Warden
Updating your iPhone is only the first step
Installing iOS 27 on your iPhone does not by itself move a Family Sharing group to the redesigned Screen Time controls. Apple says the upgrade also depends on the software on the family’s other devices and on completing a separate family-controls update.
Use each family member’s own Apple Account. If you manage a child’s account through Family Sharing, start from the family organizer’s or a parent or guardian’s device. The exact controls can vary by age, region, and device.
Check the devices used by your family
Apple’s current guide says every device used in the last 90 days by a parent, guardian, or managed child in the Family Sharing group must be on version 27 of its operating system to upgrade the family’s controls. That includes eligible iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro devices.
On a device already updated to version 27, open Settings > Family and choose View Family Devices. Review the list before changing anything. Update eligible devices using Apple’s software-update instructions, then return to the family settings.
- Open Settings and tap Family (on a Mac, open System Settings and choose Family).
- Choose View Family Devices and review which devices still need an update.
- Update eligible devices to version 27 or later, then check the family list again.
If you see a Legacy Device
Some older devices cannot install version 27. Apple says those devices can continue using the previous Screen Time and Family Sharing controls. You do not need to erase a device or remove it from your Apple Account just because it is older.
If an eligible device is missing or you no longer have access to it, follow Apple’s account-device guidance before removing it. Avoid signing out, deleting devices, or rebuilding Family Sharing based only on an online workaround.
Complete the family-controls upgrade
After the eligible family devices are updated, open Settings > Family (or System Settings > Family on Mac). Apple says the family organizer or a parent or guardian can choose Get Started to transfer existing parental controls or set up new ones.
Read the review screens before confirming. Afterward, open the child’s profile and check the schedules, app and website rules, contacts, and request settings that matter to your family. Do not assume a changed menu means every setting has the effect you expect; verify the specific protection.
- Return to Settings > Family after updating the eligible devices.
- Choose Get Started and review the option to transfer existing controls or set up new ones.
- Open the child’s profile and verify the important settings after the update.
If the new controls still do not appear
Confirm that the child has their own Apple Account in your Family Sharing group and that the adult trying to manage Screen Time is the organizer or a parent or guardian. Then check the device list again, including the other family members’ devices used in the last 90 days.
Apple says families that cannot update every device can continue with the previous Screen Time experience; controls can also be managed locally on a child’s device with its Screen Time passcode. If the update prompt is still absent after following Apple’s current instructions, contact Apple Support rather than resetting the family or removing devices speculatively.
Example: one updated iPhone, one older family device
A parent installs iOS 27 on their iPhone but still sees the older Screen Time layout. They open Family, review the family-device list, and find an iPad that cannot update. Apple’s guidance is to keep using the previous family controls for devices that cannot update, not to erase the iPad. If all required devices are eligible and updated, the parent can return to Family and look for Get Started to review the family-controls upgrade.
This checklist helps identify the documented software and setup requirements. It cannot diagnose every account or sync problem; Apple Support is the next step when the official flow does not appear.
