Apple has released a new guide, built with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), to help parents set healthy screen time habits for their kids. It is called “Building Healthy Digital Habits: A Guide for Families,” and it walks parents through the new parental controls in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27.
Apple announced the guide, and the full guide is available on Apple Support. It uses the AAP’s expert guidance to help families balance screen time with sleep, exercise, schoolwork, and time with friends and family. The guide is written around the new parental controls that went live earlier this month.
The Guide Covers Six Steps, Starting With a Family Conversation
Apple lays the guide out as a plan parents can follow in order. Here are the six steps.
- Start a conversation about screen time. Parents get tips for raising the topic and setting expectations in a way that makes kids feel included in the plan.
- Create a Child Account. The account turns on age-based safeguards and gives parents access to parental controls.
- Set safety settings for websites and apps. This covers Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse, so families can review new apps and websites together.
- Make a schedule for device use. Time Allowances and Schedules balance time online with sleep, schoolwork, physical activity, and time with family and friends.
- Manage communications. Parents decide who their child can communicate with, and Communication Safety helps protect kids from viewing or sharing sensitive content.
- Continue the conversation as kids grow. The last step covers how to adjust the family’s plan over time.
The guide also includes more detailed AAP screen time guidance by age group, from infants to teens. Communication Safety is on by default for all users under 18.
Apple Says the Guide Is Meant to Adapt as Each Child Grows
Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness, said the guide pairs trusted AAP guidance with the tools built into Apple’s products.
“Every family approaches technology in their own way.”
Desai said the combination is designed to adapt to each family and each child’s stage of development, giving parents a starting point to decide what works best. Apple also hopes it makes conversations at home easier as kids get older.
Mark Del Monte, the AAP’s chief executive officer, said the organization is proud to partner with Apple to “expand access to the Family Media Plan.” He said the goal is to help parents build routines that support balance, safety, and healthy development. The Family Media Plan is also the source of the age-based starting points in Time Allowances.
The Screen Time update is available now with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. Every product in a Family Sharing group has to be updated to iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 to use it, so one device left on an older version holds back the new controls for the whole family. Apple says some features may not be available in all regions, in all languages, or on all models.
