iOS 26 extends iPhone control to age 17

With iOS 26, Apple is for the first time applying its parental control tools to the entire 13–17 age group, instead of just limiting it to under 13 as before.

Apple has long offered tools to help parents control their children's devices, but they have been limited to children under 13. With iOS 26, the US technology company decided to expand the scope of supervision to 17 years old, clearly reflecting the growing concern about digital safety for teenagers.

Apple increases parental control limits on iOS 26, applies to teens up to 17 years old.

As noted, from iOS 18 onwards, the system required accounts of children under 13 to be set up as “children” when setting up a new iPhone. However, accounts aged 13 and older – although still minors – were treated as standard users, without separate restrictions. This made the lack of control over teenagers a concern for many parents.

In the new iOS 26 version, Apple completely changed its approach. Now, children aged 13 to 17, even if they use a regular Apple ID, will still have to follow the restrictions set by their parents. Content, applications, and interactive behavior are all reclassified by age, and are closely linked to the Screen Time toolkit and the "Ask to Buy" function.

iOS 26 comes with a slightly tweaked interface, focusing on clarity, intuitiveness, and better user control.

Specifically, one of the highly appreciated points is the ability to control contacts. When children try to send messages to a phone number that is not in the previous contact list, the system will send a request for confirmation from the parent. Only when the adult agrees, the conversation will be carried out. Apple also opens the right for third-party developers to integrate this feature through the PermissionKit toolkit, creating a tight control network across many applications, not just limited to Apple's ecosystem.

On the content side, iOS 26 adds a new set of app categories to the App Store with specific age ranges: 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+, and 18+. When a child’s account is in the under 16 age group, all apps labeled as overage will be hidden from the home page, recommendations tab, and even from search results. This is a systemic change that makes it harder for children to access inappropriate content, even when actively searching.

Notably, children or teens also cannot arbitrarily adjust the age of the application displayed on the device. Any changes related to access must go through the management account, usually a parent or guardian. The system will also send an immediate warning if the device tries to bypass these restrictions by changing settings or entering the wrong password.

Apple said that in addition to setting explicit age limits, it is testing a variety of technologies to more accurately identify underage users. Some of the approaches being explored include age verification through photos or device usage behavior, which platforms like Discord and Instagram are already implementing.

Apple’s controls have previously been criticized for being weak, with kids only needing to know the passcode to disable most settings. In iOS 26, the company addresses this weakness by tying every setting change to a notification sent to the parent’s device. This increases security while reducing the possibility of kids “circumventing” the rules.

By extending the age limit to 17, Apple not only adapts its products to the evolving realities of young users, but also demonstrates its serious commitment to the digital safety of teenagers – something that is increasingly necessary as smartphones become the main gateway to the online world for the younger generation.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/ios-26-mo-rong-kiem-soat-iphone-den-tuoi-17-post1551472.html