Apple has been providing parents with a deeper look at their kids' usage habits since introducing the Screen Time section of the settings menu in iOS 12. Now, in the rather fanfareless iOS 13.3 (opens in new tab) update, we’ve got a whole new set of options titled "Communications Limits" within the parental controls menu. This menu allows you more control over your child’s use of voice, text and video messaging apps.
Within the Screen Time menu, you’ll now find in the block of options beneath the usage graph the new Communications Limits heading.
Within this menu, you’ll find two sections -- one for allowed screen time (when you’re allowing your kid to be on their phone) and another for downtime (when the kid shouldn’t be using their phone).
Tapping either brings up the following options, from which you can then allow all contacts to be contactable during that time period, or set up a whitelist of permitted contacts you can use.
For example, you might only put your family or other responsible adults on the downtime permitted list so your child can still call you in an emergency but won’t be able to spend hours messaging their friends.
These restrictions can also be applied within the normal settings menu too, just in case you want to keep yourself from talking to certain people at certain hours too.
iOS 13 has been a game changer for Apple, bringing in lots of other new updates such as Dark Mode, Sign In with Apple, and more recently Deep Fusion photography to the iPhone 11 series.
If you’re the owner of an iPhone 8 or later and somehow don’t have the newest version of the operating system, we have a guide on how to download and install iOS 13 to help you out.
