Parental controls

The parental control for your device you’ve got to have

Did you know you can stop your little one from accidentally deleting apps on your iphone or ipad, moving out of an app and into another app or playing on apps not meant for them? So basically if you set them up to play a game or watch a video or story, you can disable the home button and even choose specific things within an app that they can’t click on, such as inn-app purchases, another level, and even the sound. So no creeping the sound up a little louder hoping you won’t notice!

Of course you should always turn off the inn app purchases under settings/general/restrictions/in-app purchases, and there are other ways to set up your device for safer browsing.

But this little trick allows your child to watch or play without accidentally getting out of an app or swiping and scrolling to other places they don’t need to be and keeps the volume at a level you set.

  1. Go to settings
  2. General
  3. Accessibility
  4. Scroll down to Guided Access & switch on
  5. Now when your child is in an app you are happy for them to play on, triple click the home button
  6. Press start and enter a 4 digit passcode
  7. Circle with your finger any area of the app you want disabled. Volume is automatically disabled to stay the same
  8. When you want to return to normal, just triple click the home button again and enter the passcode.

So there you go. Of course the best experience our kids have with technology is when it is interactive, both in terms of the types of games they play as well as having someone sitting with them.  For those other times however, this trick for little hands and minds will enable them to play safely and in the apps you intended.

Ever had any apps go missing? Volume creep up? Inappropriate games?

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This Post Has 18 Comments

  1. Kirsten McCulloch

    Oh that’s a great tip, thank you! And yes, I have certainly had apps disappear into folders, or appear on the home screen, and one in app purchase showed up on my credit card once (this was from my 12 year old though!!).

    1. Martine Oglethorpe

      Yes Im sure we’ve all had a bit of that!

  2. Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me

    Now I definitely need this – especially since my youngest likes to use my phone a bit, but isn’t quite aware of how things work!

    1. Martine Oglethorpe

      Yes very good for little fingers that fumble all over the place!

  3. Emily

    Handy to know! Bookmarking. Thank you!

    1. Martine Oglethorpe

      No probs!

  4. Bec @ History of Parenting

    I really need to look into this for android! I don’t have any controls set at the moment, though I’m usually peeing over their shoulder anyway! #TeamIBOT

      1. Martine Oglethorpe

        Too funny!!

    1. Martine Oglethorpe

      Yes I will look into android too 🙂

  5. My kids are too old to accidentally delete things now, but I definitely need to change my password as they download whatever apps they want… It’s inly when I get emailed the bill I notice and then have to find out who did it. Kerping up with them all is exhausting

    1. Martine Oglethorpe

      Oh yes Nat, we change the password regularly as a good way to keep up with what purchases they are making!

  6. Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages

    Thank you thank you thank you!!! I have been looking for something like this for ages and thought I might have to download an app or something or other. Who knew it was so easy!

    1. Martine Oglethorpe

      Easy peasy! Thanks Malinda

    1. Martine Oglethorpe

      My pleasure 🙂

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