How to Disable the iPad’s Home Button

Tablets are great learning tools for kids. They can also be the cause of many headaches and problems for parents with unwanted app purchases, random emails to your boss and missing important documents being just a few things that can happen when you leave a kid to push random buttons on your iPad.

There is a way to prevent children from accessing the “home” button on the iPad. The “Guided Access” feature allows kids to play with an app without being able to leave it and go to the home screen. Below is a quick guide on how to use the Guided Access feature.

1. Open Accessibility Settings

Open Settings and view the General tab. Here you will find Accessibility.

Accessibility

 

 

2. Turn on Guided Access

Under the Accessibility tab, scroll down and turn on the Guided Access feature.

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3. Set 4-digit passcode

If you turn on Guided Access, you can set a 4-digit passcode that will need to be entered to access the home button after Guided Access is activated.

 

4. Open child’s app

Once you have set up Guided Access, you can use your iPad as you normally would until you open an app you would like to restrict your child to. Then triple click the home button to activate Guided Access.

 

5. Activate Guided Access

Under Hardware Buttons, you can select whether or not the child can use the Sleep/Wake Button or the Volume Buttons. Press Start.

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6. Allow child to play

You should be able to use the app as usual, but you won’t be able to leave the app.

 

7. Exit Guided Access when done

When your child is finished playing, triple click the home button. Once you have entered your 4-digit pin, you will be given the settings page again. You may choose to Resume Guided Access and return to the app, or you may choose End and return your iPad to its usual functionality.

If Guided Access is left switched on in the settings, next time you want to let your child play on the iPad you will just need to repeat steps 4 thru 7.

 

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