How to Limit What a Toddler Can Do When You Hand Over Your iPhone or iPad

[MacRumors]

If you've ever handed your iPhone or iPad to a baby or toddler to entertain them while you do something else, you'll probably know just how easily their little fingers can navigate into all manner of screens and settings they shouldn't be messing with.

Fortunately, Apple includes a feature in iOS that allows you to keep your device locked into a single app and control which features are available. It's called Guided Access, and this article explains how you can use it.

How to Enable Guided Access on iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Accessibility.
3. Scroll down to "General" and tap Guided Access.
4. Tap the switch next to Guided Access to toggle it to the green ON position and reveal further options.
   
   
   
   If you use any other accessibility options, turn on the switch next to Accessibility Shortcut so that you can access them when Guided Access is active, using a triple-click of the Home button or Side button (depending on your device).
5. Tap Passcode Settings, then tap Set Guided Access Passcode to set a special passcode for exiting the feature. Optionally, turn on the toggle next to Face ID or Touch ID (depending on your device) if you want to be able to use biometric authentication to exit Guided Access.
   
   

How to Use Guided Access on iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the app that you want to limit access to. In our example, we're using the BBC iPlayer app to play a kids' show.
2. If your device has a Home button, triple-click it to enter the Guided Access initialization screen. If your device has Face ID in lieu of a Home button, triple-click the Side button instead.
   
   
   
   The screen area will appear within a frame. If you want to make certain areas of the screen inaccessible, simply circle them using your finger.
   
   
   
   Tap Options in the bottom-left corner, then use the switches to control access to the Side Button, Volume Buttons, Motion, Keyboards, Touch, or to set a Time Limit. In our example, to prevent the video (and audio) from being disrupted by little fingers, we would disable Side Button, Volume, and Touch by toggling off the associated switches.
   
   
   
   Tap Done.
3. Tap Start at the top-right corner of the screen to activate Guided Access proper. A banner will briefly appear on the screen advising you that the feature is active.

With Guided Access enabled, the only way to leave the app is by double-clicking the Side button to activate Face ID, or by triple-clicking the Side/Home button and entering the pre-set passcode. So you can leave your little ones to watch their favorite video or play their favorite game, safe in the knowledge that they can't delete your email account, phone a random number, or worse.

Apart from using the triple-click to bring up the Accessibility Shortcut, you can also add a Guided Access shortcut to your device's Control Center.

Article Link: How to Limit What a Toddler Can Do When You Hand Over Your iPhone or iPad

 

[star-affinity]

One nice thing with this is that it also removes the awful Home Bar which I don't want to be seen at all when in a game for example. I can't understand why Apple won't let us disable this everywhere if wanted.

 

[synergize]

I'm surprised those 2 kids are not on FaceBook already.

 

[RC Mike]

At this point, the research is pretty damning. Only an idiot allows a baby or toddler any sort of screen time.

 

[djplong]

It's not access to apps that I worry about. It's damage. Toddlers and babies wouldn't be entrusted with a device covered in glass that costs hundreds of dollars under any other circumstances. This is one area where, if you MUST hand over a device, the cheap Fire tablets with the bumpers all around are a better choice.

 

[AppleGuesser]

Tablets and other devices the only way now days? Geez, what did people do before 2010? ?

 

[HQuest]

Alternative option: don’t handle iPads or the likes to toddlers.

There is an entire world out there for them to discover.

 

[jaster2]

Great explanation of this feature. Also, may I suggest using videos and games on a device as a last resort for keeping toddlers and tots engaged.

 

[djplong]

Alternative option: don’t handle iPads or the likes to toddlers.

There is an entire world out there for them to discover.

In our case, it was books - extra books that we didn't mind when/if they got damaged. Always the heaviest things to move but we wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Parents: don't give your toddler a tablet.

 

[BootsWalking]

I'm waiting for iUmbilical, Apple's new tablet for unborn infants.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Why would a toddler need an iPad?

 

[crocteau]

I'm waiting for iUmbilical, Apple's new tablet for unborn infants.

There's a dongle for that...

 

[and 1989 others]

My method is not to hand over a £1k device to a child.

 

[beeftick]

I know a few (young) families where they complain they can't get their two year old off their iPad and laugh. Yeah, real funny. If you can't get your two year old off your ipad, and they have a conniption when they can't use it, you are doing something wrong. Have them play outside, get dirty, eat dirt, and play with bugs. That is where the real learning begins.

 

[Shanghaichica]

It's not access to apps that I worry about. It's damage. Toddlers and babies wouldn't be entrusted with a device covered in glass that costs hundreds of dollars under any other circumstances. This is one area where, if you MUST hand over a device, the cheap Fire tablets with the bumpers all around are a better choice.

Yes I don’t let my kids anywhere near my iPads or iPhone. It’s a cheap fire tablet and they have parental controls on at all times.

 

[jafd]

Tablets and other devices the only way now days? Geez, what did people do before 2010? ?

Cartoon Network on TV, of course.

What irks me most is how little contact with actual reality those pontificating so much about kids and screen time seem to have.

 

[jimbobb24]

At this point, the research is pretty damning. Only an idiot allows a baby or toddler any sort of screen time.

What research shows that a toddler playing a game designed for language development is counter productive?

 

[4jasontv]

I tried this but my cat cried until I unlocked it.

 

[WWPD]

Teletubbies? Those kids should be making potty training tutorials on YouTube. Smash that like button and subscribe!

 

[Jetfire]

How about Apple making Guest mode and kid modes. That you can set to limit access to IOS apps.

 

[jimbobb24]

If you don’t want your kids to use iPads then turn off your own phone and spend time with them. If you spend all your time on a computer or a device that is what they will model whether or not you let them have a device. Put your phone down first then play with your kids. Don’t expect them to live device free if you cannot.

Guided acres is a very nice feature for limited childrens activities on an iPad.

For those worried you can put a case on an iPad that protects it just fine from drops and falls from toddler heights.

Kids live in a digital world. I don’t see why having them use an iPad in limited fashion is worse than TV or video game consoles, both of which young children have been doing for 30 years. Excess is bad but zero also seems silly.

 

[Marzzz]

Infants and toddlers seem to have this innate ability to know if a device is working and connected to a network, either Wi-Fi or cellular. Seriously, give them a phone or tablet that only just turns on but doesn’t do anything, and they throw it back at you. It’s uncanny…

 

[Soylent Yellow]

Next on MacRumors: Limit what your toddlers can do when you hand over your crack pipe.

 

[yellow8]

It's been proven that screens are dangerous for kids and it's highly recommended not to show them before at least 3 years old.

DON'T FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE's ADVICE --> JUST DON'T GIVE ANY DEVICE TO TODDLERS.

Your kids will thank you.