Apple overhauls child safety features in iOS 27

Apple is rolling out a major overhaul of its child safety features with the launch of iOS 27, marking one of the most substantial changes to its parental control system in years. The tech giant announced at WWDC 2026, unveiling a series of updates designed to protect children and give parents greater control over how young users interact with their devices.

New approach to safety

Tim Cook's company has long maintained that safety features should support families without requiring unnecessary access to personal data. With iOS 27, Apple is moving away from arbitrary screen time limits in favour of a more proactive, behaviour-based approach.

This shift includes the introduction of age-guided clinical research directly into the device setup process. The updates span several areas, including improved parental controls, age-appropriate content restrictions, communication safety tools, and features that help families manage apps, screen time and online interactions.

Balancing protection and privacy

Apple's broader aim with these updates is to strike a balance between child protection and user privacy, while still allowing parents to set boundaries and monitor how their children use their devices. The company is expected to continue prioritising younger users' safety across its device ecosystem with iOS 27.

Parental approval required for new contacts

Under the new system, children will need parental approval before adding or communicating with a new contact across Messages, Phone and FaceTime, in a bid to prevent unsolicited outreach.

Additionally, iOS 27 will require children under 13 and above to request parental permission via Messages before accessing any unapproved website or embedded web element.