Apple releases new guide to help families build healthy digital habits
Apple and the American Academy of Pediatrics released a guide to help families balance screen time with sleep, exercise, and social interactions using updated parental controls in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27.
Apple and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have jointly published a guide titled 'Building Healthy Digital Habits: A Guide for Families,' designed to assist parents in managing screen time alongside sleep, physical activity, schoolwork, and family interactions. The guide integrates AAP’s expert recommendations with Apple’s parental control tools, offering families a framework to tailor digital habits to their children’s developmental stages. According to Apple, the collaboration aims to simplify discussions about technology use and provide practical resources for parents to implement balanced routines. The guide includes age-specific advice on media consumption, spanning from infancy to teenage years.
The partnership reflects Apple’s commitment to combining trusted health guidance with its product features, as stated by Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health and Fitness. Desai emphasized that the tools are intended to adapt to each family’s unique needs, fostering healthier digital habits over time. The guide also highlights the Family Media Plan, a resource developed by the AAP to help parents establish structured routines. Apple notes that the guide is part of a broader effort to support families in making informed decisions about technology use.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, represented by CEO Mark Del Monte, underscored the importance of science-based guidance for parents navigating digital environments. Del Monte highlighted the expansion of the Family Media Plan through the partnership, which aims to promote balance, safety, and healthy development. The AAP’s involvement ensures that the recommendations are grounded in pediatric research and clinical expertise. The guide is intended to serve as a starting point for families to discuss and adjust their digital habits as their children grow.
The new features and guide are available with the Screen Time update in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. To access the Screen Time update, all devices in a Family Sharing group must be updated to the latest software versions, including watchOS 27 and visionOS 27. Apple notes that some features may be limited by region, language, or device compatibility. Additional details about availability can be found on Apple’s official website.