- We set up parental controls from Apple (iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27) and Google (Family Link, Android 17).
- We support mixed families: a parent with an iPhone and a child with an Android, and the other way around.
- The visit takes from about one to two hours, at the Warsaw-Mokotów (ul. Puławska 31) point.
- After the configuration we train the parent: how to approve requests, pause a device and change limits.
- In Poland, a child under 16 cannot create an Apple or Google account on their own. The parent creates and supervises the account.
1. Sound familiar?
- Your child got an iPhone for their First Communion, and after a week you know less about it than about their school notebook.
- You set a limit on TikTok, and your child simply moves to YouTube Shorts.
- After the update to iOS 27, Screen Time looks different and you can't find your settings.
- You have an iPhone, your child has an Android, and no guide covers such a combination.
- Requests for "15 more minutes" arrive in the middle of a meeting, and you don't know how to handle them quickly.
You don't have to go through this alone. We sit down together, set everything up and show you how to manage it.
2. What's new in iOS 27
iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 have been available since 14 September 2026. Parents will notice these changes right away:
| Feature | How it works | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Simpler child account setup | At the start you choose only the basic apps, the set recommended by Apple, or your own list | Your child doesn't get a phone with access to everything at once. You unlock further apps gradually |
| Ask for Access (Safari) | Your child asks for permission for a new website, and you approve it in Messages | Works like the familiar Ask to Buy, only for websites |
| Approval for new contacts | A new number or account requires your approval before your child can call, write or connect via FaceTime | A stranger can't contact your child without your knowledge |
| Time limits for categories | A daily budget for Games, Entertainment and Social media. At the start you get a suggestion matched to your child's age, and you can create your own categories | A shared limit for a category means switching from TikTok to YouTube gets them nowhere |
| Weekday schedules | Different apps before school, at school and after lessons, and different ones at the weekend | You set it once and it keeps working on its own |
| New Screen Time | Weekly summary, most used apps, pausing the device with one tap, unlocking for a set time | At dinner you pause your child's phone instead of taking it away |
| Communication Safety | Beyond nudity, it also detects graphic and violent content in photos and videos, including during a FaceTime call | Your child sees a warning, not the image itself |
Apple notes that not all features are available in all regions and languages. During the visit we check what works on your family's devices.
3. One old device blocks the new features
The new Screen Time will only work once every device in Family Sharing runs version 27. That includes grandma's iPad and your old Mac.
iOS 27 runs on the iPhone 11, iPhone SE (2nd generation) and newer. macOS 27 runs exclusively on Macs with an Apple processor. If your family still has, say, an iPhone XR or a MacBook with an Intel processor, we'll help you choose one of the paths: moving the device out of Family Sharing, staying with the current Screen Time, or replacing the hardware. We offer used Apple buy-back and sales and iPhone battery replacement, and before every change we make a backup.
4. What we set up
iPhone, iPad and Mac (Apple)
- Family Sharing and the child's account. In Poland, a child under 16 has their Apple account created by a parent.
- Screen Time: category limits, weekday schedules and always-allowed apps (calling the parents still works after the limit is reached).
- Ask to Buy and Ask for Access: new apps and new websites only with your approval.
- Content restrictions: age ratings in the App Store, for movies and music, website filter in Safari.
- Contacts: approval for new contacts and communication limits.
- Communication Safety in Messages and FaceTime.
- Location sharing in the Find My app.
- Locks against changes: a separate Screen Time passcode, blocking account and passcode changes, so the child can't simply turn the limits off.
Android and Google Family Link
In Android 17, parental controls are built into Settings and secured with the parent's PIN. Full management from the parent's phone is provided by the Google Family Link app, which also works on an iPhone. A parent with an iPhone can therefore supervise a child with an Android.
- The child's supervised Google Account. In Poland this applies to children up to 16. After their 16th birthday a teenager can turn off supervision on their own, so it's worth talking about it beforehand.
- Daily time limit and bedtime block.
- School time: during lesson hours the phone shows only selected apps and silences notifications.
- Approving apps from Google Play and an age filter.
- Filters in Chrome and Google Search.
- YouTube on a supervised account.
- Approved contacts: you decide who can call and write. Note: this works in the Google Phone and Google Messages apps and does not cover WhatsApp or Messenger. We restrict those apps separately.
- Your child's location in Family Link.
- Google Wallet for kids: phone payments under parental control, available in Poland.
- Samsung: in One UI 9, parental controls have their own menu in Settings. We set them up together with Family Link.
5. Mixed family: what works with what
| Parent has | Child has | What you manage it with |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone | iPhone / iPad | Family Sharing and Screen Time, with the full iOS 27 range |
| iPhone | Android | The Google Family Link app on your iPhone |
| Android | Android | Google Family Link |
| Android | iPhone | Screen Time set up on the child's iPhone, with a passcode known only to you. For remote management you need a parent's Apple device (an iPad is enough), and we'll advise you on what to choose |
6. Training: what you will learn
After the configuration you perform every action yourself on your own phone, while the technician watches and gives hints:
- You approve or reject requests for an app, a website and extra time.
- You pause your child's device and unlock it again.
- You change a category limit and a schedule, e.g. for school holidays.
- You read the weekly summary and know what to pay attention to.
- You approve a new contact.
- You check your child's location.
- You know what to do if your child forgets the passcode or loses the phone.
At the end we'll suggest how to present the new rules to your child. Settings work better when the child knows where they come from.
7. How the visit works and what to bring
- You book an appointment by phone or e-mail. We'll ask about the devices and the children's ages.
- You come with the devices and passwords. We set the rules: hours, limits, apps for school.
- We configure and test. The child sends a request, and you approve it from your own phone.
- We train you and give you a settings card. After 3 weeks we'll ask whether anything needs adjusting.
What to bring
- all the children's and parents' devices, charged (ideally with their chargers),
- the passcodes for those devices,
- the passwords for the Apple IDs or Google accounts (yours and the child's, if they already have one),
- the phone that receives two-factor verification codes,
- the child's date of birth, because the age categories depend on it,
- a list of apps the child needs for school (e.g. the e-register, Teams).
You enter the passwords yourself. We don't save them and we don't keep any data from the devices.
8. Packages and prices
| Start | Family | Family + care | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children's devices | 1 | up to 3 | up to 3 |
| Apple and Android | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Update to version 27 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Parents' phones in Family Sharing / Family Link | 1 | all | all |
| Parent training | 30 min | 60 min | 60 min |
| Settings card | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adjustment after 3–4 weeks | — | — | ✓ |
| 30 days of phone support | — | — | ✓ |
| Price | 289 zł | 499 zł | 599 zł |
Buying an iPhone for a First Communion or for under the Christmas tree? Ask about the "Setup as a gift" voucher.
9. What we don't do
- We don't install spying apps and we don't set up reading of the child's messages.
- We don't configure supervision of adults.
- We don't store passwords or data from the devices.
Parental controls are meant to protect the child, not to track them. The child knows what rules apply.
10. Why MacLife
- We've been servicing Apple hardware for years: MacLife has 19 lat of experience and the trust of thousands of customers.
- We carry out the service at the Warsaw-Mokotów point (ul. Puławska 31) — the configuration requires physical access to the devices.
- If one of the devices won't get iOS 27 or its battery is weak, we'll replace the battery on the spot, make a backup or value the hardware for buy-back.
- During a single visit we set up both Apple and Google services under parental controls.
Frequently asked questions
From what age is it worth setting up parental controls?
From the child's first own device. In Poland, a child under 16 cannot create an Apple or Google account on their own, so the parent creates it and can set the restrictions right away.
Do I have to update all the family's devices to iOS 27?
Only if you want to use the new Screen Time, because it works only when every device in Family Sharing runs version 27. Without the update you keep the existing features. If one of the devices doesn't support version 27, we'll advise you on what to do with it.
Can the child bypass the limits?
We close the most common loopholes: we set a separate Screen Time passcode and block account changes and installing apps without approval. However, no safeguard replaces a conversation, so we also suggest how to agree on the rules with your child.
How long does the visit take?
The Start package takes about an hour, and the Family package about two.
Can this be done remotely?
No. The configuration requires physical access to the children's and parents' devices, so it takes place on site at the Puławska 31 point. The parent training is carried out during the same visit.
I have an iPhone and my child has an Android. Will this work?
Yes. Google Family Link works on an iPhone, so you manage your child's phone from your own iPhone.
Will I see my child's messages?
No. Neither Apple nor Google show the parent the content of messages. You see the usage time, the apps used and requests for approval. We also don't install any apps that would allow it.
Does the child have to come to the visit?
They don't have to, but it helps. If we set up Face ID or a fingerprint, the child must be present.
Do Screen Time or Family Link cost anything every month?
No. Both features are free. You pay a one-time fee for our service.
What if I want to change something a month from now?
After the training you'll make most changes yourself. The Family + care package includes an adjustment after 3–4 weeks and 30 days of phone and e-mail support. With the other packages you book a short visit at the point.
Set up parental controls once — and do it properly.
Call 790 130 000 or write to serwis@maclife.pl. The point at Puławska 31 is open Monday to Friday, 9:00–19:00.
[2] Apple Support: Screen Time — Polish feature names
[3] Apple Support: age requirements for Apple Accounts by region
[4] Google Blog: new built-in parental controls in Android (16 June 2026)
[5] Google Account Help: age requirements for Google Accounts
[6] Apple backup — MacLife