Setting up Guided Access on an iPad (iOS 17)

What is Guided Access?

To support a learner to make the best use of an app for learning and developing skills, Guided Access allows you to control which features of the iPad and app you want to make available.

With Guided Access turned on, you can lock the Home button, disable areas of the screen, turn off the Sleep/Wake button, turn off the volume buttons, lock automatic screen rotation, turn off the keyboard and set a time limit for using an app. Guided Access is a useful tool that is simple to set up and use.

Setting up Guided Access for the first time

1. Tap on the settings icon.
2. Tap on 'Accessibility'.
3. Scroll down to 'GENERAL' and tap on 'Guided Access'.
4. Tap to turn it on.
5. Tap 'Passcode Settings'
6. Tap 'Set Guided Access Passcode'. Enter a 6 digit number. This is the number you will enter each time you end a Guided Access session.

Turning Guided Access On and Off

Once you have turned Guided Access on in the accessibility settings it is easy to quickly turn it on and off.

To turn it on, open an app. Triple-click the home button.

To turn it off, triple-click the home button and enter the 6 digit passcode when prompted.

If you are using an iPhone or iPad without a home buttons, you can turn Guided Access on and off by triple-clicking the side button. Forgotten the Guided Access Passcode?

Forgotten the Guided Access Passcode?

If you don’t know or forget the Guided Access passcode you can become ‘stuck’ in an app; nothing happens when you press the home button.

To solve this issue, press the home button and the power button at the same time until the screen is dark and the Apple icon appears.

What can you control using Guided Access?

Sleep/Wake Button

Turn the Sleep/Wake button off.

Motion

Prevent the screen automatically rotating or disable the 'shake screen’ to undo typing feature.

Keyboard

Turn off the keyboard so that it cannot appear on the screen.

Touch

Select areas of the screen to be disabled. Useful if you want the 'settings’ button disabled within an app.

Volume Buttons

Disable the volume buttons.

Time Limit

Set a time limit for a Guided Access session, limiting how long you can access an app before you have to re-enter the Guided Access passcode to continue.

Home Button

Starting Guided Access from within an app automatically disables the home button, effectively ‘locking down’ the app until Guided Access is turned off. This is a really useful feature for learners who are easily distracted by particular apps.