Where to find and change age restrictions on iPad

Age restrictions on iPad live in Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. You need the Screen Time passcode to change them — the four-digit code you set up when you first turned on Screen Time. If you know the passcode, you can adjust what age rating is required for apps, books, movies, TV shows, and music in under a minute.

The restrictions are tied to the device itself, not to a specific user account. If multiple people use the same iPad, changing the age rating affects what everyone can access. If you want different restrictions for different people — say, stricter limits for a child and none for an adult — you need to set up separate user accounts on the iPad, each with its own Screen Time settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Age restrictions are found in Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and require your Screen Time passcode to change.
  • You can set separate age ratings for apps, books, movies, TV shows, and music, each with its own minimum age requirement.
  • If you forget your Screen Time passcode, you must reset it using your Apple ID or erase the iPad and set it up again.
  • Restrictions apply to the entire device, so if multiple people share an iPad, consider setting up separate user accounts for different age limits.

How to adjust app age ratings

Open Settings and tap Screen Time. Select Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap Content Restrictions. Scroll down to Apps and tap it. You will see age rating options: 4+, 12+, 17+, or Apps. Choose the rating you want. Apps rated below that number will be hidden from the home screen and App Store, though they will not be deleted.

If you choose a lower age rating than what is currently set, the iPad will ask you to confirm. If you choose a higher one, the change takes effect immediately. The same process works for Books, Music, Podcasts, News, and other content types — each has its own age rating slider you can adjust independently.

Changing movie and TV show ratings

Movies and TV shows have separate rating systems. For movies, you can choose Don't Allow, G, PG, PG-13, R, or NC-17. For TV shows, the options are Don't Allow, TV-Y, TV-Y7, TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14, or TV-MA. These are the standard ratings used by the Motion Picture Association and TV Parental Guidelines.

To change them, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Content Restrictions, then tap Movies or TV Shows. Select the rating you want. If you choose Don't Allow for either category, that content type will be completely hidden from the device.

What happens when you change a restriction

When you lower an age restriction — for example, from 12+ apps to 4+ apps — apps that no longer meet the new rating disappear from the home screen immediately. They are not deleted from the iPad; they are just hidden. If you raise the restriction again later, they reappear.

If someone tries to download or open an app that is above the current age rating, the iPad will ask for the Screen Time passcode. This is true even if the person has an Apple ID on the device. The restriction applies to everyone using that iPad.

Resetting a forgotten Screen Time passcode

If you forget your Screen Time passcode, you cannot change age restrictions without resetting it. On iPad, you can reset it using your Apple ID. Go to Settings > Screen Time, tap Change Screen Time Passcode, then tap Forgot Passcode. Enter your Apple ID and password. You will be able to set a new four-digit passcode.

If you do not remember your Apple ID password, you will need to reset it through your Apple account before you can reset the Screen Time passcode. If you cannot access your Apple ID at all, the only way to remove Screen Time is to erase the iPad and set it up as new. This deletes all data on the device.

Using different restrictions for different people

If you share an iPad with someone else and want different age restrictions for each of you, the best approach is to set up separate user accounts. Each account can have its own Screen Time settings and passcode. To add a user, go to Settings > General > Users & Accounts, then tap Add User. The new user can sign in with their own Apple ID.

When someone switches to their account, their Screen Time restrictions take effect. This is more work than a single shared account, but it is the only way to have truly separate restrictions on one device. If you do not want to set up separate accounts, you will have to choose one age rating that works for everyone.

Why age restrictions might not work as expected

Age restrictions only hide or block content from the App Store and built-in apps like Books and TV. They do not block content from web browsers, email, or third-party apps that have their own content filters. If someone opens Safari or Chrome, they can access any website regardless of the age restriction setting.

Also, age restrictions are based on the rating assigned by Apple or the content provider, not on the actual content. A game rated 4+ might still contain things you do not want a young child to see. You may want to review apps and shows yourself before allowing access, rather than relying only on the age rating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set different age restrictions for different apps?

No. You set one age rating for all apps, one for all movies, one for all TV shows, and so on. You cannot restrict a specific app while allowing others in the same category. If you need that level of control, you would need to set up separate user accounts.

Will changing the age restriction delete apps that are now too old?

No. Apps are hidden, not deleted. If you raise the age restriction again later, they reappear on the home screen. The app data stays on the iPad the whole time.

What if my child knows the Screen Time passcode?

Change it. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Change Screen Time Passcode and enter your current passcode, then create a new one. Use a code that is not a birthday or easy-to-guess number. You can also turn on two-factor authentication on your Apple ID so that resetting the passcode requires your ID password as well.

Do age restrictions work on websites?

No. Age restrictions only affect the App Store and Apple's built-in apps. Web browsers like Safari are not restricted by age rating settings. If you want to block websites, you need to use a separate web filter or parental control app.

Can I see what my child is trying to access when they hit a restriction?

Not directly through age restrictions. However, if you turn on Screen Time reporting, you can see which apps and websites are being used. Go to Settings > Screen Time and look at the reports under App & Website Activity to see what your child has been accessing.