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

TL;DR — Quick setup steps:

• Step 1: Create a child Apple ID (or add their existing one) to your Family Sharing group
• Step 2: Install ParentalEdge on their iPhone or iPad, enter the 6-digit code, and grant permissions
• Step 3: Set a PIN and configure app rules — or just use the age-based defaults
• Total time: About 5 minutes. Screen Time handles basic limits; ParentalEdge adds 31-category web filtering, activity reports, Study Mode, and location tracking

What do I need before I 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.

How do I set up my child's Apple ID? (Step 1)

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 are in your family group:

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

What will Screen Time not cover?

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

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

How do I install ParentalEdge? (Step 2)

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 will see a 6-digit registration code

On your child's iPhone or iPad:

1. Open the App Store and search ParentalEdge
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 do I get after setup?

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 27 more categories (14 always blocked)
• Safe Search enforced on Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, and Yandex — even in incognito
• Study Mode — only educational apps work during homework time (scheduled on child's own device, on-demand toggle on shared devices)
• 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
• 270+ dangerous apps auto-blocked — dating, gambling, vault apps, VPNs

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to turn off Apple Screen Time to use ParentalEdge?

No. ParentalEdge works alongside Screen Time — you do not need to turn anything off. Keep Screen Time's communication limits and Ask to Buy features active. ParentalEdge adds web filtering, activity visibility, Study Mode, and location tracking on top.

Can I set this up if my child and I share the same iPad?

Yes. ParentalEdge supports shared devices. When your child uses the iPad, they use their profile with all the parental controls active. Study Mode works as an on-demand toggle on shared devices, so you can switch it on when it is homework time.

My child is using my Apple ID on their iPad. Do I need to create a separate one?

Yes. Apple requires a child Apple ID in your Family Sharing group for Screen Time and ParentalEdge to work properly. Follow the steps above for children 12 and under — it takes about 2 minutes.

What if my child tries to delete the ParentalEdge app?

ParentalEdge uses Apple's Screen Time API to prevent uninstallation. Your child cannot remove the app without your Screen Time passcode.

Does ParentalEdge work on older iPads?

ParentalEdge requires iOS 16 or later. Most iPads from 2017 onwards support this. Check Settings → General → About on the iPad to see the current iOS version.

What You Should Do Now

1. Set up your child's Apple ID in your Family Sharing group — follow the steps above for their age
2. Install ParentalEdge Kids on their iPhone or iPad — the 6-digit code connects it to your parent account in seconds
3. Choose the age-appropriate profile — harmful content and 270+ dangerous apps are blocked automatically
4. Learn what ParentalEdge adds beyond Screen Time in our detailed comparison

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