Apple shared an update on new ways to help parents protect kids and teens online when using Apple products.
With the release of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, this fall, parents have more ways to ensure kids have age-appropriate experiences from the moment they set up their device.
These new tools build on the parental controls already available in Screen Time and on the App Store, and are designed to help parents navigate the risks of an increasingly complex digital world.
For years, Apple has supported Child Accounts, which are Apple Accounts that must be associated with a parent or guardian account in a Family Sharing group.
A Child Account is required for children under 13 and available for children up to 18, to help parents ensure their kids have age-appropriate experiences.
Apple recently streamlined the setup process for Child Accounts and accessing built-in parental controls.
If parents prefer to finish setting up their kid’s account at a later time, child-appropriate default settings will still be enabled on the device.
This helps assure parents that child safety settings will be active from the time their child begins using a device. These features are already available with iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4.