ROOM TO DISCOVER, WITH YOUR GUIDANCE
Ask to Buy and app restrictions: what’s the difference?
You can let your child discover new apps while keeping a parent involved. The key is knowing which setting controls a request, and which setting blocks access.
By Little Boundaries · Guidance checked November 3, 2026 · About this project
Ask to Buy is an approval step for eligible requests
Apple’s Ask to Buy lets a parent review eligible purchases and downloads associated with the child’s account. It works through Family Sharing. On your own iPhone or iPad, open Settings → Family → your child. In Apple’s newer parental controls, choose Apps & Websites → Restrictions → Ask to Buy, then review Require Purchase Approval. Earlier versions may show Ask to Buy directly under your child’s family settings. Some regions and ages have required defaults.
It isn’t a prompt for every installation. Apple lists exceptions, including updates, redownloading a child’s own purchases, and using redemption codes. An approval also doesn’t mean you’ve reviewed every future change inside an app.
Read Apple’s current Ask to Buy guidance
A profile can still block a feature after you approve an app
An installed restrictions profile applies separate device rules. If a profile disallows app installation, an Ask to Buy approval doesn’t enable installation again. Likewise, a blocked device feature stays restricted until the applicable rule changes.
Screen Time may offer an age-rating exception request on supported versions. That Apple exception flow is separate from changing a device configuration profile.
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
| Situation | What to check |
|---|---|
| A new eligible download | With Ask to Buy enabled, look for an approval request on the parent’s device. |
| An update or a child’s own redownload | These may proceed without an Ask to Buy request. Review installed apps periodically. |
| An approved app still won’t install | Check Screen Time, available storage, and any installed profiles that restrict installation. |
| A restricted feature stays unavailable | Approval of a download doesn’t override a profile. Review the relevant device restriction. |
A manageable approach for a changing app library
If it fits your child’s needs, leave app installation available and use Apple’s approval tools for eligible requests. Choose a small set of deliberate device restrictions instead of making every future app depend on an updated allowlist.
This is a family decision, not a universal recommendation. For a very limited-purpose device, stricter access may be appropriate. Start with what your child actually needs and test the resulting experience.
What Little Boundaries does today
The development app can configure supported restrictions such as app installation and in-app purchases. A searchable, per-app blocking catalog is planned work, not an available feature. Don’t rely on that future feature to manage a child’s current app access.
Changing an installed profile requires a parent to review and install the new profile. Approving a downloaded settings catalog changes available defaults; it never updates an installed device profile automatically.
Before approving a new app
- Look at its content, communication features, and age rating.
- Review in-app purchases and whether your existing restrictions allow them.
- Discuss contacts, sharing, and what your child can do if something feels uncomfortable.
- Try the app together, then revisit it after important changes.
Start with the complete family setup guide →
Sources: Apple Ask to Buy and Apple Screen Time. Software, age, and region affect availability. No control guarantees safety.