How to stop Safe Surfer protection from being uninstalled on Apple mobile devices
This guide will show you how to stop Safe Surfer protection from being uninstalled on an Apple mobile device.
Go to the Home Screen, than tap the Settings app.
Tap the Screen Time menu.
Tap the Communication Safety menu.
If the switch found next to Communication Safety is off, tap it to turn it on. Once you've done this, go back to the Screen Time main menu.
Tap the Content & Privacy Restrictions menu.
Tap the switch found next to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
Tap iTunes and App Store Purchases.
Tap Deleting Apps.
Tap Don't Allow, then go back to the Content & Privacy Restrictions menu.
Tap Content Restrictions.
On iPad devices, this menu is called Store, Web, Siri & Game Center Content.
We suggest using the following options:
Music, Podcasts, News, Fitness: Clean
Music Videos: Off
Music Profiles: Off
Movies: M (that is, PG-13 or the equivalent for your region) or Don't Allow
TV: M (that is, PG-13 or the equivalent for your region) or Don't Allow
Books: Clean
Apps: 12+ (Strongly recommended, unless the device user absolutely requires a web browser app other than Safari, such as Google Chrome. It's safer on Apple mobile devices to only use Safari when also using parental controls.)
App Clips: Don't Allow
After scrolling down further, set the following options:
Web content: Limit Adult Websites (While this is enabled, the Safe Surfer Safari Extension cannot be disabled, and Private Browsing cannot be used.)
(Siri) Web Search Content: Don’t Allow (Optional)
(Siri) Explicit Language: Don’t Allow (Optional)
Once you've made the changes, go back to the Screen Time main menu.
Tap the Lock Screen Time Settings option.
Set a Screen Time passcode.
Unless you would like to use an Apple ID for Screen Time Passcode Recovery, tap the Cancel option.
If you cancelled, tap the second Skip button.
Some apps in the App Store, such as alternative browsers, can be used to evade Safe Surfer protection on the device. There are two steps you can take to help avoid this:
Disable Installing Apps (as found in the Settings app > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases > Installing Apps). To download new apps, you'll have to re-enable Installing Apps each time you want to install new apps and then disallow it again.
If your household has mostly Apple devices, we suggest using Apple's Ask to Buy feature instead—this can approve individual apps remotely using a parent's Apple device. Find out more by clicking this link.
Safe Surfer can take advantage of features available on Supervised devices. To fully prevent uninstallation by supervising your device, locate your device in our online dashboard for full instructions.
Great work! This device is now protected. To start monitoring protected devices, visit our easy-to-use online dashboard.
If you have any other iPhone, iPad, or iPod devices you would like to protect, visit our full Apple mobile device guide.
Step 1: Change Apple content restrictions settings
Go to the Home Screen, than tap the Settings app.
Tap the Screen Time menu.
Tap the Communication Safety menu.
If the switch found next to Communication Safety is off, tap it to turn it on. Once you've done this, go back to the Screen Time main menu.
Tap the Content & Privacy Restrictions menu.
Tap the switch found next to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
Tap iTunes and App Store Purchases.
Tap Deleting Apps.
Tap Don't Allow, then go back to the Content & Privacy Restrictions menu.
Tap Content Restrictions.
On iPad devices, this menu is called Store, Web, Siri & Game Center Content.
Content Restrictions / Store, Web, Siri & Game Center Content
We suggest using the following options:
Music, Podcasts, News, Fitness: Clean
Music Videos: Off
Music Profiles: Off
Movies: M (that is, PG-13 or the equivalent for your region) or Don't Allow
TV: M (that is, PG-13 or the equivalent for your region) or Don't Allow
Books: Clean
Apps: 12+ (Strongly recommended, unless the device user absolutely requires a web browser app other than Safari, such as Google Chrome. It's safer on Apple mobile devices to only use Safari when also using parental controls.)
App Clips: Don't Allow
After scrolling down further, set the following options:
Web content: Limit Adult Websites (While this is enabled, the Safe Surfer Safari Extension cannot be disabled, and Private Browsing cannot be used.)
(Siri) Web Search Content: Don’t Allow (Optional)
(Siri) Explicit Language: Don’t Allow (Optional)
Once you've made the changes, go back to the Screen Time main menu.
Lock Screen Time Settings
Tap the Lock Screen Time Settings option.
Set a Screen Time passcode.
Unless you would like to use an Apple ID for Screen Time Passcode Recovery, tap the Cancel option.
If you cancelled, tap the second Skip button.
Step 2: Restrict app installation
Some apps in the App Store, such as alternative browsers, can be used to evade Safe Surfer protection on the device. There are two steps you can take to help avoid this:
Disable Installing Apps (as found in the Settings app > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases > Installing Apps). To download new apps, you'll have to re-enable Installing Apps each time you want to install new apps and then disallow it again.
If your household has mostly Apple devices, we suggest using Apple's Ask to Buy feature instead—this can approve individual apps remotely using a parent's Apple device. Find out more by clicking this link.
Step 3: Supervise device
Safe Surfer can take advantage of features available on Supervised devices. To fully prevent uninstallation by supervising your device, locate your device in our online dashboard for full instructions.
Protection complete
Great work! This device is now protected. To start monitoring protected devices, visit our easy-to-use online dashboard.
If you have any other iPhone, iPad, or iPod devices you would like to protect, visit our full Apple mobile device guide.
Updated on: 10/12/2024
Thank you!