What makes iPhones so great isn't just the durable hardware. The software that fuels these devices is what enables users to make the most out of them. Thanks to iOS, users can utilize a wide range of features and tools that help them maximize their iPhones' usability. One of these lesser known features available on iOS 17 and earlier versions is Guided Access. In this guide, we will be breaking it down by explaining how to set it up and use it.

What's Guided Access?

Guided Access, put simply, restricts the phone to only a single app, and even lets you decide which features of said app will work while you have it actively running. It’s sort of like a customized Focus mode that helps you stick to what you’re doing without being tempted to play games or check social media when you should be working or studying.

Furthermore, thanks to Guided Access, parents can prevent young kids from accessing anything on their personal devices except for the app they are permitted to use. You can set up a Guided Access profile ahead of time and then start a session whenever desired.

How to set up Guided Access on iOS

Using Guided Access is available on all of the latest iPhones models, including the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Enabling it requires just a few steps.

  1. Go to Settings, Accessibility, and scroll down to Guided Access.
  2. Turn Guided Access on by moving the slider to the right until it turns green.
  3. Hit the Set Guided Access Passcode button. You can use your iPhone's passcode if you want something easy to remember, or even use Face ID.
  4. Set a Time Limit if needed, choosing a desired sound that will play an audible indication of the time remaining in the session.
  5. You can choose to turn the Accessibility Shortcut on or off while a Guided Access session is in progress. With it on, a triple-click of the Side button will display the Accessibility Shortcut.
  6. You can also adjust the Display Auto-Lock to change the time that passes before the iPhone automatically locks while you’re in the middle of a Guided Access session from 30 seconds up to 15 minutes, or never.

How to use Guided Access on iPhone

Once the parameters in the previous section are established, open the app you want to use during a Guided Access session, then follow these steps:

  1. Triple-tap the Side button and choose Guided Access.
  2. You can draw a circle around the areas of the app you want to disable, then select Start at the top right, and these areas will be shaded out and unusable.
  3. Under Options, accessed on the bottom left, you can also do things like lock the Volume button and set time limits for from one minute up to as long as a full 24-hour period.
  4. The app will now be the only one that can be accessed until you turn Guided Access off or the time limit has elapsed. If you selected a section to disable (for example, the top right corner where you can switch profiles on the Netflix app), this particular function within the selected app will be inaccessible as well.
  5. To turn Guided Access off, triple-tap the Side button again, uncheck Guided Access, and enter your Passcode.

Why you may want to use Guided Access

Why would you use Guided Access? First, Guided Access is a good way to help you focus on a task at hand. If you’re working on a document or reading an e-book on the iPhone, for example, and don’t want to be disturbed, you can turn on Guided Access. The phone then effectively becomes an e-reader. You won’t have to deal with any incoming social notifications, emails, mobile game app rewards, phone calls, or other distractions.

Second, as noted earlier, Guided Access is useful for parents who hand their iPhone over to a child from time to time to keep them occupied for a short period. This way, they can’t dig around and access private information. Young children could easily (and accidentally) send a message, view inappropriate content, or even delete important information from your device. This is one reason why it’s a good idea to always back up your iPhone to iTunes or another source. But Guided Access can help prevent this from happening in the first place.

In the screenshot above, I ran Guided Access in the Netflix app and circled the Profile icon at the top, right. This would allow a child to choose and watch an approved movie from their kid profile while you tend to an important phone call, for example, but not allow them to switch to your adult profiles to access content that isn’t age appropriate.

Guided Access is a handy tool

The Guided Access feature is useful in many ways, and with some set-up and a few clicks, you can easily turn it on or off. Through it, you don't have to worry about a person snooping around when handing them your phone to check a specific app. It's also a solid tool for those with young children who tend to borrow their iPhones often. Regardless of your reasons, Guided Access is certainly nice to have, and you can easily use it by following the steps we listed above.