Set Up ParentalEdge on iPhone or iPad — Step by Step
Short answer: get a 6-digit code from the dashboard, install the app, enter the code, turn on two permissions, set a PIN.
The one thing that trips people up: the iPhone or iPad must be signed into your child's own Apple Account, inside your Family Sharing group. Sort that first.
Before you start
- Your child's iPhone or iPad, signed into their own Apple Account, not yours
- That account inside your Family Sharing group
- Your ParentalEdge account
Apple only allows Screen Time controls on a child account in a family group. No app can work around it. If your child has no account yet, the full setup guide covers creating one.
Step 1. Get the code
At parentaledge.com, open your child's profile, tap Add Device → iPhone / iPad, copy the 6-digit code.
Step 2. Install the app
On your child's device: App Store, search ParentalEdge, tap Get.
Step 3. Connect
- Get Started, then Continue, then My child's
- Answer whose Apple Account the device uses. If it is not your child's, the app walks you through fixing it
- Enter the code, tick the consent box, tap Connect Device
Step 4. Permissions
| Permission | What it does |
|---|---|
| Screen Time Access | App limits and time limits |
| Web Protection | Blocks harmful sites across 31 categories |
| Notifications (optional) | Lets your child see your approvals |
| Location (optional) | Arrive and leave alerts for home and school |
Tap Enable on each. Once the two required ones are green, continue. Turn Notifications on if you can: iOS never asks twice, so a decline is permanent.
If Screen Time Access fails
It is the Apple Account, and the fix is usually smaller than people expect. The app tells you which case you are in.
Already your child's own account. No sign-out needed. On your phone, go to Settings → your name → Family. Check your child is listed, tap their name, and check the birthday is their real one. An adult birthday means Apple does not treat it as a child account. Correct it and Apple converts it. Nothing is deleted.
Signed in as you. Sign out on their device and sign back in with your child's account.
Step 5. Choose what to monitor
Tap Select Apps to Monitor and pick everything, or specific apps and categories.
Step 6. Set a PIN
Four digits. This protects the parent settings on the device, so your child cannot change rules without it.
Step 7. App rules (optional)
Quick options for games, social media, or specific apps. Skip it if you like. Everything is editable later from the dashboard.
You are done
Age-based defaults are already live: 11 harmful web categories blocked at every age (14 for under-16s), Safe Search forced on Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo and Yandex, and around 260 dangerous apps blocked outright, including dating, gambling, vault apps and VPNs.
Everything from here is remote, from parentaledge.com in any browser.
What is different on iOS
Web filtering and Safe Search work on iPhone and iPad too, using the same 31-category database as Android.
App usage reporting does not. Apple does not let any app report which apps your child used, for how long, or what they searched. You can block and limit apps on iOS. You cannot get the same visibility into them. If detailed activity reporting is what you are after, Android is the more complete platform.
Frequently asked questions
Screen Time Access keeps failing.
It is the Apple Account. On your child's device, open Settings and tap the name at the top. If that is your child's own account, you do not need to sign out: add it to your Family Sharing group and check the birthday is right. If it is your account, sign out and use theirs.
Can I do this remotely?
Not the initial setup. You need the device to install the app, enter the code and approve permissions. Everything after that is remote.
Does it survive a restart?
Yes. Web filtering, app rules and time limits are enforced by iOS itself and come back automatically.
Do I need an app on my phone?
No, though there is one. The dashboard works in any browser, and there are parent apps in the App Store and Play Store if you would rather have an icon.
My child has an iPhone and an iPad.
Set up each separately with its own code. Both appear under the same child profile.
Will my child know it is installed?
Yes. The app is visible and there is no hidden mode.
Stuck? Email support@parentaledge.com.
Ready to protect your child online?
ParentalEdge gives you the insights you need without invading your child's privacy. Set up in 2 minutes with age-appropriate defaults.
Related Articles
How to Set Up an iPhone or iPad for Your Child with Parental Controls
Complete guide to setting up your child's iPhone or iPad with Apple Family Sharing and ParentalEdge. Covers creating a Child Account at any age and adding an existing Apple Account.
Product Guides2-Minute Setup: How Age-Based Rules Work in ParentalEdge
ParentalEdge's age-based auto setup configures screen time, bedtime locks, web filtering, and app controls based on your child's age group.
Product GuidesWhat ParentalEdge Adds to Apple Screen Time
Apple Screen Time gives you basic limits. ParentalEdge adds 31-category web filtering, per-app scheduling, activity reports with every website and search query, and email alerts when your child hits a block.