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Parental Controls: PIN-Lock IPTV Categories

Lock whole IPTV categories behind a 4-digit PIN in Stream Master on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. Free, set per playlist. See how it works and its limits.

Stream Master’s parental control lets you lock whole categories of a playlist behind a 4-digit PIN, so they can’t be opened without the code. It works on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, and it is included in the free version. You don’t need Pro.

What you can do with it

  • Set a 4-digit PIN. One code protects every category you choose to lock.
  • Lock entire categories. Pick any of the categories your provider uses, such as an adult group, a late-night movie group or a whole region. Everything inside that category stays behind the PIN.
  • Choose locks per playlist. Locked categories are set for each playlist. If you use more than one playlist (Pro allows unlimited playlists), each one has its own list of locked categories.
  • Unlock for the current session. When an adult enters the PIN, the locked category opens for the current session. You don’t have to type the code again for every channel.
  • Change the PIN later. On Apple TV, the Parental Control screen has a Change PIN option.

Stream Master sorts content into Live TV, Movies and Series using the categories your provider supplies. Your locks follow those same groupings. If you want to see how that sorting works, read Auto-Categorization.

How to use it

On iPhone and iPad

  1. Add your playlist first: open the Playlists tab, tap +, and choose Link m3u or Xtream Login. The playlist guide covers this step by step.
  2. Open the Settings tab.
  3. Tap Parental Control.
  4. Set your 4-digit PIN.
  5. Choose which categories to lock for the playlist.
  6. Go back to Home or Playlists and try to open a locked category. The app should ask for the PIN.

On Apple TV

  1. Add your playlist from the Playlists tab with Link m3u or Xtream Login, the same as on iPhone.
  2. Open the Settings tab.
  3. Select Parental Control.
  4. Use Change PIN to set your 4-digit code.
  5. Open Locked Categories and choose the categories to protect.
  6. Test it by opening a locked category from the Home or Playlists tab.

To watch a locked category yourself, enter the PIN when asked. The category then stays open for the rest of that session.

For a wider look at keeping IPTV family-friendly, read How to Set Up Parental Controls for IPTV Streaming.

Limits and requirements

  • Devices: iPhone and iPad on iOS 16 or later, and Apple TV on tvOS 18.5 or later.
  • Free or Pro: Parental control is free on all three devices. The free version allows 1 playlist. Pro adds unlimited playlists, and each extra playlist gets its own locked categories.
  • Playlist type: Category locks work with both M3U links and Xtream Codes logins, because both are organised by the provider’s categories.
  • Ads: Free users on iPhone and iPad see ads, and parental control does not change that. Pro removes ads. The Apple TV app has no ads.
  • Your provider decides the groupings. You can only lock the categories your provider created. If a provider puts mixed content in one broad category, you have to lock or allow that category as a whole.
  • Set it up on each device. Your family may use an iPhone, an iPad and an Apple TV. Open Parental Control on each one and check that the PIN and locked categories are set the way you want.

When it is not available, or not the right tool

Be clear about what this feature does not do before you rely on it:

  • No individual channel locks. Locks apply to whole categories, not single channels or single movies.
  • No app-wide PIN. The PIN protects the categories you choose. It does not lock the whole app when it opens. Unlocked categories stay open to anyone holding the device.
  • No age-rating filter. Stream Master doesn’t read ratings or filter content automatically. You decide which categories to lock.
  • Only inside Stream Master. The lock has no effect on other apps or on the device as a whole. For device-wide limits, use Apple’s own Screen Time settings alongside it.

If locking by category fits the way your provider groups content, the feature gives you a simple barrier that adults can open quickly with the PIN.

Download Stream Master on the App Store and set up your PIN in a couple of minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Stream Master Pro to use parental controls?

No. Parental control is included in the free version on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. Pro adds unlimited playlists, and you can set locked categories for each one.

Can I lock individual channels instead of whole categories?

No. Stream Master locks entire categories from your playlist behind a 4-digit PIN. To hide a single channel, you would have to lock the whole category it belongs to.

Does parental control work on Apple TV?

Yes. On Apple TV, go to Settings > Parental Control, where you can use Change PIN and Locked Categories.

Will I have to enter the PIN every time I change channels?

No. Once you enter the PIN, the locked category opens for the current session, so you can browse it without retyping the code.