It only takes one unsupervised Saturday morning. You’re downstairs making coffee, the kids are quiet (suspiciously quiet, in hindsight), and by the time you check your phone there’s a string of App Store receipts sitting in your inbox. Gems. Coins. Premium passes. Things that cost £2.99 each but somehow add up to £34 before 9am. I’ve been there. Most parents with kids and smartphones have been there, or are one lazy weekend away from it.
The frustrating thing is that the tools to stop this exist on both iPhone and Android. They’re not hidden. But the settings menus are buried deep enough that most parents never find them, and the defaults aren’t always set up with your wallet in mind. According to a 2025 report from Boomerang Parental Controls, only 47% of parents are fully using iPhone’s Screen Time parental controls. That means roughly half of us are leaving the door wide open. This guide will walk you through closing it, on both platforms, step by step.
Before You Start
A couple of things worth sorting before you dive in. On iOS, you’ll want to make sure Family Sharing is active and that your child has an Apple Account linked to yours. On Android, you’ll need the Family Link app installed on your device. Both systems work best when the parent account is the one holding the payment method. If your kid has your card details saved directly to their own account, fix that first. Also, jot down a passcode or PIN you’ll actually remember. You’re going to create one, and forgetting it later is a special kind of frustration.
Setting Up Purchase Controls on iPhone and iPad
Step 1: Enable Family Sharing and Set Up a Child Account
If you haven’t already, go to Settings, tap your name at the top, then select Family Sharing. Follow the prompts to set up a family group. You can add up to five other members. For children under 13, Apple requires a Child Account, which is a proper Apple Account tied to your Family Sharing group. You create this on your device rather than the child’s, which is exactly how it should work.
Once the child account is active, you’ll be able to manage their settings remotely from your own iPhone without needing to pick up their device every time.
Step 2: Turn On Ask to Buy
This is your first line of defence. With Ask to Buy enabled, any time your child tries to download an app (even a free one) or make an in-app purchase, a request pings to your phone. You approve or decline it. Simple.
Go to Settings → tap your name → Family Sharing → tap your child’s name → toggle on Ask to Buy. It’s turned on by default for children under 13, but it’s worth double-checking it’s actually active, especially for teenagers up to 18 where it might have been switched off at some point.
Step 3: Block In-App Purchases via Screen Time
Ask to Buy is great, but Screen Time gives you a harder lock. This one prevents in-app purchases from going through at all, rather than just routing an approval request to you. Think of it as the belt to Ask to Buy’s braces.
Go to Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions. If this is your first time, you’ll be prompted to create a Screen Time passcode. Use something the kids won’t guess. Then tap iTunes & App Store Purchases → In-App Purchases → set it to Don’t Allow.
It’s worth noting that both Ask to Buy and Screen Time’s purchase restrictions can be used at the same time for stronger protection. Ask to Buy intercepts purchase requests and sends them to you for approval, while the Screen Time restriction blocks in-app purchases entirely through Apple’s billing system. Using both together gives you a proper layered defence.
While you’re in here, it’s also worth checking the settings for Installing Apps and Deleting Apps. You can restrict those too if you want full control.
Step 4: Set Your Screen Time Passcode
This is the bit people skip and then regret. If you don’t lock Screen Time behind a passcode, a determined teenager will just go in and change everything back. In Screen Time, scroll down to Change Screen Time Passcode and set one. Do not use your phone’s unlock PIN. Use something different, something only you know.
Setting Up Purchase Controls on Android
Step 1: Install Family Link and Create a Supervised Account
Download the Google Family Link app on your device. If your child doesn’t already have a Google Account, you can create one directly from Family Link, and if they’re under 13, this is the proper way to do it. You can also add supervision to an existing teen account, though older teens have some ability to remove supervision themselves, so sooner is better.
Step 2: Enable Purchase Approvals on Google Play
Once Family Link is active, open the app, tap on your child’s name, then go to Controls → Google Play. Under Purchases and download approvals, tap Require approval for and choose your preferred setting. You can require approval for all apps and purchases, paid content only, or turn it off entirely. “All content” is the safest option for younger children.
One thing worth knowing: this approval system applies to purchases made through Google Play’s billing system. It doesn’t cover everything. Play Books, Google TV content, and non-prepaid subscription purchases through certain apps all fall outside the approval system. It’s a strong control but not airtight, so keep an eye on bank notifications regardless.
Step 3: Manage Apps and Permissions
Back in Family Link, you can also see every app your child has installed, block specific ones, and approve or reject download requests. It’s a genuinely useful dashboard. Spend ten minutes in there and you’ll get a clear picture of what they’re actually using.
The Money Conversation (Don’t Skip This Part)
The settings above will stop the accidental charges. But if your child understands why the controls are there, you’ll have far fewer arguments about it. I don’t mean a lecture. I mean a short, honest explanation: apps are free to download because companies make money from what you buy inside them. Those “coins” cost real money. That money comes from a real person’s pay packet.
Kids respond well to honesty, especially when it doesn’t come with a telling-off. Frame it as “here’s how this stuff actually works” rather than “I don’t trust you.” You’ll get a much better reaction, and they’ll actually start noticing the prompts themselves.
If It’s Still Not Working
Purchases still going through on iOS? Check whether the child’s account has a payment method attached directly. If they’ve previously entered card details themselves, remove them from their account. Also confirm that Screen Time is applying to the correct family member’s device, as syncing between parent and child devices can occasionally lag by a few minutes.
Family Link controls not showing on Android? Make sure both devices are signed into the correct Google accounts and that the supervision link is active. Some older Android versions have quirks with Family Link, so check for system updates on both phones.
Kids working around Screen Time time limits? The “Ask for More Time” feature on Screen Time is the most common workaround. Children quickly learn that sending enough requests while a parent is distracted often results in an approval. The fix is to check your notification habits and make sure you’re actively declining rather than absentmindedly approving.
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You’re All Set
Get both platforms locked down and you should be well protected from surprise charges. It takes about fifteen minutes per device and it’s genuinely one of the most worthwhile bits of parental admin you’ll do this year. If you’re still hitting a wall after following all of this, drop me a message through the contact page and I’ll do my best to help you work through it.
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