical suggestion: do not start strict and then loosen. Begin with the age-based default, live with it for two weeks, and adjust from what you see in the redesigned Screen Time summary. Apple says it shows average device usage and most-used apps, with quick buttons to pause use, allow unlimited time or change the schedule.

Step 5: Choose Apps and Test the Approval Flow

If you are setting up a new device for a child account, Apple’s Start focused option lets you begin with only essential apps, a curated set, or apps you choose, and you can add more over time with Ask to Buy. Ask to Buy requires approval for App Store downloads, including free apps, and for in-app purchases.

Now test the whole chain. Sign in to the child’s device, try opening a site that is not on the approved list, and confirm that a request reaches your phone. Try messaging a number that is not in their contacts. Then check what happens when a category budget runs out. Doing this once, with the child present if possible, prevents the more painful discovery that the rules work only on your own device.

Finally, talk about it. Apple’s materials mention an adapted version of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Family Media Plan and a parents’ site at apple.com/child-safety, which are worth a look. Settings protect a child from the worst cases, while a conversation handles the thousand small cases the settings will never anticipate.

Troubleshooting: When Setup Stalls

The new controls do not appear. Check Family, then View Family Devices. If any member’s device is still on version 26 or earlier, the new experience waits. Update it, or remove the device if it is gone for good.

iOS 27 Parental Controls: How to Set Up Your Child's iPhone - supporting scene

A device is stuck on the old version. Phones too old for iOS 27 appear under Legacy Devices (Family, View Family Devices, Legacy Devices). Apple says they can still use Screen Time and Family Sharing settings from version 26 or earlier, so the child is not left without limits, but the new features will not reach that hardware.

Requests never arrive. Confirm that the child’s Apple Account is in your Family Sharing group and that a parent is in the child’s contacts, as the prerequisites require. Then check notification settings on your own phone.

You forgot the passcode. The Apple pages I opened do not describe a recovery procedure, and I will not guess at one. Contact Apple Support.

A feature is missing in your country. Apple’s announcement states that some features may be unavailable in certain regions, languages or device models, and the minimum account age varies by region.

Frequently asked questions

Do all family devices need iOS 27 before the new parental controls work?

Yes. Apple says every device in the Family Sharing group must run version 27 or later to use the new Screen Time experience. Devices that cannot update appear under Legacy Devices and keep the older controls.

What is Ask to Browse in iOS 27?

It requires a child to request approval before visiting a new website in Safari, and parents can pre-approve sites. Apple says it is on by default for children under 13.

What are Time Allowances?

Daily time budgets for categories such as Entertainment, Games and Social Media, with age-based starting guidance from Apple. You can adjust each category and change which apps belong to it.

Which iPhones can run iOS 27?

A launch report lists the iPhone 11 and newer, plus the second- and third-generation iPhone SE. Check Apple’s own compatibility list for your exact model.

The settings are the easy half of this job. Apple has made them clearer than before, and the guided flow takes perhaps twenty minutes per child. The harder half is the review you owe your own rules every few months, because a ten-year-old’s reasonable limits make a fourteen-year-old resentful, and resentment is what sends kids looking for workarounds. Set the controls today, put a recurring reminder on your calendar, and treat the first conversation about them as part of the setup rather than an afterthought.

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