Letting kids play on your phone: the settings to change first
A ten-minute setup can prevent surprise purchases, limit chat with strangers and keep screen time under control. Here's where to start.
Most of the problems parents run into with mobile games come down to three things: purchases, contact with other players and how long the game stays on. You can deal with all three before you hand the device over.
1. Block surprise purchases
- iPhone and iPad: Screen Time lets you restrict in-app purchases, and Family Sharing has an Ask to Buy option for children's accounts.
- Android: Google's Family Link lets you manage a child's account and approve purchases. In the Play Store you can also require authentication for purchases.
2. Give them their own account or profile
A child account on a separate device is better than sharing yours. On a shared phone, your payment details, messages and email are all one tap away.
3. Check the game before they play
- Read the store's age rating, then look at what it actually covers.
- Look for in-app purchases and ads on the listing.
- Play for ten minutes yourself. It's the fastest way to spot pushy ads and pay-to-progress mechanics.
- Turn off chat, friend requests and other online features in the game's settings if you don't want them.
4. Agree a limit
Screen Time and Family Link can both set time limits, but a limit works better if you've agreed it in advance. Ending at a natural stopping point, like the end of a level, usually causes less of a fight than a timer that cuts off mid-game.
Menu names change between software versions, so if you can't find a setting, search for it in the Settings app.