Apple's iOS 27 Adds FaceTime Gore Blur and Safari Ask to Browse

Apple has shipped its expanded child safety suite with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, and says on its newsroom that the tools are available now.

The sharpest new capability sits inside Communication Safety. Where the feature previously blocked nudity, Apple says it now blocks "gore and violent content, in addition to nudity, in shared images and videos, including in live FaceTime calls." That extends automated detection from stored images into moving video during a call.

Alongside it, Ask to Browse in Safari lets parents "require approval before their kids access a new website." Time Allowances add what Apple describes as "expert-informed, age-tailored guidance" for categories like Social Media, Entertainment, and Games. A redesigned Screen Time gives parents "an at-a-glance view of usage and one-tap controls to adjust access in the moment," and new child accounts get a recommended starter set of essential apps.

Apple says the changes are informed by online safety and health experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, which it is working with to adapt its Family Media Plan "into a guide parents can reference when using Apple products." The bundle was previewed in June.

The fine print: every device in a Family Sharing group must run iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 for the Screen Time update to work, and Apple notes "some features may not be available in all regions, all languages, or on all models." The press release names no Apple executive and includes no third-party accuracy figures for the new detectors.