iOS Screen Time access for WhitelistVideo

Approve Screen Time access so WhitelistVideo can restrict YouTube in other browsers while still playing approved videos inside WhitelistVideo.

What does FamilyControls do?

When enabled, WhitelistVideo uses Apple's built-in FamilyControls framework to:

1. Restrict YouTube in other browsers after you approve Screen Time access
2. Keep Safari and other browsers available while blocking youtube.com in them whenever WhitelistVideo isn't on screen (you don't need to block Safari)
3. Close common bypass routes while WhitelistVideo keeps its Screen Time authorization

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What do I need?

• Your child's iPhone or iPad with iOS 16 or later
• The regular YouTube app on the device (setup blocks it, or asks you to delete it on newer app versions)
• WhitelistVideo installed and activated on the device
• Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode to approve the setup
• About 2 minutes

How to enable FamilyControls

On your child's iPhone or iPad

1. Open the WhitelistVideo app

2. If not already activated, activate with your parent code first

3. A consent screen appears asking for Screen Time access

4. Tap Allow Screen Time Access

5. Authenticate with Face ID / Touch ID / passcode

6. Confirm the Screen Time Protection status shows as active

7. Block the YouTube app. In app version 1.4.8, pick YouTube in the app's picker and tap Block YouTube. Newer versions ask you to delete the YouTube app instead

8. Let the YouTube access check pass. If it shows Unblock YouTube in Screen Time, remove the youtube.com block from Screen Time. On a child Apple ID, change Web Content on your own iPhone. Then, on the child's device, tick I will NOT block youtube.com in Screen Time and tap Check again. The app does not re-check by itself after a change on your phone

9. Set the parent PIN

10. Setup complete — WhitelistVideo now blocks youtube.com in Safari and other browsers whenever it isn't on screen

Recommended on your iPhone: Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → iTunes & App Store Purchases → Deleting Apps: Don't Allow.

Optional: block google.com in Screen Time (Google results play video snippets) and set DuckDuckGo (privacy-focused) as Safari's search engine (Settings → Apps → Safari → Search Engine).

Protection modes

WhitelistVideo automatically detects which protection mode is available on the device:

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The app tries Child Account mode first. If the device doesn't have a child Apple ID, it falls back to Individual mode.

What a child can do in Individual mode

In Individual mode, a child with access to device Settings can:

• Go to Settings → Screen Time → scroll to the bottom → tap Turn Off Screen Time to remove all restrictions
• Go to Settings → General → VPN & Device Management to check for or remove configuration profiles

How to prevent this

Set up a child Apple ID via Family Sharing. With a child account:

• FamilyControls authorization is managed through the family setup rather than granted only by the individual device user
• The child cannot revoke WhitelistVideo's FamilyControls authorization in the same way as Individual mode
• The authorization itself protects the provider app from deletion
• Still set Deleting Apps to Don't Allow as defense-in-depth; this separate restriction is required in Individual mode

How to check your protection mode

In the WhitelistVideo app on your child's device:

1. Enter your PIN to access Settings
2. Look for the Screen Time Protection row
3. You'll see:
   • Status: Green checkmark (authorized) or red (revoked)
   • Protection mode: "Child Account" or "Individual"

Block the regular YouTube app and prevent app deletion

1. Block the regular YouTube app: pick it in WhitelistVideo's picker (app version 1.4.8), or delete it when newer versions ask.
2. Recommended: in Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases (on your iPhone, for your child), set Deleting Apps to Don't Allow.
3. Optional: require parent approval for app installations, or set Installing Apps to Don't Allow.
4. You don't need to block Safari or other browsers: once Screen Time access is approved, WhitelistVideo blocks youtube.com in all of them whenever it isn't on screen.

The deletion restriction is useful defense-in-depth with a child Apple ID and is required for Individual authorization mode.

What gets blocked and what doesn't

YouTube access restricted in other browsers

After Screen Time access is approved, WhitelistVideo blocks these domains in Safari and other browsers whenever it isn't on screen:

• youtube.com and www.youtube.com
• m.youtube.com (mobile YouTube)
• youtu.be (short links)
• music.youtube.com (YouTube Music)

What still works

• YouTube inside WhitelistVideo — plays normally with your filtering rules
• Other websites — remain available under the broader Screen Time settings chosen by your family
• Safari and other browsers — stay installed for general browsing; no need to block them
• App Store — require parent approval or prevent app installation in Screen Time
• Apple's Screen Time settings — coexist with FamilyControls (they're separate systems)

Screen Time settings when using FamilyControls

If you've previously configured Screen Time to block YouTube, some settings now conflict with FamilyControls. Here's what to keep, change, and avoid:

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If YouTube is blocked inside WhitelistVideo

If YouTube won't load inside the WhitelistVideo app:

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time > your child's name (under Family) > Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web & Games > Web Content (on a child Apple ID, do this on your own iPhone)
2. Check the "Never Allow" list — if youtube.com is there, remove it
3. If Web Content is set to Only Approved Websites, add youtube.com and m.youtube.com to the approved websites, or switch to Limit Adult Websites; never put YouTube domains on Never Allow
4. On the child's device, open WhitelistVideo. If it shows Unblock YouTube in Screen Time, tick I will NOT block youtube.com in Screen Time and tap Check again so the YouTube access check passes. Confirm approved playback, then test YouTube in Safari

Conflicts with other parental control apps

Apps that may conflict: Bark, Kidslox, Qustodio, OurPact, Net Nanny, Kaspersky Safe Kids, and other parental control apps that use Apple's FamilyControls or Screen Time API.

Apple's own Screen Time is NOT affected — it's a separate system that coexists with third-party FamilyControls apps.

How to resolve a conflict

1. On the child's device, go to Settings > Screen Time
2. Look for which third-party app has Screen Time access
3. Remove that app's Screen Time access (or uninstall the app)
4. Return to WhitelistVideo and tap Allow Screen Time Access again

For detailed steps, see Resolving FamilyControls Conflicts.

If you want to keep both apps

If you prefer to keep the other parental control app:

• The other parental-control app can manage app installation, app deletion, and browser restrictions
• WhitelistVideo will filter approved YouTube content within its own app
• Do not configure the other app to blanket-block YouTube domains if that prevents approved playback in WhitelistVideo
• WhitelistVideo can claim browser restriction only while it holds Screen Time authorization

Important limitation

TestFlight builds

FamilyControls features do not work in TestFlight builds due to an Apple sandbox limitation. They work in App Store builds and development-signed builds.

Checking FamilyControls status

In the WhitelistVideo app Settings, the Screen Time Protection row shows:

• Green checkmark — FamilyControls is active and protecting the device
• Red indicator — Access was revoked (tap to re-authorize)
• Not available — Device doesn't meet requirements (iOS 16+)

If access was revoked (e.g., by the child in Individual mode), tap the Re-authorize button to re-request access.

FamilyControls setup complete

With Screen Time access approved and the setup tested:

• youtube.com is blocked in Safari and other browsers whenever WhitelistVideo isn't on screen
• The regular YouTube app is blocked (or deleted on newer app versions)
• The YouTube access check passes and the parent PIN is set
• App deletion is set to Don't Allow in Screen Time (recommended)
• Your filtering rules, whitelist, and blacklist all apply