Use Quick Start to set up a child's iPhone or iPad

If you're a parent or guardian in a Family Sharing group, you can use your iPhone or iPad to help set up a child's new device with your preferred parental controls.

If your device and your child's new device are both updated to iOS 16 or iPadOS 16 or later, you can use Quick Start to set up a new device for your child automatically with your preferred parental controls. If one or both devices have iOS 15 or iPadOS 15 or earlier, you can set up the device manually instead.

Set up a child's device with Quick Start

  1. Turn on your child's new device and swipe up to unlock it.

  2. Select your country or region and your language.

  3. Place your device near your child's new device. Then follow the steps below on your device.

  4. When the Set Up New [Device] card appears, tap Continue.

    Set Up New iPad appears towards the bottom of your iPhone screen.

  5. Wait for an animation to appear on your child's new device. Hold your device over your child's device, then center the animation in the viewfinder.

  6. Choose who will be using the new device, then tap Continue. You only see children in your Family Sharing group who are under 13.* Or choose Create New Child Account if you want to add a child who's not in your Family Sharing group yet.

    In the "Who are you signing in to the [device]?" screen, you can sign in yourself or a child in your family on the device.

  7. Follow the onscreen steps to finish setting up your child's new device. If you're setting up a device for an existing child in your Family Sharing group, you can set up their current parental controls automatically. If you chose to create a new child account, you can create your child's Apple ID, then set up your preferred parental controls.

* Age varies by country or region.

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