How do I stop my son disabling locations, I'm on iOS 18.5

My 13 year son keeps turning off his location, I have control of his screen time. How do I stop him doing this? I tried the ways it tells you on line, but my settings are different, thanks

iPhone 11 Pro Max, iOS 18

Posted on Jul 15, 2025 7:28 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 15, 2025 8:22 PM

Off the top…


Settings > Screen Time > [name] > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Location Services > On

Settings > Screen Time > [name] > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Don’t Allow Changes

Settings > Screen Time > [name] > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Account Changes > Don't Allow


If your child is disinclined to cooperate, your tracking efforts will fail. The iPhone could well be “lost”, “misplaced”, “left behind”, “borrowed by a friend”, “battery-depleted”, or Faraday-bagged, among various other responses.


All of parental controls and all related efforts can be bypassed, and on an allowance-scale budget.


Your child has agency.

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 15, 2025 8:22 PM in response to ESS2509

Off the top…


Settings > Screen Time > [name] > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Location Services > On

Settings > Screen Time > [name] > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Don’t Allow Changes

Settings > Screen Time > [name] > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Account Changes > Don't Allow


If your child is disinclined to cooperate, your tracking efforts will fail. The iPhone could well be “lost”, “misplaced”, “left behind”, “borrowed by a friend”, “battery-depleted”, or Faraday-bagged, among various other responses.


All of parental controls and all related efforts can be bypassed, and on an allowance-scale budget.


Your child has agency.

Jul 16, 2025 8:07 AM in response to ESS2509

ESS2509 wrote:

Mines not the same as that. I’ve blocked changes on location sharing. But that’s all I have. He said he can just turn it off


You can confirm that all settings are locked, starting with the above-mentioned settings.


Use parental controls on your child's iPhone or iPad - Apple Support


However, even given entirely correct settings against a determined adversary, you will lose this.


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How do I stop my son disabling locations, I'm on iOS 18.5

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