Since iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, parents who want to limit their children’s app use with the “Screen Time” operating system function cannot count on these app limits being truly effective. In the past, creative kids have often found tricks to bypass parental control functions. But this time Apple is making it especially easy for kids.
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Assistive Access bypasses app limitations
Parents should be aware of the following tips. This is based on the accessibility features introduced with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.Assisted access“. The purpose of this function is actually to make the device’s interface more simple. The app icons are quite large, there is no control center or notifications and a clearly visible back button replaces the swipe gesture for the home screen. Also some apps like camera, telephone or messages behave completely differently.
The “Supportive Access” operating assistance turns the iPhone into a useless phone.
What Apple obviously did not consider: The function can also be turned on on an iPhone that is restricted by Screen Time. You specify which apps should be available in this special mode. These can also be blocked apps. In this simple interface you can use all apps without any restrictions and all other Screen Time functions do not apply here.
If a child activates this mode, their legal guardians will not notice immediately. Screen Time statistics tell something about secret consumption only when the device returns to normal. If you suspect something, you should check the Screen Time statistics of the child’s account. On iPad or iPhone, children’s accounts are listed in the “Screen Time” settings under “Family”. In the sub-item “Show all app & website activity”, the diagram in the daily view shows, for example, nightly app consumption over the past days. On Mac, the family member is selected in the Screen Time preferences at the top right and in the chart under App & website activity.
The parents locked up
When setting up “Assistive Access” you specify a four-digit code that applies regardless of the device code. This is the only way to deactivate this mode again. Basically, it is possible to connect the code to the stored Apple ID. If parents know the password, they can use it to terminate assistive access again. The problem is that when setting up the accessibility feature, you can skip associating the unlock code with your Apple ID.
If a child sets up “Assisted Access” without the parents’ knowledge and does not provide the unlock code, there is no way to get the device back to normal. All that remains is to reset the device and restore a backup using Apple Configurator on a Mac.
A satisfactory solution is missing
Whoever comes up with the idea of assigning their own code for assisted access in advance has done the math without Apple. This code is no longer needed when you press the “Reset Assisted Access” button. Since access to the Settings app cannot be restricted by Screen Time, kids can easily set a new code.
The Assistive Access feature can be reset without authentication.
So far, we are not aware of any solution to prevent the accessibility function from being activated – not even in beta 4 of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. An official statement from Apple is still pending. It seems that the company has been aware of this problem for some time; the topic was discussed… Discussed on Apple forum And reported by users.
The solution: fight with your weapons
In most cases, the return of smartphones is likely to be too radical to prevent unvaccinated children from spending too much app time on them. As a rule, they should still be accessible and able to show digital tickets for local public transport.
In “Accessibility Support” mode, the permanently visible back button takes up a lot of space for apps and can be annoying if you accidentally press it while playing.
So currently only these two temporary solutions remain:
1. Eliminate your time wasters and Doom Scrolling-Remove apps from the child’s iPhone and the “Install Apps” permission under “Screen Time > Restrictions.”
2. The second option is to quickly set up the “Settings> Accessibility> Assistant Access” function yourself on your child’s iPhone. You determine which apps are accessible and can even restrict contacts, for example for iMessages. Of course, you should avoid apps that have the potential to be addictive because the usage time cannot be regulated. Due to the large back button, apps have less display space, which can result in poorly programmed apps becoming unusable.
Check beforehand whether everything works and is absolutely proper. Some Apple apps such as Music, Photos or Camera have quite limited functionality. For example, if the mode is an option, enable it for most of the day and only turn it off in controlled situations. Of course, this is not convenient, especially since it always involves a restart.
As a parent, you should consider how useful these drastic measures are from a pedagogical point of view. Ideally, you will work out a joint interim solution in an open and sensible conversation without blame until Apple makes improvements.
(Ray)
