Set Up Your Child Apple Account for Family Sharing

Apple only lets a parental control app manage a device that is signed in with your child's own Apple Account, inside your Family Sharing group. It will not work with your account on their device. This is Apple's rule, and it applies to every parental control app.

These are the same steps the ParentalEdge app shows on your child's device. Find the section that matches your situation.

Your child already has an Apple Account

No sign-out needed. We just need their account to be a child account in your family.

Nothing gets deleted. Photos, apps, messages and downloads all stay exactly where they are on the device.

1. Add them to your family (on your, the parent's, phone)

• Open Settings → tap your name → Family
• If your child isn't listed, tap Add Member and invite them using their Apple Account email
• Tap your child's name and check the birthday is their real one. If it says they're an adult, correct it and Apple turns the account into a child account. Nothing is erased

If they're already in your family and the birthday is right, you're done. Return to ParentalEdge and tap the button at the bottom of the screen.

2. Only if the device is signed in as you (on your child's device)

• Go to Settings → tap your name → Sign Out
• Signing out does not delete anything. Photos, apps and messages stay on the device
• Sign in with your child's Apple Account
• Return to ParentalEdge and tap the button at the bottom of the screen

Your child is 12 or under and has no account

Two quick steps: one on your phone, one on their device.

1. Create your child's Apple Account (on your, the parent's, phone)

• Open Settings → tap your name → Family
• Tap Add Member → Create an Account for a Child
• Enter your child's name and birthday, verify with your Apple Account password
• Apple creates an iCloud email. Set a password and 4-digit passcode

2. Sign in on your child's device

• Go to Settings → tap your name → Sign Out
• Signing out does not delete anything. Photos, apps and messages stay on the device
• Sign in with your child's new Apple Account
• Return to ParentalEdge and tap the button at the bottom of the screen

Your child is 13 or older and has no account

Three steps: create the account, add them to your family, sign in on their device.

1. Create your teen's Apple Account (on any device)

• Go to account.apple.com in a browser
• Create a new Apple Account with your teen's name, birthday, email and password

2. Add your teen to your family group (on your, the parent's, phone)

• Open Settings → tap your name → Family
• Tap Add Member and invite using your teen's Apple Account email
• Your teen accepts the Family Sharing invitation

3. Sign in on your teen's device

• Go to Settings → tap your name → Sign Out
• Signing out does not delete anything. Photos, apps and messages stay on the device
• Sign in with your teen's Apple Account
• Return to ParentalEdge and tap the button at the bottom of the screen

Not sure whose account is on the device?

Open Settings on your child's device and tap the name at the very top. That is the Apple Account it is signed in with. If it is your child's name, you are on the right track. If it is yours, use the steps above.

Still stuck?

Email support@parentaledge.com and we will set it up with you.

Back to the full setup guide →