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To manage multiplayer access on an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web & Games > Game Center > Multiplayer Games. Choose whether the device can play with everyone, friends only, or no one. This Screen Time restriction applies to games that use Game Center features; a game’s own online multiplayer system may have separate controls.

Change the Game Center multiplayer setting

  1. Open Settings and tap Screen Time.

  2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. Turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions if they are off.

  3. Tap App Store, Media, Web & Games.

  4. Scroll to the Game Center section and tap Multiplayer Games.

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  5. Select the access level you want: play with everyone, play with friends only, or don’t allow multiplayer games.

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If you are managing a child’s device through Family settings, select the child in Screen Time first. Enter the Screen Time passcode if prompted. Apple’s iPhone and iPad guides document this route; menu names can differ by software version, so follow the closest matching labels shown on the device. Apple’s iPhone and iPad user guides cover these Screen Time controls.

What each multiplayer option allows

Option Effect
Everyone Allows multiplayer games with everyone.
Friends Only Limits multiplayer to friends.
Don’t Allow Disallows multiplayer games covered by the Game Center restriction.

Apple’s documented choices are everyone, friends only, and no multiplayer. The setting is not a universal internet or multiplayer block: Apple says its restrictions apply only to games that use Game Center features. If a game still allows online play after you change this setting, check the game’s own settings or parental-control guidance for a separate multiplayer system.

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Stop nearby Game Center invitations separately

If the issue is invitations from nearby players rather than multiplayer access in general, use the separate Nearby Players setting under Settings > Game Center. Apple says nearby players in the same game can use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to invite someone to a multiplayer game. This invitation control is distinct from Screen Time’s Multiplayer Games setting.

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Manage other Game Center activity independently

Game Center offers separate restrictions for adding friends, connecting with friends, screen recording, nearby multiplayer, private messaging, profile privacy changes, and avatar or nickname changes. Adjust the relevant control if you want to limit one of these activities; turning off multiplayer does not mean those other settings have also been changed. Apple’s Screen Time guidance describes Game Center restrictions as distinct controls.

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Set restrictions on a child’s device

Parents can manage Screen Time restrictions for a child through Family settings. The precise options or defaults may depend on the child’s age and the software version, and Apple notes that syncing parental-control settings across Family Sharing devices depends on software versions. Check the child’s device directly if its displayed controls do not match what you expect.

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