Learn how to set up parental content restrictions on your Apple TV and adjust key settings to create a safe viewing experience for your kids and other household members.
If children in your household have access to your Apple TV, it’s important to ensure they can’t view inappropriate content. Start by creating a separate account for your kids, and setting up parental controls or restrictions.
Enable password-protected restrictions on Apple TV
- Open the Settings app on your Apple TV and click General.
- Go down to Restrictions, and if it’s Off, click it.
- At the top of the Restrictions screen, click Restrictions. You’ll then be asked to create and confirm a four-digit passcode.
- When you finish, click OK and make sure you keep that passcode in a spot you’ll remember.
Once you set this up, any future changes in this section will require the four-digit restrictions password or authentication on your iPhone/iPad.
So, don’t share this password or your iOS device with your kids to ensure they can’t change or turn off Apple TV parental restrictions.
Next, we’ll show you how to adjust your Apple TV restrictions settings.
Block content on Apple TV
The Allowed Content section of the Restrictions screen is where you’ll want to spend a little time.
- Ratings For: Select your country. This will determine the available ratings for Movies and TV Shows you’ll set next.
- Music and Podcasts: Clean or Explicit.
- Music Videos: Allow them to be played or block them.
- Music Profiles: Show or Hide. This is for viewing other people’s profiles so you can see what your friends are listening to or share music.
- Movies: Choose a rating; only those movies within that rating or below can be viewed. You can also disallow all movies.
- TV Shows: Choose a rating; only those shows within that rating or below can be viewed. You can also disallow all TV shows.
- Apps: Choose an age range; only those apps intended for that age and below can be used. You can also disallow all apps.
- Siri Explicit Language: Show or Hide.
Other Apple TV restrictions
You’ll notice other sections in the Restrictions area for the iTunes Store, Game Center, and Allow Changes. Each of these sections is pretty self-explanatory and offers either a Yes or No or Allow or Restrict setting.
You can use these to allow or restrict rentals and purchases, including in-app purchases.
Note: If you’re worried about someone renting or purchasing items from the store or changing your TV provider settings, it’s worth reviewing these areas as well.
Setting up content restrictions on Apple TV is quick and essential if you have children at home. It only takes a few minutes to ensure your little ones don’t encounter anything inappropriate.
Will you be setting up restrictions on your Apple TV?
More parental control tips: