Apple releases new guide to help families build healthy digital habits

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• Text of this article

  29 September 2026

  UPDATE

  Apple and the American Academy of Pediatrics release new guide to help families build healthy digital habits

  Today, in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Apple released a new guide to help families create healthy digital habits that balance screen time with sleep, exercise, schoolwork, and time with friends and family. The AAP's expert guidance has been tailored for Apple's new parental controls in "Building Healthy Digital Habits: A Guide for Families."

  "Every family approaches technology in their own way," said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple's vice president of Health and Fitness. "That's why we wanted to combine trusted guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics with the tools built into our products. Together, they're designed to adapt to each family and each child's stage of development, giving parents a useful starting point to decide what works best. Our hope is that this guide helps facilitate easier discussions and gives families the resources they need to put this guidance into practice, adjust their approach as their child grows, and help them develop healthy digital habits they can carry into everyday life."

  This guide walks families through six steps:

  • Start a conversation about screen time, with tips for parents to approach the topic and establish expectations in a way that helps kids feel included in the plan.

  • Create a Child Account, which enables age-based safeguards and gives parents access to parental controls to manage their child's experience.

  • Set safety settings for websites and apps, including Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse, so families can review new apps and websites together.

  • Make a schedule for device use, using Time Allowances and Schedules to balance time online with sleep, schoolwork, physical activity, and time with family and friends.

  • Manage communications, with parents deciding who their child can communicate with and Communication Safety, on by default for all users under 18, helping protect kids from viewing or sharing sensitive content.

  • Continue the conversation as kids grow, with guidance on adjusting the family's plan over time.

  There's also more detailed information on the AAP's screen time guidance by age group, from infants to teens, to help families consider their choices around media use.

  "At AAP, our focus is equipping paediatricians and families with trusted science-based guidance to support informed decisions at every stage of a child's life, including building healthy digital habits," said Mark Del Monte, the AAP's chief executive officer. "We are proud to partner with Apple to expand access to the Family Media Plan, helping parents create routines that promote balance, safety, and healthy development. We know that navigating screens and social media is something every parent wants to get right, and this partnership will further support families with those efforts."

  Learn more about Apple's approach to child safety.

  Availability

  New features are available now with the Screen Time update in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. All products in a Family Sharing group must be updated to iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 to use the Screen Time update. Some features may not be available in all regions, in all languages, or on all models. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

  Press Contacts

  Prasidha Menon

  Apple

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  +91 95601 88330

  Avanti Shirname

  Apple

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  +91 9769229287

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Press Contacts