Guided Access: How to Use It

Have a baby or kid who loves to touch your phone and lock you out of it? Well, I’ve found a solution–Guided Access.

This past week I learned a new trick on my iPhone–thanks to my husband–and believe that it should be shared with everyone. Obviously, if you don’t have an iPhone, this won’t work for you, but that’s just all the more reason to trade up and get one. Lol!

Anyways, whether you’re handing your device to a child or just need some undisturbed time with a specific app, Guided Access has got your back. This article will walk you through how to use this feature effectively to protect your phone. 

1. Open “Settings” on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap “Accessibility.”
3. Under the “General” section, find and select “Guided Access.”
4. Toggle the switch to turn on “Guided Access.”

1. Open the app you want to use.
2. Triple-click the side button (or Home button, depending on your device) quickly.
3. The Guided Access screen will appear.

1. Draw a frame around areas of the screen you want to disable (helpful for interactive apps).
2. Set a time limit for using the app.
3. Disable touch or motion controls.
4. Turn off the hardware buttons (e.g., volume buttons, sleep/wake button).

Section 4: Exiting Guided Access

Exiting is straightforward:

1. Triple-click the side (or Home) button again.
2. Enter your device passcode.
3. You’ll return to the app’s normal mode.

Using Guided Access has proven to be a game changer. No more worrying about whether your kid(s) have locked you out of your phone or if they are switching apps purposely or by accident. Unfortunately, if you have a teething baby that’s putting everything in his mouth–me–, this won’t fix that issue. Nevertheless, go ahead and use this feature. It’s more than worth it.

P.S. it also works great for adults who get distracted and need to get work done.