How to Set Content and Privacy Restrictions in Your iPad’s Screen Time App

Screen Time helps you prevent access to content that you don’t want to be accessed on your iPad, and you can also use it to set privacy limits. iPad content to be restricted could be apps, websites, media (movies, music, etc.), books, and more.

If you’re going to restrict content and set privacy restrictions, it’s advisable to enable the Screen Time passcode. That way, only someone knowledgeable of the passcode can alter the settings you’re about to make. This is highly recommended, especially if you’re original intent is to provide safety for any children who may use your iPad.

To set content and privacy options on your iPad using the Screen Time app:

1. Open Screen Time options in the Settings app.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and then toggle the Content & Privacy Restrictions switch to On (green).
   Your iPad's Screen Time app.
3. Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases to allow or block installation of apps, deletion of apps, or in-app purchases (purchases that may occur within an app, such as buying upgrades for characters in games).

   Also decide whether users always require a password when making purchases in the iTunes Store or App Store (It’s a good idea to use this option if other people use your iPad).

4. Tap the Back button in the upper part of the screen to return to the Content & Privacy Restrictions screen, and then tap Allowed Apps.

   This feature allows you to enable or disable apps that are created by Apple and are installed on your iPad by default. As you can see below, all of them are enabled to start. If you’d like to disable any of them, simply tap the switch to turn it Off (white). This will completely remove the app from the Home Screen; re-enabling the app will place it back on the Home Screen.

   Setting your iPad's restrictions.
5. Tap the Content & Restrictions button in the upper part of the iPad screen to return to the Content & Privacy Restrictions screen, and then tap Content Restrictions.
6. In the Allowed Store Content section, you can make restrictions based on certain criteria.

   For example, you can limit which movies are available for purchase or rent in the iTunes Store based on their ratings. Tap the Content Restrictions button in the upper part of the screen to return to the previous screen.

   iTunes restrictions.
7. The Web Content section lets you restrict access to websites.

   From there you’re able to allow unrestricted access to the web, limit access to adult websites, and further limit access to only a list of specific websites that you can customize. You may remove sites from the list by dragging their names to the left and tapping the red Delete button that appears. You may add websites to the list by tapping the blue Add website button at the bottom of the list. Tap the Content Restrictions button in the upper part of the screen to return to the previous screen.

   Setting content restrictions.
8. Options in the Siri and Game Center sections let you prevent access to untoward content or language, as well as disabling multiplayer games, adding friends to games, and turning off the ability to record your iPad’s screen.
9. Tap the Content Restrictions button in the upper part of the screen to return to the previous screen from either of these sections.
10. Tap the Back button in the upper part of the screen to return to the Content & Privacy Restrictions screen, and then view the items listed in the Privacy section.

    This area lists features and functions built-in to your iPad. Tapping one shows you which apps are accessing the feature or function, enabling you to limit access to specific apps or to turn off access to them altogether (by selecting Don’t Allow Changes).

11. Finally, the Allow Changes section of the Content & Privacy Restrictions screen lets you determine whether changes may be made to such features of your iPad such as Volume Limit settings, Cellular Data options, and more.