How to lock iPad to one app with Guided Access

With Guided Access, you can temporarily restrict iPad to a single app. You can set a time limit, and customize which features, hardware buttons, and areas of the screen are available.

If you’re a parent, a teacher, or a caregiver, or are trying to help yourself focus, Guided Access can keep you on a task. You can end a session with a passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID, and play a sound to announce time limits. You can also hear time limits spoken, and set how long it takes iPad to lock automatically.

Set up Guided Access

1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
2. Tap Accessibility, tap Guided Access, and turn on Guided Access.
3. Do any of the following for Guided Access sessions:
   • End a session with a passcode: Tap Passcode Settings, tap Set Guided Access Passcode, and enter a passcode.
   • End a session with Face ID or Touch ID: Tap Passcode Settings, then turn on Face ID (on an iPad with Face ID) or Touch ID (on other iPad models).
   • Play a sound to announce time limits: Tap Time Limits, tap Sound, and then select a sound or tap Tone Store to browse other options.
   • Hear time limits spoken: Tap Time Limits. Turn on Speak to hear the time remaining before a Guided Access session ends.
   • Allow Accessibility Shortcut during a session: Turn on Accessibility Shortcut.
   • Set how long it takes iPad to lock automatically: Tap Display Auto-Lock, then select an option.

Start a Guided Access session

1. Open the app you want to use.
2. To turn on Guided Access, do one of the following:

   Siri: Ask Siri something like, “Turn on Guided Access.” Learn how to use Siri.

   • Use Control Center if you’ve added Guided Access there.
   • Use the Accessibility Shortcut.
3. Circle any areas of the screen you want to disable. Drag the mask into position or use the handles to adjust its size.
4. Tap Session Settings and then turn on or off any of the following:
   • Top Button
   • Volume Buttons
   • Motion (to prevent iPad from switching from portrait to landscape or from responding to other motions)
   • Software Keyboards
   • Touch
   • Time Limit
5. Tap Done and tap Start.

End a Guided Access session

You end a Guided Access session by entering your Guided Access passcode or using Face ID, depending on the passcode options you chose when setting up Guided Access.

• Use the passcode: Triple-click the top button (on an iPad with Face ID) or Home button (on other iPad models), then enter your Guided Access passcode.
• Use Face ID or Touch ID: If you turned on the Face ID or Touch ID option in Guided Access Passcode Settings, triple-click the top button or Home button, then unlock your iPad with Face ID or Touch ID (depending on your iPad model).

See also

• Set up a Focus on iPad
• Hide distractions when reading articles in Safari on iPad
• Customize onscreen motion on iPad
• Cognitive accessibility features on iPad