Block bad sites
Block bad sites on your child's iPhone
Use Apple's built-in Screen Time to block adult content in Safari and other apps.
📌 You'll need your child's iPhone unlocked for about 10 minutes.
Do this, in order
- 1
Pick up your child's iPhone (unlocked)
Tell them what you're doing — it works better when it's not a secret.
- 2
Open the grey Settings app
Then scroll down and tap "Screen Time" (purple icon with a white hourglass).
- 3
If it says "Turn On Screen Time", tap it
Then tap Continue → "This is My Child's iPhone". Tap "Not Now" on Downtime and App Limits — we set those up later.
- 4
Create a 4-digit Screen Time Passcode
Pick 4 numbers your child does NOT know. Write them down on paper. If it asks for an Apple ID, tap Skip.
- 5
Tap "Content & Privacy Restrictions" and turn the switch ON
The switch turns green.
- 6
Tap "Content Restrictions" → "Web Content" → "Limit Adult Websites"
A blue tick appears. Most adult sites are now blocked across the whole phone.
- 7
Lock the settings
Go back to Content & Privacy → scroll to "Account Changes" and "Passcode Changes" → set both to Don't Allow.
Now let's make sure it actually works
We don't tell you setup is complete until you've tested it with your own eyes.
1. Open a normal website
On the device you just set up, open a regular site like google.com or your local news. It should load normally.
2. Try a blocked test website
Now open this safe test URL — it's a harmless page that adult-content filters block. If your blocker is working, the page will NOT load (you'll see an error or a block screen).
Open test page →
Both tests didn't pass — what to try
Restart the device's Wi-Fi (off then on). On a phone, turn cellular data off so it has to use Wi-Fi. Then try the test again.
Both tests must pass before we mark this complete.
Honest limits — what this won't catch
No parental control catches everything. Here's what slips through, and what to do about it:
- If your child has a cellular data plan, blocks on your home Wi-Fi don't apply when they're not at home.
- If your child turns their phone into a hotspot, other devices using it skip your Wi-Fi filters.
- On a friend's Wi-Fi, your home filter does nothing.
- A VPN can hide their traffic from filters that only check websites by name.
- Installing a second browser can bypass a single-browser extension.