Apple has published a new guide to the parental controls in iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate, developed in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The six-step resource, called “Building Healthy Digital Habits: A Guide for Families,” covers everything from creating a Child Account to deciding when kids can use their devices and who they’re allowed to contact.
It also walks parents through the expanded Screen Time controls Apple introduced this year, although using all of those new features comes with an important requirement.
Apple’s new parental controls need your family’s devices updated
The parental controls introduced with iOS 27 extend across Apple’s Family Sharing system, so compatibility matters beyond the iPhone a parent uses to configure them.
To use the new system across a family, compatible devices need to be running Apple’s latest operating systems, including iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate and watchOS 27.
That can become a problem for families still using older hardware. An Apple Watch that can’t upgrade to watchOS 27, for example, can prevent the family from taking full advantage of the newer controls rather than simply leaving that one device on the older system.
For households with a mixture of newer and older Apple devices, that’s worth checking before changing an existing Screen Time setup.
The guide walks parents through six steps
Apple and the AAP start with something that doesn’t require opening Settings: talking with children about how and when devices should be used.
The guide then explains how to create a Child Account, which lets Apple apply age-appropriate safeguards and gives parents access to additional Family Sharing controls.
Ask to Buy lets children request permission before downloading or purchasing apps. Ask to Browse provides a similar approval system for websites that would otherwise be restricted.
Parents can use Time Allowances and Schedules to control when devices and individual apps are available, including setting aside periods for sleep, schoolwork, or other activities.
Contact Management controls who a child can communicate with. Communication Safety can detect and blur potentially sensitive photos and videos while providing warnings and additional protections for younger users.
The AAP also provides age-specific guidance throughout the resource, covering children from infancy through their teenage years rather than recommending one set of screen-time rules for every family.
The final step encourages parents to revisit those rules as children get older instead of treating the initial setup as permanent.
Apple’s “Building Healthy Digital Habits” guide is available now through its support website.
