How to Set Up an iPhone or iPad for Your Child with Parental Controls

Before You Start

Your child needs their own Apple ID signed into their iPhone or iPad. Apple requires this for parental controls to work — both Screen Time and ParentalEdge need a child account in your Family Sharing group.

If your child already has an Apple ID in your family group, skip to Install ParentalEdge.

Step 1: Set Up Your Child's Apple ID

Pick the path that matches your situation:

Child is 12 or under

You create their Apple ID through Family Sharing:

1. On your phone, go to Settings → tap your name → Family
2. Tap Add Member → Create an Account for a Child
3. Enter your child's name and birthday (this sets age restrictions), then verify with your Apple ID password
4. Apple creates an iCloud email — set a password and 4-digit passcode
5. On your child's iPhone or iPad, go to Settings → tap Sign in → enter the new Apple ID

Child is 13 or older

Teens create their own Apple ID, then you invite them:

1. Go to appleid.apple.com and create a new Apple ID with your teen's name, birthday, email, and password
2. On your phone, go to Settings → tap your name → Family → Add Member
3. Invite using your teen's Apple ID email
4. Your teen accepts the invitation on their device
5. Make sure your teen's iPhone or iPad is signed in with their Apple ID

Child already has an Apple ID

Just make sure they're in your family group:

1. On your phone, go to Settings → tap your name → Family
2. If your child isn't listed, tap Add Member and invite them
3. Make sure your child's iPhone or iPad is signed in with their Apple ID

What Screen Time Won't Cover

Once your child is in your family group, Screen Time gives you basic app limits and adult website blocking. But it won't filter gambling, violence, or dating sites. It won't show you what websites your child visited or searched for. And it won't alert you when something gets blocked.

ParentalEdge fills these gaps with 31-category web filtering, daily activity reports, and email alerts — working alongside Screen Time.

Step 2: Install ParentalEdge

On your phone or computer:

1. Go to parentaledge.com and sign up for a free account
2. Add your child's profile
3. Tap Add Device → iPhone / iPad
4. You'll see a 6-digit registration code

On your child's iPhone or iPad:

1. Open the App Store and search ParentalEdge Kids
2. Install and open the app
3. Tap Set Up Child's Device
4. Enter the 6-digit code and tap Connect Device

The app guides you through four quick screens:

Enable Permissions:

• Screen Time Access — tracks app usage and lets you set limits
• Web Protection — blocks harmful and adult websites
• Notifications — lets your child see when you approve requests
• Location (optional) — notifies you when they arrive at or leave Home, School, or other places

Set Screen Time Limit — Select apps and categories to monitor. Pick all apps or choose specific ones.

Create Your PIN — A 4-digit PIN that protects parent settings on the device.

Set Up App Rules — Optionally limit games, manage social media, or block specific apps. You can skip this and do it later.

What You Get

Log in at parentaledge.com from any browser — phone, laptop, anything:

• App time limits and bedtime schedules
• 31-category web filtering — gambling, violence, dating, adult content, and more
• Daily activity reports — every app used, website visited, and search query
• Location tracking with geofenced places (Home, School) and arrive/leave notifications
• App request approvals — your child asks, you decide

Screen Time handles the basics. ParentalEdge shows you what's actually happening and gives you control over the parts Screen Time misses.

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Start your free 30-day trial at parentaledge.com — no credit card required.