How to Use Safari Parental Controls

This article explains how to use Safari parental controls. Instructions apply to iPhones and iPod touches running iOS 12 and up, iPads running iPadOS 12 and up, and macOS Catalina (10.15) and higher.

How to Use Safari Parental Controls on iPhone

The Parental Controls available for Safari on iPhone are part of Screen Time. Screen Time does more than control Safari; it also helps you set limits of device use. To use it to control Safari on iPhones and iPod touches, follow these steps:

1. Tap Settings.

2. Tap Screen Time.

3. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.

   

4. Toggle the Content & Privacy Restrictions slider to on/green.

   If prompted, enter the Screen Time passcode for this device.

5. Tap Allowed Apps. To disable Safari completely and prevent web browsing on this device, toggle the Safari slider to off/white.

   

6. Tap Content Restrictions.

7. Tap Web Content.

   • To prevent access to Apple's list of adult websites on this phone, tap Limit Adult Websites. To add sites that are either always allowed or never allowed, tap Add Website, then add the address of the site.
   • To limit this device to only browsing a set of pre-defined websites, tap Allowed Websites Only. To add additional websites to this list, tap Add Website, then add the address of the site. To remove sites from the list, swipe right to left, then tap Delete.

   

How to Use Safari Parental Controls on iPad

Because the iPhone and iPad use a very similar operating system, the Safari Parental Controls on iPad are basically the same as on iPhone. Both are part of Screen Time.

1. Tap Settings.

   

2. Tap Screen Time.

   

3. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.

   

4. Toggle the Content & Privacy Restrictions slider to on/green.

   

   If prompted, enter the Screen Time passcode for this device.

5. Tap Allowed Apps. To disable Safari completely and prevent web browsing on this iPad, toggle the Safari slider to off/white.

   

6. Tap Content Restrictions, then tap Web Content.

   

7. In the Web Content section you can set permissions as you like:

   • To prevent access to Apple's list of adult websites on this iPad, tap Limit Adult Websites. To add sites that are either always allowed or never allowed, tap Add Website, then add the address of the site.
   • To limit this device to only browsing to a set of pre-defined websites, tap Allowed Websites Only. To add additional websites to this list, tap Add Website, then add the address of the site. To remove sites from the list, swipe right to left, then tap Delete.

   

How to Use Safari Parental Controls on Mac

The Mac uses Screen Time to give parents control over Safari, too, but the way you access Screen Time is very different.

1. Click the Apple logo > System Preferences > Screen Time.

   Remember, if you use Family Sharing, click the name of your kid whose settings you want to change. You'll find all of your kids in a menu in the left-hand sidebar.

2. Click Content & Privacy.

3. In the top right corner, click Turn On.

4. To configure Safari Parental Controls, click Content, then choose one of the following:

   • Unrestricted Access: Click this to allow your child to access any site on the web.
   • Limit Adult Websites: Want to block websites that Apple has listed as adult? Choose this option. You can also add your own sites here.
   • Allowed Websites Only: Create a set of websites that are the only ones your kids can visit by adding their addresses to this list.