RoutiniusQuick answer: Turn on Guided Access in Settings › Accessibility › Guided Access. Then open the app your child should use and triple-click the side button (or the top button on iPad, or the Home button on older devices), and tap Start. Your child can’t leave that app until you triple-click again and enter your Guided Access passcode, Face ID or Touch ID.
Turn Guided Access on (once)
- Open Settings.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Tap Guided Access and turn it on.
- Tap Passcode Settings and set a Guided Access passcode. Use one your child doesn’t know.
These steps follow Apple’s own Guided Access instructions.
Start a session
- Open the app you want your child to use.
- Triple-click the side button on an iPhone with Face ID, the top button on an iPad without a Home button, or the Home button on older devices.
- If a menu of accessibility shortcuts appears, tap Guided Access.
- Optionally, circle parts of the screen you want to disable, such as a settings button.
- Tap Session Settings (called Options on some versions) to turn off things like the side buttons or touch, or to add a time limit.
- Tap Start.
End a session
Triple-click the same button, enter your Guided Access passcode (or use Face ID or Touch ID), then tap End. Apple notes that on iOS 18 and earlier you may double-click instead of triple-click to end a session.
Add a time limit
In Session Settings, turn on Time Limit and choose how long. When it runs out, the screen shows that time has expired and you need to authenticate to carry on. In Settings › Accessibility › Guided Access you can also choose sounds and spoken warnings before the time limit ends.
Guided Access with a routine app
Guided Access pairs well with a visual schedule or timer on a family iPad: the routine stays on screen and your child can’t wander into other apps. With Routinius, start the routine first, then start Guided Access. The app keeps the screen awake during a routine, and closing a routine takes a press-and-hold, so it stays put even before you lock it.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Triple-click does nothing | Check that Guided Access is on in Settings › Accessibility › Guided Access |
| A shortcuts menu appears instead | You have more than one accessibility shortcut; tap Guided Access in the list |
| Forgot the passcode | Use Face ID or Touch ID if enabled; set a passcode you’ll remember next time |
| Screen goes dark during use | Guided Access doesn’t keep the screen on by itself; use an app that does, or adjust Auto-Lock in Settings › Display & Brightness |
For setting up the routine itself, see how to make a visual schedule.