Managing a Child's iPad Without Another Apple Device?

Question

I just purchased an iPad for my child. This iPad is the only Apple device that I own. After it arrived, I realized after the fact that iPads apparently do not support more than one user, which is news to me, as I'm an Android user and Android has supported multiple users per device for quite a long time now.

I don't have an iPhone, another iPad, or even a MacBook, or really any other Apple hardware at all. I have access to Windows 10, so I installed iTunes, but it appears that it's not possible to manage apps via iTunes either. There also doesn't appear to be a way to manage anything from a browser, so it appears that my only method of controlling things is to log into and out of my account and my child's account on the device to manage things, and this appears to wipe everything that I have configured.

I have created a family profile, I've created a child account, I have purchased an learn-to-read application in my main account, and after logging into my child's account, I can use the application, but it appears that the Screen Time settings get wiped whenever I log out and into the iPad.

What I'm trying to do is the following:

• Set up this iPad for my child.
• Setup Screen Time for my child to limit access to basically everything, I only want the apps that I select to be usable, no internet access, no maps, etc.

Do I really need to buy another iPad in order to manage this iPad, or am I missing something here?

Answer 1

What’s wrong with setting a parental restriction passcode and not letting your child know the iCloud password for the account you set up?

• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201304

Pretty much everything you have set up is easily achievable in solo mode. You could also sign up for an MDM like Jamf Now

• https://www.jamf.com/products/jamf-now/

That adds far more options than a family AppleID and has many classroom features and integrations. It’s free for op your first three managed devices and Apple specific MDM.

Longer term, you might pick up a used phone or iPod touch that can run the latest iOS and manage the shared family AppleID but many of the family features work best with an iOS device for you to manage things remotely from the iPad you leave with your child.

You have discovered all the drawbacks so your problem statements leads me to believe you don’t have any more major surprises. Two last recommendations, if your child is less than 13 you need to manage their password and agree to all terms for them. Use your account and birthdate and just don’t give them the password ever. Use a password service like 1Password to save all details about your AppleID, the birth date you entered (people often mis type that when they are wanting to get their account set up), security questions and answers and the password, passcode, unlock PIN, parental PIN, etc... document everything and keep your proof of purchase if you need Apple to unlock the device if iCloud gets locked by your child entering the password wrong too many times.