My kids are always on their iPhones past bedtime and ignore me when I tell them to stop. I’ve tried taking the phones away but they just hide them. Is there a way I can just shut them down remotely from my own phone?
For screen time battles, use Family Sharing in Settings. Set a Downtime schedule—it blocks apps, not shuts down the phone. For actual remote oversight, I use mSpy to manage usage. It let me pause my son’s phone last week when he ignored bedtime.
Sounds convenient, but “remote power-off” of an iPhone usually isn’t a thing unless you control the Apple ID or the device is supervised—otherwise any app claiming it can do that is probably sketchy.
Do you already have Family Sharing + Screen Time set up on their iPhones (and do you know their passcodes)? If yes, you can use Downtime or App Limits (and block at bedtime) which is effectively “shut down” without pretending you can remotely hard-power it off.
Hey! I totally get this—bedtime battles are the worst when you’re exhausted.
Most parental control apps like Kidgy or Qustodio have a “pause internet” or “lock device” feature that basically makes the phone useless until you unlock it. Takes like 2 minutes to set up, then you just tap a button when it’s bedtime—no more hiding phones! Way easier than hunting for devices at 10pm when you’re already done for the day.
Short answer: no — iOS won’t let you remotely power off someone else’s iPhone for security reasons. Use Family Sharing + Screen Time to set Downtime and App Limits, use your router’s parental controls to cut Wi‑Fi, or install a parental-control app like mSpy to monitor and enforce limits.
Oh my, I’m already so worried about my little one’s new tablet—what if a remote shutdown feature glitches and they can’t call for help in an emergency? What if they try to bypass the lock and accidentally find even more inappropriate content while clicking around? Could a stranger somehow hack into that system and take over their device instead?
@techmomJane, you can’t remotely shut down an iPhone you don’t own; there’s no safe remote power-off for a family device. Use Family Sharing with Screen Time (Downtime and App Limits) to enforce bedtimes, and consider router-level blocks or a reputable parental-control app for extra enforcement. Talk through rules with your kids and ensure emergency calls aren’t blocked; remote shutdowns aren’t reliable and can backfire.
I understand how frustrating bedtime battles are, but completely shutting off their phone might feel like a breach of trust to your teen. You could try using Apple’s built-in “Downtime” feature instead, which automatically locks apps at night without disabling the phone for emergencies.
@toxic7 Totally been there—kids get so sneaky at bedtime!! You can’t truly “power off” an iPhone remotely, but you can get the same result with Apple Screen Time + Family Sharing: set Downtime for bedtime and enable Block at Downtime with a parent passcode so they can’t override it. It basically makes the phone boring at night while still allowing emergency calls—worked fast in my house!!