WWDC 2026: Apple redesigns iPhone parental controls introducing strict new Time Allowances and web approvals

Siri’s new AI avatar and Apple Intelligence features in the Photos and Camera apps may have hogged all the limelight during the WWDC 2026 presentation. However, one key announcement that went under the radar was Apple expanding its child safety and parental control features, giving parents more control over what their children can access, who they can communicate with, and how much time they spend on their devices.

“We recognize that every child is unique and parents are in the best position to decide what works for their family,” Ann Thai, Apple’s director of App Store management, said during the presentation.

Apple says it designed the new tools with guidance from experts, including child development and online safety researchers.

What are the parental control tools?

1) New setup assistant

Apple has introduced a new setup assistant to give parents the choice of deciding what content and apps their children can access on a new device.

Parents can choose a small set of essential apps, recommended apps, or create their own collection. There is always the option of adding more apps later as the child grows older.

2) Ask to Browse

Apple already requires parental approval before a child can download an app from the App Store via the ‘Ask to Buy’ feature. That feature is now being joined by ‘Ask to Browse’, which requires children to seek parental approval before visiting a new website.

Parents can review the website request and approve or deny access directly from their iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

The feature will be enabled by default for children under 13, while parents can also enable it for teenagers.

3) Parents can approve new contacts

Apple is also giving parents the ability to decide who their children communicate with by requiring approval before a new contact can be added on their iPhone.

The company says parents can start with a limited contact list and then add more contacts as the child becomes more independent.

4) Apple now blocks violent content

Apple is also expanding its Community Safety feature by blocking ‘gore or violent content’ when it is detected in shared images or videos.

Notably, the company already blurs potentially nude images and videos in Messages and FaceTime calls.

5) Screen Time recommendations

Apple is redesigning Screen Time and introducing a new “Time Allowances” feature to give parents more control over which apps their children spend time on.

The company says parents will be able to manage the time their children spend across app categories such as Entertainment, Games, and Social Media.

Parents will also have the ability to set daily schedules to manage which apps their children can access at different times of the day and week.

For example, educational apps can remain available during school hours while entertainment and gaming apps are restricted.

6) Parents can see a child’s most-used apps

Apple is also giving Screen Time a visual overhaul to help parents better understand their child’s average device usage and most-used apps.

The redesigned UI also makes it easier for parents to adjust restrictions and permissions with a single tap.