Hand your phone to a child without them seeing everything

Updated 4 November 2026 · By the FirstHour team

Why a locked screen isn't enough

Once you unlock your iPhone and hand it over, a small child can tap or swipe almost anywhere. Most of the time that's harmless. But a stray tap can open a photo, a message, or a shop. The steps below keep that from happening, so you can relax while they play.

If you only want to show an adult one picture, this guide covers that case.

Set up Guided Access once

1. Open Settings, then tap Accessibility.
2. Tap Guided Access, and turn it on.
3. Tap Passcode Settings and set a passcode. Apple says you can also choose whether Face ID or Touch ID can pause or end a session. This is our advice: pick a passcode that differs from your iPhone passcode, and don't tell the child.

While you're in there, Time Limits lets you choose whether a sound plays and whether the remaining time is spoken aloud, and Display Auto-Lock sets how quickly the phone locks during a session.

Each time you hand the phone over

1. Open the game or video. Get it going first, so the child doesn't need to look for it.
2. Triple-click the side button. On an older iPhone, triple-click the Home button. If the Accessibility Shortcuts panel appears, tap Guided Access.
3. Block what you want blocked. Apple says you can circle parts of the screen to switch them off. Tap Session Settings (or Options) for more. You can block the side button, the volume buttons and the onscreen keyboard.
4. Set a time limit if you like. In the same place, Time Limit shows a Time Expired message when the time is up, and you then authenticate to pause the session.
5. Leave Touch on. Turning Touch off makes the screen ignore every touch, which is no use for a game.
6. Tap Start.

To stop, triple-click the side button again (double-click on iOS 18 or earlier). Enter your passcode, or use Face ID or Touch ID if you allowed it, then tap End. Apple notes that Crash Detection and Emergency Services aren't available during a session. To use either, end the session first.

Stop accidental purchases

Guided Access keeps a child in one app, but that app may still sell things. Two Apple settings help:

• Block in-app purchases. Apple says to turn Screen Time on first. Then go to Settings, Screen Time, Apps & Websites, App Store, tap In-app Purchases and choose Blocked.
• Ask for a password every time. Go to Settings, tap your name, tap Media & Purchases, then Password Settings, and select Always Require. Apple says that then every time you make a purchase, you'll be asked for your password, even if you're signed in. If you don't see Password Settings, Apple says Face ID or Touch ID is already switched on for purchases.

Everyday habits

• Sit nearby for the first few minutes and watch what they tap.
• Download the game or video beforehand, so the child isn't searching and tapping around.
• Say how long they have before you hand it over. Children take "five more minutes" better than a phone suddenly taken away.
• If you'd rather not set anything up, a spare tablet kept for children needs none of this.
• Check what's on screen when you take the phone back.

How FirstHour helps

The Vault keeps private photos, videos, files and notes behind their own pattern or PIN, separate from your iPhone passcode, and it locks when you switch tab or leave FirstHour. FirstHour also asks for Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode when it starts and after 30 seconds away; see app lock.

FirstHour doesn't lock the rest of your phone. It can't stop a child opening Photos, Messages or any other app, so Guided Access does that job. Anything you leave in Photos is still open to whoever holds the phone. FirstHour can't block purchases either.

Questions

Sources

• Use Guided Access on iPhone or iPad, Apple Support, read 4 November 2026
• Turn off Apple In-App Purchases from Screen Time on your iPhone or iPad, Apple Support, read 4 November 2026
• Require a password for purchases in the App Store and other Apple services, Apple Support, read 4 November 2026