Aside from Lost Mode, Screen Time is the best way to lock your child’s iPhone remotely. You can set a passcode and a downtime schedule by activating Screen Time on their iPhone. Your child’s iPhone will be locked during the specified period.
Hi, I’m Devansh. I’m a long-time iPhone user and know the ins and outs of Screen Time. Like many people, I mainly use it to track my device usage. However, you can also use it to lock your child’s iPhone.
In this article, I’ll show you two ways to lock your child’s iPhone remotely: Screen Time and Lost Mode. I’ll also show you how to do the same for your child’s Mac and answer other common questions.
If you want to learn how to lock your child’s iPhone remotely, keep reading to learn more about the two best ways!
Contents
5 Steps to Set up Screen Time on Your Child’s iPhone
To do this, you need to borrow your child’s iPhone momentarily. Now, follow these steps.
Step 1: Open Settings, go to Screen Time, and tap Turn On Screen Time. If it’s already activated, scroll down and tap Turn Off Screen Time, enter the passcode (ask your child if necessary), and confirm it. Then, tap Turn On Screen Time.
Step 2: Choose This is My Child’s iPhone.
Step 3: Set up content restrictions or tap Set Up Later.
Step 4: On the Downtime page, enter the start and end times, and tap Turn On Downtime.
Step 5: Set up the app and website limits or tap Set Up Later.
Once done, you can set a screen time passcode. Ensure that this passcode is unique and can’t be guessed by your child since it secures the Screen Time settings. You can also enter your Apple ID to reset the password later.
On the Screen Time page, tap Downtime, enter your passcode, and toggle on Block at Downtime. Now, your child will see this message if they try to unlock their iPhone during the specified Downtime.
What if you don’t want to borrow your child’s iPhone to set up Screen Time? In that case, you can add their account to Family Sharing and set it up on your iPhone instead. Check this Support page to learn how to set up Family Sharing for your child.
FAQs
Here are two common questions about locking your child’s iPhone remotely.
Can You Lock Your Child’s iPhone Using Lost Mode?
Yes. You must enable iCloud and Find My iPhone on your child’s iPhone to do this. You also need the credentials to your child’s Apple ID. To do it, log in to iCloud Find Devices, click All Devices, choose your child’s iPhone, and click Lost Mode. This will lock your child’s iPhone.
The downside of this method is that your child can unlock their iPhone with their passcode. Overall, this feature isn’t ideal for this use case. Check this article to learn more about Find My iPhone.
Can You Set a Screen Time Limit on Your Child’s Mac?
Yes. The Screen Time settings on your child’s iPhone will also apply to their other Apple ID devices, like Macs. Nevertheless, here are the steps you can follow.
Log in to the child’s Mac user account, open System Preferences or System Settings, and click Screen Time. Turn on Screen Time and click Use Screen Time Passcode. Next, click Downtime and set up a schedule. Be sure to enable Block at Downtime.
Are There Any iOS Apps to Lock Your Child’s iPhone Remotely?
No. There are many parental control apps, but none allow you to lock your child’s iPhone remotely. If you want to try a few, check out FamiSafe, Qustodio, and Google Family Link.
Conclusion
If you want to lock your child’s iPhone remotely, activate Screen Time, specify a downtime schedule, and set a passcode. If necessary, you can also use Lost Mode in iCloud, but your child can unlock their iPhone using their passcode.
Knowing how to lock your child’s iPhone remotely can be helpful for you as a parent. However, it’s essential to use this method mindfully and to talk to a counselor or therapist if you are concerned about your child’s phone use.
Do you have further questions about locking your child’s iPhone remotely? Let me know in the comments!
