The grandkids are visiting. Within ten minutes, one of them is asking to borrow your phone or tablet — for a game, a video, or just because it’s there.
Handing it over is easy. Knowing what they can reach once they have it is the harder part. Your device is set up for you: your email, your banking, your saved payment details, and an internet with no filter on it.
A few settings change that. None of them take long, and you only have to set them up once.
Start With the Parents
Before you change anything, ask your grandchild’s parents what rules they already have. Many families have limits on screen time, on which apps and games are allowed, and on whether the kids can watch videos on their own.
Following the same rules at your house keeps things simple for everyone — and it means you’re never the one who has to explain why something was allowed at Grandma’s.
Four Settings Worth Knowing About
Lock the device to one app
Both iPhones and Android phones can be locked to a single app, so a child can play the game you opened for them and nothing else. On an iPhone or iPad, the feature is called Guided Access. On most Android phones, it’s called app pinning. Once it’s on, the child can’t switch to your email, your photos, or anything else without your passcode. This is the single most useful setting for a borrowed device.
Make every purchase ask for your password
Games are designed to encourage small purchases — extra lives, coins, new characters — and a child tapping quickly may not realize they’re spending real money. Set your device so every purchase in the App Store or Google Play requires your password, fingerprint, or face. On Google Play, the setting is called purchase verification, and you want it set to “Always.”
Use the kids’ version of the app
Regular YouTube will play one video after another, and the next one isn’t always meant for children. YouTube Kids is a separate app built for children, with its own settings for age and content. If the grandkids watch videos at your house, it’s the one to use.
Close your banking and email before you hand it over
If an app holds your money or your private messages, close it first. A child won’t mean any harm — but one wrong tap in an email or banking app can send, delete, or approve something you didn’t intend.
The names and locations of these settings change from time to time as phones are updated. If you can’t find one, search the setting name along with your device — for example, Guided Access iPad.
If They Have Their Own Device
When a grandchild has their own phone or tablet, the safety settings on it belong to their parents. Apple and Google both offer free tools for this — Screen Time on Apple devices and Family Link on Android — and they’re managed from the parent’s own phone.
Your part is simpler: if the device comes to your house, ask the parents whether there’s anything you should know about it.
The Conversation Matters More Than the Settings
Settings help, but no setting catches everything. What protects children most online is knowing they can tell a trusted adult when something feels wrong — and that they won’t be in trouble for it.
⚠ Things worth telling them
If someone online asks you to keep a secret, tell a grown-up. A real friend doesn’t ask you to hide things from your family.
Never share where you live, where you go to school, or photos of yourself with someone you’ve only met online.
If something on the screen makes you feel scared, confused, or uncomfortable, put the device down and come get me. You won’t be in trouble.
If a grandchild does come to you, stay calm, listen, and let their parents know. If you see something online that involves a child being exploited or put at risk, you can report it to Cybertip.ca, Canada’s national tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
✓ One simple house rule
Devices get used where the grown-ups are — in the kitchen or the living room, not behind a closed door. It’s the easiest rule to keep, and it means you’re nearby if a question comes up.
⚠ Disclaimer
This article is for general information and awareness only. Device settings, feature names, and parental control options vary by manufacturer, model, and software version, and may change with updates. The Lady Tech assumes no liability for outcomes resulting from the application of information in this article. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. Information was current as of October 7, 2026.