Apple is redesigning Screen Time and fixing the controls for kids

At WWDC 2026, Apple announced an overhaul to its Screen Time parental control tool that aims to improve its security features to protect children using iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Some of the new features coming with Apple’s iOS 27, iPad OS 27macOS 27 updates include giving parents and guardians more control over who their children can talk to in Messages, the content or apps they can access, and the recommended amount of time allowed in Screen Time.

Apple’s guidelines for these features are based on recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, with Apple saying experts have warned that children under the age of 13 should not access social media apps. “We’re giving parents powerful, easy-to-use tools to help manage what kids can see, who they can talk to, and when they can access them,” Craig Federighi, Apple’s head of software engineering, said during the keynote.