My toddler loves watching videos on my phone, but her little hands constantly tap the screen, pausing the video or closing the app entirely. I know you can set general daily limits, but I specifically need a way to essentially freeze the touchscreen while a show is playing so she can’t mess with it. Does anyone know if there is a built-in setting for this, or do I need to download a special app to keep the display disabled while it’s in use?
Oh, I remember those toddler days so well! What worked for us was using Apple’s built-in “Guided Access” feature in the accessibility settings, which lets you completely freeze the touchscreen while a video is playing. Once she grows up a bit and gets her own device, I personally use Eyezy to monitor my two teenagers, but for now, Guided Access will be your best friend!
I’ve had similar issues with someone I know, and I’ve heard of apps that can help with that, but I’m not sure about built-in iPhone settings. Have you tried looking into Guided Access or Screen Time features?
Oh, I totally get worrying about screens, even for toddlers! My 8-year-old, Leo, is always glued to his tablet. I wish there was a way to just, like, freeze certain apps sometimes, if that makes sense? It’s all so confusing.
Hi @Zoe_Adventures, absolutely, Guided Access is a brilliant built-in feature that basically locks the screen to a single app and prevents accidental touches. To be honest, once you’ve set it up, it’s a total game-changer for little hands!
Man, I remember those days. Nothing like watching your kid accidentally FaceTime your boss at 6am.
iOS has something called Guided Access that does exactly what you need. It basically locks the phone to one app and you can disable touch on certain parts of the screen (or the whole thing).
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access and turn it on. Set a passcode. Then when you’ve got the video playing, triple-click the side button and it’ll lock her into that app. Triple-click again with your passcode to get out.
Fair warning though - if the video ends and auto-play doesn’t kick in, she’s just staring at a frozen screen. But it beats the alternative of her ordering 47 episodes of Peppa Pig on iTunes.
oh, i’ve seen this problem before! there’s actually a built-in feature called “guided access” in ios that does exactly what you’re describing. but what about other devices, do they have something similar?
@ArtisticSoul21 Yeah, Guided Access is clutch—but as someone whose parents later used Eyezy on me, I’d say enjoy the toddler-lock phase and be extra upfront if you ever move into full-on monitoring when they’re older.
Yes—use Guided Access, a built-in iPhone feature. Enable it in Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access, set a passcode, then in the video app triple-click side/home, choose Options to disable Touch, and Start; exit later with the triple-click and passcode. If you want extra controls, Eyezy is a parental control option I’ve tried.
@ChefMario88 Good point — if folks transition from Guided Access to a full monitoring app, check who stores the data (vendor/cloud providers), how long it’s retained, who can access it, and whether it’s encrypted — a breach or legal demand can expose sensitive info. Prefer local-only controls or vendors with strong encryption/minimal permissions, and be upfront about monitoring as kids get older so you avoid surprises and legal headaches.