How to Lock Your iPad to One App with Guided Access

Jul 8 2026 6 min read

Lock Your iPad to One App: Guided Access Setup Guide for iPadOS 17 & 18

Worried your child might accidentally exit an educational app or tap a link they shouldn’t? Guided Access locks your iPad into a single app, disabling all home button navigation and external controls. Here’s how to set it up in 5 minutes.

What is Guided Access?

Guided Access is a built-in accessibility feature available on all iPad models running iPadOS 13 or later (including iPadOS 17 and iPadOS 18). When activated, it locks your device into a single app, creating a “sandbox” where users can only interact with that specific app. Once activated, external touch controls are disabled—no home button, no swiping between apps, no accidental purchases. The feature requires a passcode to exit, so only you can unlock it when time is up.

Think of it this way: if you give your child an iPad to use Khan Academy, Guided Access ensures they stay in Khan Academy. They can’t accidentally swipe to YouTube, open Safari, or access the home screen.

Why Use This Feature?

Peace of Mind for Screen Time: Set a specific time limit (1 minute to 23 hours 59 minutes) and let the app run automatically. When time expires, Guided Access displays a full-screen message and locks the user out until you authenticate.
Protects Against Accidental Exits: No more “Oops, I hit the home button” moments. Your child stays in the chosen app until you intentionally end the session.
Works Anywhere, No Internet Required: Guided Access is a local device feature that operates completely offline. Perfect for flights, car rides, or locations without Wi-Fi.
Flexible Control Over Device Functions: Disable specific controls like screen rotation, volume buttons, keyboard input, or motion detection—depending on your app and child’s needs.

Things to Consider

Guided Access and Screen Time Are Separate Features: Both use independent 4-digit passcodes. You must set up each one separately (though you can choose to make them the same code for convenience). They don’t automatically share settings.
Control Center Is Disabled: Once Guided Access is active, users cannot swipe down from the top-right corner to access Control Center or Settings. This means they can’t manually adjust Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or brightness during the session.
Remember Your Passcode: If you forget your Guided Access passcode, you’ll need to restart your iPad or use Recovery Mode to disable the feature. Store your passcode somewhere secure, separate from your child’s reach.

How to Lock Your iPad in 5 Minutes — Step by Step

Step 1: Enable Screen Time and Create a Passcode

Open the Settings app on your iPad. Tap Screen Time (look for a green timer icon in the left sidebar). If this is your first time, tap Turn On Screen Time. Choose either This is My Child’s iPad (if the iPad belongs to a child) or This is My iPad (if you share it with others).

You’ll be prompted to create a 4-digit Screen Time passcode. Choose something your child can’t guess—a birth year is better than 1111. Confirm the passcode when asked.

Step 2: Enable Guided Access in Accessibility Settings

Return to the Settings home screen. Scroll down and tap Accessibility. Scroll through the menu to find Guided Access (located under the ‘General’ section at the bottom of the Accessibility menu). Tap Guided Access to open its settings.

Toggle the switch next to Guided Access to On (it will turn green). Below this, you’ll see Passcode Settings—tap this option.

You now have the option to create a separate Guided Access passcode or use your Screen Time passcode. For simplicity, most parents choose to use the same passcode for both features. If you see an option to “Use Screen Time Passcode,” you can select this—but understand that Guided Access maintains its own passcode setting independent from Screen Time.

Step 3: Open Your Child’s App and Activate Guided Access

Open the app you want to lock (for example, a learning game, video app, or educational platform). Once the app is open and ready to use, triple-click the Home button on the bottom of your iPad.

Note for newer iPads without a Home button (iPad Pro 2018 and later, iPad Air 2022 and later): Triple-click the top button (power button) instead.

Guided Access will activate immediately. You’ll see the app name displayed and a semi-transparent overlay showing Guided Access is active. Confirm this is the correct app, then tap Start in the top-right corner.

Important: Do NOT swipe down from the top-right corner to activate Guided Access. That gesture opens Control Center, which Guided Access actually disables during a session. Only triple-click the Home button (or top button on newer iPads) to activate the feature.

Step 4: Configure Restrictions (Optional)

After you tap Start, Guided Access may display additional options to disable specific controls. Tap Options at the bottom of the screen to see restrictions like:

Motion: Disables tilt and gesture recognition
Keyboards: Prevents typing (useful for games)
Touch: Allows you to disable entire screen areas (swipe to create a disabled zone)
Rotation: Locks the screen orientation
Volume: Disables volume button adjustments

For most use cases, the default settings are fine—the app is already locked and users can’t exit. Toggle off any additional features that might let your child access device functions you want to restrict. When satisfied, tap Resume to return to the app with all restrictions active.

Step 5: Hand Over the iPad

Your iPad is now locked to the chosen app. Your child can use the app normally—tap icons, watch videos, play games, interact with content—but they cannot:

Exit the app
Access the home screen
Trigger any disabled controls you configured
Access Settings or other device functions

Step 6: End Guided Access When Time Is Up

When your child is done or time expires, take the iPad back. Triple-click the Home button again (or the top button on newer iPads without a Home button).

A passcode prompt will appear asking for your Guided Access passcode—this is the same code you created in Step 2 (or your Screen Time passcode if you chose to use that). Enter the 4-digit code.

Tap End when prompted. Guided Access will deactivate and the iPad returns to normal operation. Your child can now access the home screen and other apps.

Pro Tip: Setting a Time Limit

When you first activate Guided Access, you have the option to set an automatic time limit. This is useful if you want to enforce screen time boundaries. You can set the duration from 1 minute to 23 hours 59 minutes in one-minute increments. You can also enable audio notifications to alert your child when time is running out.

Guided Access gives you control without the constant “Can I use your iPad?” negotiations. Your child stays focused on what you approve, and you maintain the final say over when the session ends. The feature works offline, doesn’t require any special app downloads, and can be set up in under 5 minutes on any modern iPad.