Setting up an iPad that our little ones are going to use with our own Apple account is a mistake to avoid. We explain how to create a child account and how to configure an iPad with it in a very simple way.
Despite years of waiting for the iPad to have different user accounts, as is the case with Macs, Apple’s tablet currently does not allow it, which often leads the little ones in the house to using it with their parent’s account, which is a major mistake. Creating an Apple account for a minor is very simple, we can use our iPhone for this, it only takes a few minutes, and we can also use our iPhone to set up a new iPad with it, which is full of advantages. We explain the whole procedure to you, from the beginning.
Disadvantages of using an adult account
What’s wrong with us using our own account for the iPad our kids use? Our purchases are protected by our password, so it’s not a big problem either. It may seem so, but the reality is that it is very likely that sooner than later we will regret it. What can happen? Well, from when they see content they don’t like, to when they spend a lot of money on purchases we haven’t authorized, not to mention the mess they can cause us with our diaries, calendars, photos, etc.
Sure, our little ones don’t know our Apple password, but they don’t need it to make purchases. Remember that iPad has fingerprint recognition, and if you know the unlock password, you will surely recognize it, you can set your own fingerprint to make purchases, without needing any permission from you. The same is true if you’re using an iPad Pro with Face ID. And the amount of money you can spend in minutes is great, especially since you’re not aware that what you’re using is real money, the feeling you’ll get is that everything is free because you just have to put your fingerprint.
You can also access any type of content using Safari or any other browser you have installed. In your own account, you surely don’t have content restrictions enabled, so the internet is completely open to minors, and that’s never good. Accessing inappropriate pages is very easy, and sometimes you can access them without even intending to.by clicking on any banner that appears on a seemingly innocuous website.
iCloud sync is amazing because all of our data is stored in the cloud and synced across iPhone, Mac, and iPad. This is something to keep in mind when giving your iPad to a child, because your contact book, your photo gallery, your iCloud files, your calendar appointments… it’s all on this iPad, and any changes you make on iPad will be synced across all your devices. This data can probably be recovered later using a backup, but that’s something that if you think about it, you don’t want to happen.
These are just a few examples of how dangerous it is to leave a tablet to a minor with your Apple account. I could go on listing a long list, but I think these examples are relevant enough to be aware that you must use another alternative: create a child account. It’s also very simple and you can do everything from your own iPhone in minutes.
Benefits of creating a child account
In addition to the fact that you will avoid everything I indicated above, By creating a child account, you will have at your disposal a series of tools offered by Apple to manage the devices of the little ones. In addition, you will already have your own account where your data will be stored, and in the future this will be the one you can use when you have your own devices.
Apple has long offered us the “Family Sharing” tool, a very simple way to manage up to 6 accounts in total (including yours) where you can establish different roles (father/mother/guardian and minors). The primary user is the one providing the payment method, and others can enjoy their iCloud storage, app subscriptions, purchases, and more.. But we can also set restrictions on devices with child accounts, limit their usage time, download apps, access content inappropriate for their age, etc.
Access this settings menu on your iPhone you can create an account, or invite someone who already has one, to add to your family. In the video you can see the whole configuration process, in which you will only have to give the data of the person to whom you are creating the account and you can create a new iCloud email if necessary. didn’t have any. This is a quick and very simple procedure that you can do entirely from your phone.
Set up a new iPad with a child account
Once the account is created and added to your family, we can proceed with setting up the new iPad. This procedure would be the same for any other Apple device, but we are focusing on the iPad for this tutorial, which is used the most by the little ones in the house. To start the configuration procedure, simply place your iPhone next to the iPad you are going to configure, both devices with active WiFi and Bluetooth. Your iPad doesn’t need to be set up, i.e. if it’s already set up, you’ll need to reset it first, and if it’s just out of the box, you’ll just have to turn it on.
Your iPhone will walk you through the steps, asking which family member the iPad you’re setting up as new is for. You just have to choose the right person and follow step by step what your iPhone asks you. Sometimes you’ll need to pick up the iPad to continue setup, and sometimes back to the iPhone. Don’t worry because the steps are very clear and the wizard will guide you so that it won’t cost you any effort to do it. In the video you can see the whole procedure from start to finish.
Once the procedure is finished, you will have the iPad with the child’s account, and you can rest because you can control everything he does without problems. In this tutorial, we are not talking about how to configure usage time or restrictions, because we leave that for another tutorial that we will publish in the next few dayss, so pay attention to our blog and YouTube channel so you don’t miss it.
