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Block a Child's App that's already been downloaded

Hi,


i have my child's phone set up so that i can place screen time, content restrictions etc. He had downloaded an app which I have since realised is inappropriate and he has deleted it. How do I stop that app from being downloaded again so that I can open the App Store and allow him to download apps by just requesting permission? At the moment the only way I can ensure the app isn't downloaded again is by blocking the whole App Store which means I have to remove content restrictions each time he wants to do updates etc.


If this isn't available, is this something that will be likely available in the future?

iPhone 14, iOS 17

Posted on Nov 8, 2023 12:22 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 3, 2024 7:04 AM

I have tried over several years to remove snapchat from my sons ipad. The failure of apple to address this serious limitation is the one reason that I will not allow, under any circumstances, my son to get any more apple products. He has a mini ipad and will never get a new one or an iphone until parents are able to keep safe their children. For such a large company so disallow parents the possibility to safeguard their children is abominable, and I look forward to the inevitable class action that will force them into taking responsibility for their negligence.

In the meantime, to keep my child safe I will stick to android.

If after this post a miracle happens and apple do take their responsibilities seriously, please do post the solution as until the ipad (hopefully soon) fails, we are stuck with an inferior product, and a vulnerable child remaining vulnerable.

10 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 3, 2024 7:04 AM in response to MACBOOKAIRUSER243

I have tried over several years to remove snapchat from my sons ipad. The failure of apple to address this serious limitation is the one reason that I will not allow, under any circumstances, my son to get any more apple products. He has a mini ipad and will never get a new one or an iphone until parents are able to keep safe their children. For such a large company so disallow parents the possibility to safeguard their children is abominable, and I look forward to the inevitable class action that will force them into taking responsibility for their negligence.

In the meantime, to keep my child safe I will stick to android.

If after this post a miracle happens and apple do take their responsibilities seriously, please do post the solution as until the ipad (hopefully soon) fails, we are stuck with an inferior product, and a vulnerable child remaining vulnerable.

Jul 2, 2024 4:09 AM in response to FoxFifth

FoxFifth, the problem that MACBOOKAIRUSER243 is experiencing is that they are using Screentime settings to require that a child receive permission to download an app and, once having granted permission to download the app, they cannot take that permission away.


For example, let's say that they had a phone for a kid and initially granted permission to install YouTube. If, after a while, they decided they no longer wanted their kid to have YouTube and deleted the app from the phone, the kid can just go back to the app store and download it again without the app store checking with the parent for permission again. There is no way to remove permission once it has been granted once.


The obvious solution is that when the "require permission" option is checked that a phone always be required to get permission to download any app. The clunkier, less obvious solution, would be to allow a parent to remove permission after it has been granted. As it is, granting permission once lasts forever.

Sep 3, 2024 11:41 AM in response to MACBOOKAIRUSER243

The only work around I have found this far is to set the screen time limit on that app to 1 min, then they will have to request more time to continue using it. It’s not ideal but it seems to do the trick for now, unless you think they can get into trouble in 1 Min time. My son was grounded from YouTube and this is how in enforced it… also if he requested more time on it I knew he was trying to use it when he wasn’t supposed to.

Nov 8, 2023 8:32 AM in response to MACBOOKAIRUSER243

To stop a previously downloaded app from being downloaded again, hide the purchase. See instructions in Hide purchases from the App Store - Apple Support

including the following:

When you hide an app in your purchase list, it no longer appears in the list of your purchases that's in the App Store. The app will still appear in your complete purchase history in Settings. And if you use Family Sharing, family members can't redownload the app from your list of shared purchases.


Oct 3, 2024 7:11 PM in response to Dodgy_Geezer

While not a perfect solution, I’ve been able to severely restrict available apps my child can redownload by selecting apps 4+ under screen time/contents&privacy/apps. For some reason when I selected “don’t allow” all apps were available to redownload, but with the “4+” selection only basic general audience apps remain downloadable. Of course if you want to allow any apps with a higher age rating this won’t work, but it served its purpose for my situation.

Block a Child's App that's already been downloaded

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