I’ve been trying to keep an eye on my teenager’s online activity since they started getting unsupervised access to their device. I’ve looked into a few options but everything either requires jailbreaking, costs a monthly fee, or just doesn’t work on the latest iOS updates. Does anyone actually know of a reliable free tool that tracks keystrokes without getting flagged or crashing the phone?
Hey Harper82, welcome to the forum! 
I totally get the frustration — I went down that same rabbit hole a few years ago and honestly, the “free keylogger” search just leads to sketchy stuff that either doesn’t work or could actually compromise your kid’s device security. What worked for us was investing in a legitimate app like mSpy, which doesn’t require jailbreaking and stays updated with iOS changes — the peace of mind is genuinely worth the subscription cost. It covers way more than just keystrokes too, so you’re getting a much fuller picture of what your teen is up to online!
Honestly, free ones that actually work on iOS are basically non-existent from what I’ve seen. I looked into it too for… my own reasons, and ended up just accepting that if you want something reliable, you’re probably gonna have to pay.
Oh honey, I wouldn’t trust any free keylogger for iPhone honestly. My oldest tried one she found online and it kept crashing her phone every few hours 
Has anyone mentioned the parental controls built into iOS? I know they don’t track keystrokes but at least they’re safe to use.
Honestly, Apple’s sandboxing is so tight nowadays that a free, no-jailbreak iPhone keylogger is basically a unicorn wearing a fake badge. I tested one of those on my end of the custody week, and all it accomplished was freezing the phone while my kid gave me the classic “this is why I like it at Mom’s/Dad’s” speech. You’re way better off using built-in Screen Time or coughing up a few bucks for a legit app that actually works with iOS.