Guided Access is a powerful feature on your iPhone 15 that allows you to lock your device into a single app and control which features are available. This is incredibly useful when you want to let someone, especially a child, use your phone without worrying about them accidentally accessing other apps or making unwanted changes. It can also be helpful when you need to focus on a specific task and want to minimize distractions. This guide will provide a detailed walkthrough on how to turn on and customize Guided Access on your iPhone 15.
Setting Up Guided Access on Your iPhone 15
Before you can use Guided Access, you need to enable it in your iPhone 15 settings. Here’s how:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone 15.
- Scroll down and tap on Accessibility.
- Scroll down to the General section and tap on Guided Access.
- Toggle the Guided Access switch to the “on” position.
Guided Access settings location
Setting a Passcode for Guided Access
Once Guided Access is enabled, you’ll need to set a passcode to start and end sessions. You can also enable Face ID or Touch ID for added convenience.
- In the Guided Access settings, tap on Passcode Settings.
- Tap on Set Guided Access Passcode.
- Enter a passcode, and then re-enter it to confirm.
- You can also toggle on Face ID or Touch ID to use biometric authentication instead of a passcode.
Starting a Guided Access Session on iPhone 15
With Guided Access set up, you can now start a session in any app:
- Open the app you want to lock into.
- Triple-click the side button (power button) on your iPhone 15.
- The Guided Access screen will appear. Here, you can:
- Disable certain areas of the screen: Use one finger to draw circles around any areas of the screen you want to disable touch input on. You can move, resize, or remove these circles by tapping the “X”.
- Tap Guided Access at the bottom of the screen, then tap Start in the upper right corner.
Alternatively, you can use Siri to start a Guided Access session. Simply open the desired app and say, “Turn on Guided Access.”
Controlling Available Features in Guided Access
Guided Access allows you to customize which features are available during a session. To access these options:
-
Triple-click the side button (power button) on your iPhone 15 during an active Guided Access session.
-
Enter your Guided Access passcode (or use Face ID/Touch ID).
-
Tap Options in the bottom left corner. If you don’t see the “Options” button, triple-click the Side button again and enter your passcode.
-
Here, you can toggle the following features on or off:
-
Sleep/Wake Button: Disables the side button from turning the screen on or off.
-
Volume Buttons: Disables the volume buttons from adjusting the volume.
-
Motion: Limits the device’s response to motion. This disables features like shaking to undo and screen rotation.
-
Keyboards: Disables the keyboard from appearing.
-
Touch: Disables all touch input on the screen.
-
Dictionary Lookup: Allows you to use the Look Up feature when selecting text.
-
Time Limit: Sets a time limit for the Guided Access session.
-
-
Once you’ve selected your desired options, tap Done in the upper right corner.
Ending a Guided Access Session on iPhone 15
Ending a Guided Access session is simple:
- Triple-click the side button (power button) on your iPhone 15.
- Enter your Guided Access passcode (or use Face ID/Touch ID).
- Tap End in the upper left corner.
Troubleshooting Guided Access
If you encounter issues with Guided Access, here are a few things to try:
- Forgot your passcode: If you forget your Guided Access passcode, you’ll need to restore your iPhone to factory settings. This will erase all data on your device, so it’s important to have a backup.
- Guided Access won’t start: Make sure Guided Access is enabled in Settings > Accessibility. Also, ensure that the side button (or Home button on older models) is functioning properly.
- Screen is unresponsive: Check if you’ve accidentally disabled touch input in the Guided Access options.
By following these steps, you can effectively use Guided Access on your iPhone 15 to create a more controlled and focused user experience.
