Apple has published a new guide to help parents use the child‑safety tools in iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate. Titled “Building Healthy Digital Habits: A Guide for Families,” the resource was developed in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and outlines practical steps for managing children’s device use.
What the guide covers
The six‑step guide focuses on balancing screen time with sleep, exercise, schoolwork, and time with friends and family, and offers advice for getting kids involved in setting limits. Apple’s announcement summarizes the guide’s core steps: start a conversation about screen time and set expectations; create a Child Account to enable age‑based safeguards and parental controls; set website and app safety settings, including Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse so families can review new apps and sites together; make a schedule for device use with Time Allowances and Schedules; manage communications by choosing who a child can contact and using Communication Safety (enabled by default for users under 18); and continue the conversation and adjust the family plan as children grow.
The guide also includes the AAP’s screen‑time recommendations by age group, from infants to teens, along with strategies to help children develop healthy screen‑time habits.
How iOS 27 parental controls work
Apple says it has added new parental control options and overhauled Screen Time in iOS 27. Parents can choose which apps children may access, monitor and control website access, keep track of approved contacts, and set different screen‑time schedules based on time of day. Apple notes that using the new Screen Time requires all devices in a Family Sharing group to run iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27.
The guide arrives as Apple faces regulatory scrutiny over child safety in markets including the UK, the U.S. and Australia.
