iOS Screen Time setup

Configure Apple Screen Time to prevent your child from deleting the WhitelistVideo app, accessing YouTube through Safari, or bypassing protections on their iPhone or iPad.

What is Screen Time?

Screen Time is Apple's built-in parental control system that lets you:

• Prevent app deletion - Stop your child from removing WhitelistVideo
• Block websites - Prevent access to YouTube in Safari and other browsers
• Control app installation - Require your approval for new apps
• Set time limits - Manage how long your child uses specific apps
• Filter content - Restrict adult content and purchases

Official documentation: Use Screen Time on your iPhone or iPad (opens in a new tab)

What do I need?

• Your child's iPhone or iPad with WhitelistVideo installed and activated
• Family Sharing set up with a child Apple ID (Create one here)
• Your own iPhone or iPad to manage settings remotely
• A Screen Time Passcode (different from your device passcode)
• About 10 minutes to configure settings

Key settings for WhitelistVideo

For WhitelistVideo to work effectively, configure these three critical settings:

How to set up Screen Time (via Family Sharing)

On your (parent's) iPhone or iPad:

1. Go to Settings → tap your name → Family Sharing
2. Tap your child's name
3. Tap Screen Time
4. Tap Turn On Screen Time (if not already enabled)
5. Tap Continue
6. Select This is My Child's iPhone/iPad
7. Set up Downtime if desired (optional schedule when only allowed apps work)
8. Set up App Limits if desired (optional time limits per app category)
9. Tap Continue through the setup screens
10. Create a Screen Time Passcode when prompted

Official guide: Set up Screen Time for a family member (opens in a new tab)

How to prevent app deletion

This is the most critical setting to prevent your child from deleting WhitelistVideo.

On your (parent's) device:

1. Go to Settings → tap your name → Family Sharing
2. Tap your child's name
3. Tap Screen Time
4. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions
5. Turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions if not already enabled
6. Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases
7. Under Deleting Apps, tap and select Don't Allow

Verify the setting:

On your child's device, press and hold any app icon. The delete option (X or minus sign) should not appear, or attempting to delete should be blocked.

How to block YouTube in Safari

Prevent your child from accessing YouTube through Safari or other browsers.

On your (parent's) device:

1. Go to Settings → tap your name → Family Sharing
2. Tap your child's name
3. Tap Screen Time
4. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions
5. Tap Content Restrictions
6. Tap Web Content
7. Select Limit Adult Websites (this enables the ability to block specific sites)
8. Under Never Allow, tap Add Website
9. Enter: youtube.com
10. Tap Add Website again and enter: m.youtube.com
11. Tap Add Website again and enter: youtu.be
12. Tap Add Website again and enter: youtube-nocookie.com

Verify the setting:

On your child's device, open Safari and try to visit youtube.com. You should see a "Restricted Site" message.

How to add WhitelistVideo to Always Allowed

Ensure WhitelistVideo works during Downtime and isn't affected by app limits.

On your (parent's) device:

1. Go to Settings → tap your name → Family Sharing
2. Tap your child's name
3. Tap Screen Time
4. Tap Always Allowed
5. Find WhitelistVideo in the app list
6. Tap the green plus (+) button to add it to Always Allowed

How to block app installation

Require your approval for any new app downloads.

Option 1: Enable Ask to Buy (Recommended)

If your child is under 18 with a child Apple ID:

1. Go to Settings → tap your name → Family Sharing
2. Tap your child's name
3. Tap Ask to Buy
4. Turn on Ask to Buy

Your child will need to request permission for any app or purchase, and you'll receive a notification to approve or deny.

Option 2: Block all app installation

For stricter control:

1. Go to Settings → tap your name → Family Sharing
2. Tap your child's name
3. Tap Screen Time
4. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions
5. Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases
6. Under Installing Apps, tap and select Don't Allow

How to block Safari entirely (optional)

If your child doesn't need Safari access:

On your (parent's) device:

1. Go to Settings → tap your name → Family Sharing
2. Tap your child's name
3. Tap Screen Time
4. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions
5. Tap Allowed Apps
6. Turn off Safari

How to block other browsers

Prevent your child from downloading alternative browsers like Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.

On your (parent's) device:

1. Go to Settings → tap your name → Family Sharing
2. Tap your child's name
3. Tap Screen Time
4. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions
5. Tap Content Restrictions
6. Tap Apps
7. Select an age rating like 9+ or lower (most browsers require higher ratings)

Or use Ask to Buy: Any browser download will require your approval first.

Recommended Screen Time settings

How to verify your Screen Time settings

After configuration, test that everything works:

Test app deletion blocking:

1. On your child's device, press and hold the WhitelistVideo app icon
2. Attempt to delete the app
3. You should see a message like "Deleting apps is not allowed" or the delete option should be missing

Test YouTube blocking in Safari:

1. Open Safari on your child's device (if not disabled)
2. Go to youtube.com
3. You should see "You cannot browse this page because it is restricted"

Test WhitelistVideo works:

1. Open the WhitelistVideo app
2. Search for a video from an approved channel
3. The video should play normally

Troubleshooting

My child can still delete apps

1. Verify Content & Privacy Restrictions is turned on
2. Check that Deleting Apps is set to Don't Allow
3. Make sure you're managing the correct child's device
4. Restart your child's device

My child can still access YouTube in Safari

1. Verify all YouTube domains are in the Never Allow list:
   • youtube.com
   • m.youtube.com
   • youtu.be
   • youtube-nocookie.com
2. Clear Safari history on your child's device
3. Make sure Web Content is set to Limit Adult Websites (not Unrestricted)

Screen Time settings aren't syncing

1. Make sure both devices are connected to the internet
2. On your child's device, check Settings → Screen Time → Share Across Devices is on
3. Wait a few minutes for settings to sync
4. Restart both devices

My child figured out the Screen Time Passcode

1. Immediately change the passcode:
   • Go to Settings → your name → Family Sharing → child's name → Screen Time
   • Tap Change Screen Time Passcode
   • Enter a new, harder-to-guess passcode
2. Choose something unrelated to birthdates or common patterns

I forgot the Screen Time Passcode

1. Go to Settings → your name → Family Sharing → child's name → Screen Time
2. Tap Change Screen Time Passcode
3. Tap Forgot Passcode?
4. Enter your Apple ID and password to reset it

WhitelistVideo was deleted despite Screen Time

1. Re-install WhitelistVideo from the App Store
2. Verify Deleting Apps is set to Don't Allow
3. Check if your child signed out of their Apple ID (requires your passcode)
4. Consider using Guided Access for younger children as an additional layer

Official resources

• Use Screen Time on your iPhone or iPad (opens in a new tab)
• Set up Screen Time for a family member (opens in a new tab)
• Block apps, app downloads, websites, and purchases (opens in a new tab)
• Use Content & Privacy Restrictions (opens in a new tab)
• If you forgot your Screen Time passcode (opens in a new tab)

Screen Time setup complete

Your child's iPhone or iPad is now fully protected:

• WhitelistVideo filters YouTube within the app
• Screen Time prevents app deletion
• YouTube is blocked in Safari and other browsers
• Your child can only watch approved content