Manage who your child can communicate with on an iPhone and iPad

You can choose who your child communicates with in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone by deciding who you include in their contacts list, and requiring permission before they connect with anyone new. For example, if your child receives a message from someone new, they can't see the message until a parent or guardian in the Family Sharing group approves.

Before you get started

1. Make sure you have Family Sharing set up, and that your child has their own Apple Account that's connected to your Family Sharing group.^* It's important that your child has their own Apple Account, and isn't sharing an account with anyone else, such as another family member.

2. Upgrade to the new parental controls, which are available in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27. Learn more about how to upgrade your parental controls.

3. Add the Family Sharing organizer or a parent/guardian to the child's contacts list so the child's requests can be sent for approval.

As you help your kids build healthy digital habits, consider guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Apple's guide for families. Learn more about building healthy digital habits.

Choose who your child can communicate with during Screen Time

1. On the Family Sharing organizer or parent/guardian's iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app.

2. Tap Family, then tap your child's name.

3. Tap Allowed Contacts, then tap During Screen Time.

4. Choose Contacts Only, Contacts & Groups with at Least One Contact, or Everyone.

   

Approve new contacts on your child's device

You can make sure your child asks for approval before communicating with anyone new in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone. First, set allowed communication to Contacts Only. Then manage their contacts and turn off editing. When an unknown contact reaches out, your child will be prompted to ask permission before they can respond.

1. On the Family Sharing organizer or parent/guardian's iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app.

2. Tap Family, then tap your child's name.

3. Tap Allowed Contacts, then tap During Screen Time. Choose Contacts Only or Contacts & Groups with at Least One Contact.

4. Go back to the previous screen, then turn on Manage Contacts. Your child will then need to approve contact management from their own device.

5. If you want your child to have to send you a request in order to add a new contact, then keep Allow Contact Editing off. If you want your child to be able to edit their contacts, turn on Allow Contact Editing.

   

Turn on Communication Safety for added protection

Communication Safety helps protect your child from sharing or receiving photos and videos that are detected to contain nudity, gore, or violence. Communication Safety also works on live FaceTime calls, and provides on-device guidance and age-appropriate resources to help your child make safe choices. Apple doesn't get access to the photos or videos.

1. On the Family Sharing organizer or parent/guardian's iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app.

2. Tap Family, then tap your child's name.

3. Tap Communication Safety, then turn on Communication Safety.

   

For children under 18, Communication Safety is on by default on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch with the latest software version. For children 13-17, Communication Safety is turned on by default on Apple Vision Pro with the latest software version.

Learn more about Communication Safety