Apple and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published 'Building Healthy Digital Habits: A Guide for Families' on September 29. It presents six steps for discussing screen time and setting up family devices. The two groups frame it as a starting point that parents can adapt as children grow, not a universal screen-time prescription.
The guide suggests beginning with a conversation about expectations, creating a Child Account, choosing website and app safety settings such as Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse, and making schedules that leave room for sleep, school, exercise and family time. It also covers communication limits and ongoing family check-ins. Apple's announcement says Communication Safety is on by default for users under 18; parents can review the controls and decide who their child may contact.
Apple says the related Screen Time update is available now in iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27. It says all products in a Family Sharing group need current platform updates for the new Screen Time features, and some features vary by region, language or device model. The incoming mixed brief describes older setting names, including Downtime and Content & Privacy Restrictions, but Apple's announcement does not use those as its six-step framework; this brief follows the actual new guide.
What to use: families can read the Apple/AAP guide and check the specific settings their devices offer before turning on limits. Source: Apple Newsroom, September 29, 2026, https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/09/apple-releases-new-guide-to-help-families-build-healthy-digital-habits/