Kid mode for iPhone: how to hand your phone to a child

iPhone has no built-in kid mode that lets a child use a few apps you choose. You can lock the phone to a single app with Guided Access, limit it to a list of apps with Screen Time's Downtime, or use an app like My Kid Space, which locks every app except the ones you pick until you end the session with Face ID.

Updated September 30, 2026

The three options at a glance

	My Kid Space	Guided Access	Screen Time Downtime
Apps your child can use	The apps you picked for that child	One app	The apps on your Always Allowed list
How you start it	Tap Begin now, then pick the child and how long	Open the app, then triple-click the side button	Turn on Downtime in Settings, or let its schedule start it
How it ends	Only your Face ID or Touch ID	Triple-click, then your passcode or Face ID	Turn Downtime off in Settings
Timer	Always, 15 minutes or longer	Optional	A schedule, or until tomorrow
Different apps per child	Yes, one profile per child	No	No
Record of what was used	Per session, per app	No	Screen Time totals for the whole phone
Price	First session free, then a subscription or one-time purchase	Free, built in	Free, built in

When each one makes sense

Guided Access is the right tool when your child should stay in one app, like a video or a single game. It's free, built into iOS, and it can also switch off parts of the screen and the hardware buttons, which helps with toddlers.

Screen Time Downtime works if you're happy to limit your whole phone to a list of apps. You set it up in Settings, and you'll want a Screen Time passcode so the limits can't simply be dismissed.

My Kid Space is built for lending your phone for a set time: the apps you chose for that child, a timer, and only your Face ID to end it.

How to set up each one

Guided Access

Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Guided Access, and turn it on.
Tap Passcode Settings to set a Guided Access passcode, and turn on Face ID if you want it.
Open the app your child will use, triple-click the side button, and tap Start.

Screen Time Downtime

Open Settings, tap Screen Time, then Always Allowed, and add the apps your child may use.
Set a Screen Time passcode in Settings, under Screen Time.
Tap Downtime and turn it on until tomorrow, with Block at Downtime switched on.

My Kid Space

Install My Kid Space from the App Store and allow Screen Time access when iOS asks.
Create a profile for your child and pick the apps they can use.
Tap Begin now, choose your child and how long, and hand over your phone.

What happens during a My Kid Space session

Only the apps you picked open. Any other app shows a My Kid Space screen with the time left.
iOS keeps Phone, Settings and Find My available, and Safari opens but can't load websites.
When time runs out, every app locks, including the allowed ones, and your phone plays an alarm to call you back.
Only your Face ID or Touch ID ends the session. There's no passcode fallback in the app.
Afterwards you can see which apps were used and for how long.
Profiles and history stay on your phone and in your private iCloud. There's no My Kid Space server.

Questions parents ask

Is there a kid mode on iPhone?

Not as a single built-in feature. Guided Access locks the phone to one app, and Screen Time's Downtime can limit it to a list of apps. My Kid Space adds a one-tap kid mode with a timer and Face ID to end it.

Can I lock my iPhone to more than one app?

Guided Access can't: it locks to one app at a time. Screen Time's Downtime and My Kid Space both let several apps stay usable.

Does my child need their own Apple ID or iPhone?

No. My Kid Space runs on your iPhone, and your child just gets a profile in the app.

Can my child end a My Kid Space session?

Not from the app: ending a session takes your Face ID or Touch ID. As with any Screen Time based app, keep your iPhone passcode private, because iOS keeps Settings available.

Try My Kid Space

Your first session is free, no credit card needed. Download on the App Store.