App store missing from child's phone even though it's "allowed"

I solved this by removing my child from screen time. On the parents' phone, go into "Screen Time" > "Stop Managing child's Screen Time". The app store immediately reappeared and then I re-added their ipad to screen time.

I am having the same issue.

App Store will only appear if I disable all Content Restrictions.

If I set Allow for Install App, the App Store appears for a 1-2 seconds and then disappears.

I have logged a case with Apple for them to investigate.

Will update the thread if I have an update.

I am having this same issue and really do not want to have to create a whole new apple id or turn off parental settings completely just to get passed this issue. Apple please fix this cliche asap!

Having the same issues, nothing we seem to do will fix it, the weirdest part is when you scroll down in settings you can still see the App Store section, but the app is nowhere to be found on the home screen, app library or pulling down and searching for it.

Same issue here. I did notice that when I change the setting under her screen time the App Store shows up for one second then disappears. Also not accessible from the App Library.

It seems there are more options under content and privacy restrictions if you go there directly on the kids phone rather than throuhg the family menu. You can now change restrictions on installing apps from other app stores. This might be related to EU users only.

By going in restrictions directly on my kids phone there is now an option to enable “App store” and separate option to enable “Installing apps”. Enabled those two and app store appeared.

Yes I am also seeing this. I changed the purchases setting for iTunes/app store to not allowed (thinking the apps would still be visible but I would have to use screen time passcode to authorize purchases). Both apps vanished from my kid’s device completely. I was looking at my kid’s device while changing the setting for purchases back to allowed, and I saw the App Store icon pop up on the Home Screen and then vanish. Now I cannot find it again even after powering the device off and on again. But the ITunes Store is back 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Here’s what I did:

Under purchases in “Content and Privacy Restrictions” menu turned app installs back on

Turned off “Content and Privacy Restrictions” entirely to get the App Store to show up again

Turned “Content and Privacy Restrictions” back on

In the main menu for my kid’s Apple ID (the first screen you see when you tap their name under family sharing), turn on “Ask to Buy.”

The App Store will still be visible and browsable on your kid’s device, but where your version has a download/buy option, theirs will have a request function. When they use that, you will get a notification that they’re requesting to download app XYZ, and can approve or deny the request.

If you wanted to be able to block the App Store completely and unblock at will, it seems you’re out of luck. The glitch does recur if you ever turn off purchases again. But this at least keeps your kid from downloading stuff willy-nilly, and you can still set a time limit for the App Store under screen time, so there’s that.

Did you get a resolution to this? I’m having the same problem.

Thank you. Yes I did all of this. My daughter is getting older and I want her to be able to download apps (per the rating I have identified as approved) on her own. Previously she was able to send me the approve request, which worked fine. When she became a teenager I tried to make it so she could [slowly] gain this freedom and download apps without my approval. It worked at first (for a day), then the App store disappeared. I have been using screentime for years and love it, and am pretty familiar with it, but the option for the child to download without gaining approval seems to be none-existent. The only solution I have not tried is to create a new appleID, which i really prefer to avoid. I am scheduled with an Apple tech today and am hoping they can help. But it does seem to be a big glitch that they need to address. Just like driving, or any other privilege, I feel kids need graduated access into that type of responsibility. Going from screen time to absolutely no screen time so that a kid can download apps seems counterintuitive and very dangerous. I would think Apple would want to resolve this as they are very good with security and protecting minors. If I learn a solution today from the tech I will post it here.

I’ve spent HOURS on this. I’m over here trying to model to my kids how to regulate themselves, but I’m about to throw this iPad in the trash from the frustration and tears this caused before I found this thread.

This works!! I tried sooo many other things over the course of several months and nothing worked. I even reset the entire iPad to factory settings deleting all data and Apple ID etc and that didn’t work. Only this worked! And we have two other kids with iPads with identical parental controls and didn’t have any issues with their App Store not showing so we were so confused. This is the only thing that worked. I love Apple but the family sharing and parental controls are just finicky and complicated sometimes. We have had enough issues for it to be extremely frustrating at times. So glad to be out of this storm though. Thank you for the suggestion!!

I tried this:

remove child from screen time on the parents' phone: Screen Time > Stop Managing child's Screen Time > then started managing screen time again and it worked for me as well.

Thanks for the tip

I am experiencing the same issue. Yesterday the App Store was visible on my daughter’s phone, and today it has disappeared. The only way I can get it to show up is if I disable all content restrictions.

No. They are not able to help. Evidently all developers are working on the next operating system and not on fixing issues like this one with the current operating system. I spoke with 2 senior technicians at different times. Very disappointing.