Apple has expanded its parental control features with the introduction of the long-awaited iOS 26 operating system. These innovations are aimed at increasing children's online safety and allowing parents to more effectively manage their children's device usage.
Redaksiya reports that with the new iOS 26 version, parents will be able to restrict who their children can contact. The new "Contact Restrictions" feature requires young users to obtain permission from a parent's account to establish contact with new numbers via Phone, FaceTime, Messages, or iCloud. This change is an enhancement to Apple's existing "Child Account" feature, which is part of the "Family Sharing" option. Parents can also adjust the account's age or convert a child's Apple account backward to a "Child Account" under iOS 26. "Child Accounts" for ages 13-17 will now automatically be included in standard settings such as web content filters, app restrictions, and Apple's "Communication Safety" feature. This feature detects sensitive content and warns users about nudity, also flags nudity in FaceTime, and blurs images in shared photo albums.
Additionally, as part of new features announced earlier this year, the company has updated App Store age ratings and download options for parents. Last week, child safety activists protested Apple's annual product event, calling on the company to protect young users and prevent the spread of child sexual abuse material. In December, Apple was sued for failing to comply with mandatory reporting rules and for falsely marketing its devices as safe for at-risk users. Overall, the company and other "Big Tech" leaders are accused of failing to address the growing mental health crisis among adolescents and children who are increasingly dependent on technology.
Consequently, the parental control features introduced by Apple in the new iOS 26 enhance children's online safety and provide parents with the ability to better manage their children's device usage. These innovations are available across the company's entire updated line of devices, including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26.