How to Block Porn on iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents

Over 60% of kids aged 7 to 12 have been exposed to explicit content online, according to Parents Together. Exposure can come from friends sharing links and videos, salacious ads and recommendations popping up on their social feeds, and, of course, curious kids who are Google adult material. If you’re a parent wondering how to block porn on iPhone, Apple offers free tools to help reduce these risks. Here’s how to set them up effectively, plus extra tips to keep your child safe online.

How to block porn with Apple Screen Time

Do you know about Apple Screen Time? This free feature lets parents set up content and privacy restrictions to block explicit content and manage app usage (among other features). To set it up, you’ll need to enable Family Sharing and create a profile for your child. 

There are a few different ways to use Apple Screen Time to block porn on iPhone:

Only allow certain apps and features

Use this setting if you only want to allow your child to access a limited number of apps and features. For example, you might restrict all web browsers, the iTunes Store, and any downloaded social media apps to limit exposure to explicit content.

1. Open Settings and tap Screen Time.
2. Scroll to Family and select the name of the child you want to manage.
3. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. Enter your Screen Time passcode if prompted.
4. Tap Allowed Apps & Features and select the apps you want to allow.

Prevent explicit material and content ratings

You can block explicit music, movies, and apps with adult content and ratings. Popular music platforms like Spotify and YouTube music can easily expose your child to pornographic content, ranging from explicit images and audio content to podcasts. Here’s how to prevent it:

1. Open Settings and tap Screen Time. Select your child’s name.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then App Store, Media, Web, & Games.
3. Choose the settings you want to restrict explicit music, movies, TV shows, and apps. 

Limit explicit content on websites

You can also filter website content to limit explicit material in Safari and block specific websites. Here’s how to block porn sites on iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app and tap Screen Time, then select your child’s name.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then App Store, Media, Web, & Games.
3. Tap Web Content, then choose Unrestricted, Limit Adult Websites, or Only Approved Websites. 

We recommend blocking pornography websites like Pornhub, adult chat sites, and forums with no age limits.

How to block explicit content in messages

Apple’s Communication Safety feature helps protect kids from viewing or sending photos containing nudity. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time.
2. Select your child’s name.
3. Tap Communication Safety to toggle it on.

When nudity is detected in messages or shared content, the image is blurred, and your child is warned about the risks. They also have the option to message an adult they trust about the photo or video. 

Other ways to monitor for explicit content on iPhone

Even with these built-in tools, some explicit content may still slip through. This is why it’s crucial to maintain open communication with your child. Remind them that it’s okay to talk to you or another trusted adult about anything that makes them feel uncomfortable online. 

For additional peace of mind, tools like BrightCanary help you stay informed about what your child encounters online, including explicit content, so you’ll know if they run into something they can’t handle on their own. Unlike Apple’s built-in tools, BrightCanary offers:

• AI scanning for explicit content across texts, Google, YouTube, and social media.
• Summaries of your child’s activity to make supervision easier.
• A chatbot with 24/7 advice to have better conversations about digital safety.

You might not always know how to talk to your child about problematic content, but BrightCanary’s features help get the dialogue started — without constantly checking your child’s phone.

The bottom line

There are ways to block porn on iPhone, but nothing replaces the importance of having regular check-ins with your child. Staying informed with a monitoring tool like BrightCanary is the best way to make sure your child isn’t consuming anything they can’t handle on their own. Are you worried about your child’s porn viewing habits? Find out what to do if your child was caught looking at porn, and save these signs of porn addiction in teens.