Guided Access locks your iPhone to a single app until you end it with a triple-click and your passcode or Face ID. My Kid Space works like Guided Access for several apps at once: your child can move between the apps you picked, everything else stays locked, and only your Face ID ends the session.
Updated September 30, 2026
| Guided Access | My Kid Space | |
|---|---|---|
| Apps your child can use | One | Several, chosen per child |
| Switching between apps | Not possible | Between the allowed apps |
| How you start it | Triple-click the side button inside the app | Tap Begin now, then pick the child and how long |
| How it ends | Triple-click, then your passcode or Face ID | Your Face ID or Touch ID only |
| Timer | Optional | Always, 15 minutes or longer |
| When time runs out | The app locks until you end Guided Access | Every app locks and an alarm calls you back |
| Lock parts of the screen or buttons | Yes | No |
| Record of what was used | No | Per session, per app |
| Price | Free, built into iOS | First session free, then a subscription or one-time purchase |
If your child should stay in one app, Guided Access is hard to beat. It's free, it's built into every iPhone, and it can switch off parts of the screen and the hardware buttons, which helps with toddlers who tap everything.
Older kids rarely stick to one app. They move from a reading app to a drawing app to a game, and Guided Access can't allow that without you ending and restarting it each time. My Kid Space lets them switch between the apps you picked, keeps everything else locked, and ends only with your Face ID. With more than one child, each one gets their own list.
You don't need Guided Access turned on to use My Kid Space. They're separate features, and you can keep using Guided Access for single-app moments.
No. Guided Access locks your iPhone to the app that's open when you start it. To allow several apps, use Screen Time's Downtime or an app like My Kid Space.
Triple-click the side button, or the Home button on older iPhones, and enter your Guided Access passcode. If you turned on Face ID or Touch ID for Guided Access, you can use that instead.
No. My Kid Space uses Apple's Screen Time permission, not Guided Access.
Your first session is free. After that it's a monthly or yearly subscription, or a one-time purchase.
Your first session is free, no credit card needed. Download on the App Store.