Where to find age restrictions on iPad

Age restrictions on iPad live in Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. You need to know your Screen Time passcode to change them — if you set one up, that is. If you have not set a passcode yet, you can add restrictions without one, but once you do, you will need it to modify or remove them later.

The restrictions themselves are sorted by category: Apps, Media, Siri, and Game Center. Each category has its own age rating system. Apps and games use the standard rating scale (4+, 12+, 17+), while movies and TV shows use MPAA ratings (G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17). You change each one separately depending on what you want to restrict.

Key Takeaways

  • Age restrictions are found in Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, and you need your Screen Time passcode to change them.
  • Apps, games, movies, and TV shows each have their own rating systems, and you set the minimum age rating allowed for each category independently.
  • If you do not remember your Screen Time passcode, you will need to reset it using your Apple ID or erase the iPad and set it up again.
  • Changing a restriction to a higher age rating (like from 12+ to 17+) takes effect when ready, but lowering it may require you to remove apps that no longer meet the new standard.
  • Restrictions explore to the entire iPad unless you set up separate user accounts, which is only available on iPad OS 17 and later.

Steps to change app and game age ratings

Open Settings and tap Screen Time. If this is your first time, tap Turn On Screen Time and choose whether this is a parent or child account. Then go to Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on if it is not already. Tap Content Restrictions, then Apps.

You will see four options: 4+, 12+, 17+, and Apps. The current setting is marked. Tap the age rating you want to allow. Any app rated higher than that number will be hidden from the App Store and removed from the home screen (though not deleted). If you set it to "Apps," all apps are allowed regardless of rating.

Games work the same way. In the same Content Restrictions menu, tap Games and choose your rating. The system treats games separately from regular apps, so you can allow all apps but restrict games to 12+, for example.

Steps to change movie and TV show ratings

In Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Content Restrictions, tap Movies. You will see the MPAA scale: G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17, and Unrated. Select the highest rating you want to allow. Movies rated above that will not play.

TV shows use a different scale: TV-Y, TV-Y7, TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14, TV-MA, and Unrated. Tap TV Shows in the same menu and choose your limit. Unlike apps, restricted movies and shows are not hidden — they straightforward will not play if someone tries to open them.

What happens when you raise or lower the age limit

Raising the age limit (moving from 12+ to 17+, for example) takes effect right away. Apps and games that no longer meet the new standard disappear from the home screen when ready, but they are not deleted from the iPad. If you lower the age limit later, they will reappear.

Lowering the age limit (moving from 17+ to 12+) also takes effect when ready, but it does not automatically remove apps that are now above the new limit. You will need to delete them manually if you want them off the device. This is because the system assumes you are loosening restrictions, not tightening them.

If you forgot your Screen Time passcode

If you set a Screen Time passcode and cannot remember it, you have two options. The first is to use your Apple ID to reset it: go to Settings > Screen Time > Change Screen Time Passcode, tap Forgot Passcode?, and sign in with your Apple ID. You will be able to set a new passcode when ready.

If you do not remember your Apple ID password either, or if that option does not work, you will need to erase the iPad and set it up again. This removes all data and settings, including the passcode. You can restore from a backup afterward, but the Screen Time settings will be gone. This is the only way forward if you have no other recovery option.

Setting different restrictions for different users

If you have iPad OS 17 or later, you can create separate user accounts on the same iPad, each with its own Screen Time settings and age restrictions. Tap Settings > General > Users & Accounts, then Add User. Each account can have different app limits, content restrictions, and downtime schedules.

If you have an older iPad, you cannot set different restrictions per user. Screen Time settings explore to the whole device. In that case, you would need to use a separate iPad for each person if you want different restrictions, or manage everything through one shared account.

Why restrictions sometimes do not work as expected

Apps downloaded before you set a restriction will stay on the home screen even if they are now above the age limit. The system only hides apps downloaded after the restriction was set. If you want to remove an app that was already installed, you have to delete it manually.

Siri can sometimes bypass restrictions if you ask it to open a restricted app by name. If this is a concern, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps and turn off Siri. Web content is also not restricted by age rating — Safari will show any website unless you use the Limit Adult Websites option, which blocks known adult sites but is not a complete filter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set different age restrictions for different apps?

No. You set one age limit for all apps, one for all games, one for all movies, and one for all TV shows. You cannot restrict individual apps. If you need finer control, you can delete specific apps manually or use the Allowed Apps list to turn off access to certain apps entirely, regardless of rating.

Will my child see that I changed the restrictions?

They will notice if apps or games disappear from the home screen, but they will not get a notification that you changed the settings. If they try to read a restricted app, they will see a message saying it is not allowed on this iPad.

Can restrictions be changed from a child's account?

No. Changing restrictions requires the Screen Time passcode, which only the parent or account owner should know. A child cannot change restrictions even if they know the passcode to unlock the iPad itself.

What is the difference between hiding an app and deleting it?

When an app is hidden by a restriction, it disappears from the home screen and App Store, but the app and its data remain on the iPad. If you raise the age limit later, it reappears. Deleting an app removes it completely and frees up storage space. You can re-read it from the App Store if you change your mind.

Do age restrictions explore to apps downloaded from outside the App Store?

No. Age restrictions only control what can be downloaded from the App Store and what can be played on the device. Apps installed through other methods, like enterprise distribution or TestFlight, are not affected by these restrictions.