Level 1 (4 points)

How to restrict app access for a child on iPhone

Hi,

I'm looking for some advice.

My sister and I have an arrangement where her 6 year old son comes to my workplace after school one day a week for an hour (my office is basically empty as everyone works from home anyway). He's an iPad kid, so I let him play games on my phone until his mum picks him up.

The problem is that I have some work group chats on my phone, and I'm also treasurer for a charity, and a couple of times he's accidentally replied to chat notifications which have popped up while he's playing. Fortunately nothing too embarrassing, but I've also had to stop him when almost shared some photos on social media.

My question is - is there an easy way I can set a lock on certain apps which I can switch on while he has the phone, or have a second profile on the phone (ie with just the games available) which I can switch to? Or is there any other way I can restrict his access on my phone? He can't take his own iPad without taking it to school with him (and inevitably losing or breaking it). I've considered buying a cheap 2nd phone to keep in the office for him to use but we can't connect to the office Wifi on personal devices so I'd also need to pay for another plan which isn't ideal.

If anyone has any suggestions it'd be very much appreciated!

Posted on Oct 25, 2026 5:33 AM

3 replies

lobsterghost1

Level 10 (233,174 points)

Oct 25, 2026 5:39 AM in response to lovingsky265

A separate profile, no. iOS devices are one user devices and should only have one profile. But you can use Screen Time to limit app usage and this link will explain how --> Set Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances in Screen Time on iPhone - Apple Support

Servant of Cats

Level 9 (55,707 points)

Oct 25, 2026 7:49 AM in response to lovingsky265

You could use Guided Access to try to limit the child to using a single game app.

Use Guided Access on iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

"With Guided Access, you can temporarily restrict your device to a single app. This can be useful when you let a child use your device, or you want to stay focused on a task. You can set a time limit, customize which features, hardware buttons, and areas of the screen are available, and even restrict access to the keyboard."

I would also suggest using Screen Time to disallow in-app purchases, so that if the game offers this child the option to buy a "wheelbarrow of s****berries" for $50, the child doesn't take it and run up a huge charge on your bill.

Servant of Cats

Level 9 (55,707 points)

Oct 25, 2026 7:57 AM in response to lovingsky265

lovingsky265 wrote:

My question is - is there an easy way I can set a lock on certain apps which I can switch on while he has the phone

You can lock an app so that it requires authentication – Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode – to open it.

Lock or hide an app on iPhone - Apple Support

However, trying to lock down all of the apps on your phone with which a child could cause trouble would probably be both inconvenient and error-prone. Say you failed to lock down the Photos app and the child then permanently deleted some photos … or the child was old enough to figure out they could point the phone at your face to unlock some app that you had restricted in this fashion.

Guided Access (and disabling in-app purchases, or only letting the chid play games without in-app purchases such as Apple Arcade games) is probably a safer bet.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256382633