Two iOS 7 Features Parents Loved, and How They Work in 2026

When Apple released iOS 7 in September 2013, most of the attention went to its flat new design. For parents, two smaller additions mattered more: the first built-in way to filter adult websites in Safari, and the ability to block specific contacts from calling or messaging.

Both features are still on every iPhone and iPad, much more capable than they were. Here's what they were, what they've become, and how to set them up today.

Feature 1: Web content filtering

What iOS 7 added

Before iOS 7, a parent had two choices for Safari: allow it completely or turn it off. Families who wanted something in between had to disable Safari and install a separate kid-safe browser. iOS 7 added a middle option inside the device's Restrictions settings: limit adult content automatically, with lists of websites to always allow or never allow.

What it is now

Restrictions became part of Screen Time in iOS 12, and web filtering has grown up with it. There are now three levels:

• Unrestricted, with no filtering
• Limit Adult Websites, which blocks many adult sites automatically and lets you add sites to always allow or never allow
• Approved Websites Only (called Ask to Browse in iOS 27), which allows only a list of sites you choose and lets your child request access to new ones

In iOS 27, Apple turns on Limit Adult Websites and Ask to Browse by default for children under 13 who are set up through Family Sharing.

How to set it up

On iOS 27 with Family Sharing:

1. On your iPhone, open Settings > Family and tap your child's name.
2. Tap Apps & Websites, then Restrictions.
3. Under Websites, tap Filtering.
4. Choose Limit Adult Websites or Approved Websites Only.
5. Add any specific sites to allow or block.

On iOS 26 and earlier:

1. Open Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on.
2. Tap Content Restrictions, then Web Content.
3. Choose your filtering level and add sites as needed.

Know the limits

No filter catches everything. Automatic filtering misses some adult sites and occasionally blocks harmless ones. It also doesn't control what's inside apps like YouTube, TikTok or Reddit, which have their own settings. Pair it with SafeSearch in search engines; our guide to filtering adult content in Google explains how. Older third-party options are covered in our look at kid-safe browsers.

Feature 2: Blocking contacts

What iOS 7 added

iOS 7 let users block a phone number or email address from calling, sending iMessages or starting FaceTime calls. For families, it offered a simple answer to unwanted contact, whether from a persistent stranger, a former friend or a spam sender.

What it is now

Blocking still works the same basic way, with more places to do it from and more ways to keep unknown people out:

• Block from a conversation, the Phone app's recent calls, FaceTime or a contact card.
• Silence or filter unknown callers and message senders.
• Use Screen Time to restrict communication to approved contacts.

How to block someone

1. Open the conversation in Messages, or find the number in the Phone or FaceTime app.
2. Tap the person's name or number at the top.
3. Tap Block Caller (sometimes shown as Block this Caller) and confirm.

To review or remove blocks, go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Blocked Contacts or Settings > Apps > Messages > Blocked Contacts.

A blocked person isn't notified. Their calls go straight to voicemail, and their iMessages aren't delivered to your child.

Going further with contact limits

Blocking is reactive: it only works after someone has made contact. For younger kids, Screen Time's communication controls work better:

• Contacts Only limits calls and messages to people in your child's contacts.
• Manage Contacts lets parents control the contact list itself.
• Ask to Add Contacts in iOS 27 requires parental approval before your child can communicate with a new number.

Our guide on how to restrict iMessage covers these settings in detail.

Why these two features still matter

Most parental controls focus on time: how long a child uses a device. These two features focus on content and contact, which is where most real risks come from. A child who can reach any website and be reached by anyone has very different exposure from one with filtering and contact limits in place.

Other settings worth checking while you're there

• Communication Safety blurs nudity, and in iOS 27 graphic violence, in images sent to a child.
• AirDrop set to Contacts Only stops strangers nearby from sending images.
• Age ratings for apps, movies and books keep the App Store age-appropriate.
• A Screen Time passcode that's different from the lock screen code protects everything else.

Quick checklist

1. Choose a web filtering level suited to your child's age.
2. Add trusted sites to the always-allow list for younger kids.
3. Turn on SafeSearch in search engines too.
4. Show your child how to block a caller or sender.
5. Set communication limits for younger children.
6. Turn on Communication Safety and set AirDrop to Contacts Only.
7. Revisit the settings each school year.