Limit app access on child's Ipad

[rlridgeway]

I would like to limit the apps a child sees on her Ipad yet the Ipad remains easy to use. I am thinking of a screen that is locked and she can only view what apps are on that screen.
The Ipad runs version 11.2.6
Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Chazzle]

You should find something you are looking for in either of these links.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202612
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201304

 

[rlridgeway]

Thanks for your reply.
I have tried those option.
I have used the Guided Access. It seemed cumbersome to use. It has to be started manually every time the Ipad is used and has to be rebooted if the child wants to use another app.
The Parental controls seem awfully convoluted and only limits certain apps and utilities.
I would think my request would be common. Allow a child to open the Ipad, only be able to see or access the features the parent wants. And keep it simple, limit apps icons to a single screen and do not show icons the child does not have access to.

 

[mollyc]

Are you trying to share the iPad with the child? You can’t have different user profiles, which is what it seems like you want.

If she has her own iPad, you can be in charge of what apps are installed and then hide the App Store so she cannot browse. You can also limit Safari to prevent web browsing. I have done variations of this for my kids and their iPads. As they get older they can see more things.

 

[rlridgeway]

Are you trying to share the iPad with the child? You can’t have different user profiles, which is what it seems like you want.

 

[mollyc]

???

 

[rlridgeway]

Thank you Molly. I think you have diagnosed at least some of my problem. I probably was thinking similar to a user profile.
How did you set up the Ipad for your children? One issue, I would like her photos to be sent to my google photos account. I have been able to do that but the Ipad can acces all my photos. I do not want her to have access only to download. Any work-arounds to this?

 

[mollyc]

I don’t use Google photos so can’t help on that front. I turned off the App Store (so there is not even an icon for it). I also turn off Safari but may allow individual sites on a case by case basis.
My kids are older now (10 & 12) so they have more privileges and I have allowed them more access to things.

 

[flaubert]

It sounds like you're looking for some control over what your child can and can't do on the device. Obviously you can keep a child from downloading apps that you don't approve of by not sharing the Apple ID / App store password, but that only works until the child figures out that they can just create their own Apple ID. I wonder if one of the MDM (Mobile Device Management) solutions might come closer to giving you what you want. There are at least two that I can think of off the top of my head: Jamf Now (https://www.jamf.com/products/jamf-now/) and Apple Server. Jamf Now is free for the first three devices, and it is probably reasonably easy to set up, so that is what I would suggest first. Apple Server includes something called Profile Manager, which is similar to Jamf Now, but because it is part of a much larger package of services in Server may be quite involved to get running properly. I don't think either of these are going to be able to keep your child from using the apps that come built into iOS (Safari, Mail, etc) but at least you're reasonably guaranteed that the child won't be able to download or use other apps that you might not want them getting into at their present age (say, Facebook, Snapchat, or Instagram).