FaceTime Safety Settings: A Comprehensive Guide for Parents

FaceTime is Apple’s proprietary video and audio calling platform, seamlessly integrated into devices like iPhones, iPads, iPod touches, and Macs. Essentially, it enables users to communicate face-to-face or via audio with anyone else who has an Apple device. To use FaceTime, an active Apple ID and an associated email address or phone number are required.

While FaceTime offers a convenient way to connect, parents in Cork and across Ireland must prioritize safety, especially for younger users. Unlike some third-party apps, FaceTime doesn’t have extensive in-app parental controls. Instead, its safety features primarily rely on Apple’s broader ecosystem controls, namely Family Sharing and Screen Time.

Understanding FaceTime Restrictions and Controls

Parents can implement several key restrictions to manage their child’s FaceTime experience. These generally fall under the umbrella of Apple’s comprehensive Screen Time features.

Key Restrictions Available via Screen Time

Through Apple’s Screen Time settings, you can manage:

Calls: Control who your child can call and receive calls from.
Contacts: Limit communication to approved contacts only.
Messages: While not directly FaceTime, communication limits often span across Messages and FaceTime.
Social Networking: Manage overall app usage, which can indirectly impact FaceTime use.

Apple continuously updates its parental control tools. As of June 2025, Apple has expanded features within Family Sharing and Screen Time to provide more granular control over child accounts, including age ratings, communication limits, and sensitive content warnings.

Setting Up Parental Controls via Apple Family Sharing and Screen Time

For robust FaceTime safety, it’s imperative to set up Apple Family Sharing and configure Screen Time on your child’s device. This is the most effective way to manage FaceTime access and interactions.

Creating a Child Account and Family Sharing

First and foremost, children under 16 in Ireland cannot create their own Apple ID without parental consent.

A parent or guardian must create an Apple ID for them as part of a Family Sharing group. This process automatically applies age-appropriate settings and enables parental oversight.

Set Up Family Sharing:

- On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Family Sharing.

- Follow the prompts to add a family member. Choose “Create Child Account” if your child doesn’t have one.

- Crucially, ensure you enter the correct date of birth, as this determines default age-appropriate restrictions.

Enable Screen Time:

- Once Family Sharing is set up, go to Settings > Screen Time.

- Under the “Family” section, select your child’s name.

- Follow the on-screen instructions to set up a Screen Time Passcode. This passcode prevents your child from bypassing the restrictions you set.

Configuring Communication Limits

Communication Limits within Screen Time are specifically designed to control who your child can communicate with via Phone, FaceTime, and Messages.

Access Communication Limits:

- On your device (or your child’s device via Screen Time), go to Settings > Screen Time.

- Select your child’s name, then tap “Communication Limits.”

Set During Screen Time:

- Choose “Specific Contacts” under “During Screen Time.” You can then select contacts from your child’s approved contact list. This ensures they can only FaceTime with individuals you have pre-approved.

- Alternatively, you can select “Everyone” or “Contacts Only”, depending on your child’s age and your comfort level. For younger children, “Specific Contacts” is highly recommended.

Set During Downtime:

- “Downtime” is a scheduled period when apps and notifications are blocked. Under “Communication Limits,” you can choose who your child can communicate with during this time (e.g., only “Specific Contacts” for emergencies).

- Ensure that you include emergency numbers and family members in the “Specific Contacts” list for downtime.

Managing Allowed Apps and Features

You can also completely disable FaceTime through Screen Time if necessary.

Go to Settings > Screen Time.

Select your child’s name, then “Content & Privacy Restrictions.”
Enter your Screen Time passcode.
Tap “Allowed Apps & Features.”
Toggle the switch next to “FaceTime” to turn it on or off. If you turn it off, the app icon will disappear from their device.

Blocking Unwanted FaceTime Calls

Regardless of Screen Time settings, individual blocking remains a powerful tool. When you block a contact on one Apple device, it applies across Phone, FaceTime, and Messages on all Apple devices signed in with the same Apple ID.

How to Block Unwanted FaceTime Calls

You can block contacts directly from various apps:

The FaceTime App:

Open the FaceTime App.
Select the info button (an “i” in a circle) next to the contact or number you want to block in your call history.
Scroll down and select “Block this Caller.”

In Messages:

Open the Messages App.
Select the conversation with the contact.
Tap the contact’s name or number at the top of the conversation.
Select the info button.
Scroll down and tap “Block this Caller.”

Your Mail:

Open the email containing the contact you wish to block.
Tap the contact’s name at the top of the email.
Select “Block this Contact.”

From iPhone Recents (Phone App):

In the Phone app, select “Recents.”
Tap the info button next to the contact you want to block.
Scroll down and select “Block this Caller.”

Managing Blocked Contacts

You can easily review and manage your list of blocked contacts across different apps:

From the FaceTime App:

Open the Settings
Select “FaceTime.”
Under “Calls,” select “Blocked Contacts” to see and manage the list.

Messages:

On the device, open the Settings
Select “Messages.”
Under “SMS/MMS,” select “Blocked Contacts.”

Mail:

On the device, open the Settings
Select “Mail.”
Under the heading “Threading,” select “Blocked.”

Phone App (iPhone):

Open the Settings
Scroll down and select “Phone.”
Then select “Blocked Contacts” to see the list. Add or remove contacts as required.

Turning Off FaceTime

If you prefer to disable FaceTime entirely on a specific device, you can do so through its settings.

How to Turn Off FaceTime on a Mac

Open the FaceTime app on your Mac.
From the menu bar at the top of your screen, select “FaceTime.”
Select “Turn FaceTime Off.”
Alternatively, you can go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions), find FaceTime, and toggle the switch to turn it on or off.

How to Turn Off FaceTime on an iPhone and iPad

Open the Settings menu on your device.
Scroll down and select “FaceTime.”
Toggle the switch next to “FaceTime” to turn it on or off. The switch will turn grey when off.

Group FaceTime: Safety Considerations

Group FaceTime allows multiple users to connect simultaneously. You can include up to 32 people in a Group FaceTime chat, via either video or audio. You can also add new people to an existing Group FaceTime chat, even during a call, or start a new chat with a group of people.

How to Start a Group FaceTime Call

On your device, open the FaceTime app.
Select the “New FaceTime” button (often a plus sign or “New FaceTime” text) in the top right-hand corner.
Enter the names of your contacts, phone numbers, or email addresses to add them.
Begin the FaceTime call by selecting “Audio” or “Video.”

Group FaceTime Safety Tips for Parents

While convenient, Group FaceTime requires additional vigilance for children and teens.

Who can be added? Explain to your child that anyone in a group chat can add other contacts, potentially bringing in unknown individuals.

Be Mindful of Backgrounds: Remind children to be aware of what is visible in their background during video calls.

Respect Privacy: Teach children to ask permission before including others in a video call or showing someone else on camera.

No Private Spaces: Encourage children not to take FaceTime calls in overly private or intimate spaces like bedrooms unless a parent is present or aware.

Everything Can Be Recorded: Emphasize that video chats can be recorded or screenshotted without consent. Your child should never say or do anything on FaceTime they wouldn’t be comfortable with others seeing or hearing.

Sensitive Content Warnings: As of iOS 26 (released June 2025), Apple has expanded Communication Safety features. This includes on-device detection of nudity in FaceTime video calls, which blurs the content and offers resources for help. For children under 13 in a Family Sharing group, Communication Safety is turned on by default.

Communication Safety and Sensitive Content Warnings

Apple has significantly enhanced its “Communication Safety” features, particularly for child accounts. This system uses on-device machine learning to analyze images and videos for nudity before they are sent or received in Messages, AirDrop, and FaceTime video messages.

How it Works: If the system detects potentially sensitive content, it blurs the image or video, displays a warning, and offers the child options to stay safe (e.g., leaving the conversation, blocking the contact, accessing online safety resources, or messaging a trusted adult).

Parental Involvement: For children under 13, Communication Safety may prompt the child to discuss the sensitive content with their parent or guardian.

Activation: This feature is generally turned on by default for child accounts in Family Sharing. You can review and adjust this in Settings > Screen Time > [Child’s Name] > Communication Safety.

A Holistic Approach to Digital Safety

While FaceTime Safety Settings are fundamental, they are just one part of a comprehensive strategy for digital safety in Ireland. Children engage with many devices and online platforms beyond FaceTime. At Children of the Digital Age, our mission is to empower parents with the knowledge and tools to secure every digital touchpoint their children encounter.

Consider integrating these additional measures into your family’s holistic digital safety plan:

Open and Ongoing Communication: The most powerful tool in your online safety for kids toolkit is open, honest, and continuous dialogue. Regularly talk with your children about what they are seeing and doing on FaceTime and other platforms. Encourage them to come to you if they encounter anything uncomfortable, confusing, or concerning.

Device-Level Controls: Utilize parental controls on smartphones, tablets, and computers (e.g., Apple Screen Time, Google Family Link). These tools can manage screen time, app usage, and content filtering across devices.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) Filters: Your home broadband router might offer content filtering at the network level. Significantly, this can block entire categories of websites (e.g., adult content) for all connected devices.

Educational Resources: Regularly visit reputable online safety organizations for updated information and advice.

Partner with Children of the Digital Age for Enhanced Online Safety

At Children of the Digital Age, we are deeply committed to supporting parents. We help them navigate the ever-evolving landscape of digital parenting. While FaceTime Safety Settings are a crucial step for managing communication on Apple devices, we strongly encourage you to explore our wider array of comprehensive resources dedicated to online safety for kids across all devices and platforms.

For broader educational resources, workshops, or personalised advice on fostering a secure and positive digital experience for your family, do not hesitate to contact Children of the Digital Age. We are here to offer expert guidance, ensuring your children enjoy the digital world safely and responsibly. Your child’s digital wellbeing and online safety remain our utmost priority.

Children of the Digital Age