DevicesCaution
Android Phone Parental Controls: Complete Setup Guide
Set up Google Family Link, Digital Wellbeing, and Play Store restrictions to protect your child on any Android device.
Ages 10-17
14 min read
Updated Jul 20, 2026
Set up Google Family Link, Digital Wellbeing, and Play Store restrictions to protect your child on any Android device.
Android phones offer powerful parental controls through Google Family Link. This guide covers setup, app management, screen time limits, location tracking, and content filtering for any Android device.
For children under 13, Google requires a supervised account managed through Family Link. This provides the strongest controls.
Android parental controls work through:
Use Family Link for children under 13. For teens 13+, you can use Family Link with their consent or rely on Digital Wellbeing and Play Store restrictions.
On your phone, download "Google Family Link" from the Play Store.
On your child's phone, the child version of Family Link is set up automatically when they sign in with their supervised account. On a phone that's already in use, go to Settings → Google → Parental controls to start supervision.
If your child is under 13, you must create a supervised account:
Children under 13 get a supervised account. Since early 2026, teens under 18 need parental approval to stop supervision — they can no longer end it on their own at 13.
If your child already has an existing Google account, migrating it under Family Link supervision can be complicated and may not work in all cases. Google sometimes requires creating a new supervised account instead. If you encounter issues linking an existing account, the smoothest path is often to create a fresh supervised account and transition your child to it. See Google's help page on adding a child's existing account to Family Link for more detail.
On your child's Android phone:
Once linked, you can manage everything from the Family Link app on your phone or at families.google.com.
You can:
Enable "Require approval for" and select:
Many "free" games have aggressive in-app purchases. Enable approval for all purchases to prevent unexpected charges.
Tap any app to set a daily time limit. Recommended limits:
Set total screen time per day. You can customize by day of week.
Recommended starting points:
Schedule when the device locks for the night. Family Link calls this "Downtime." The same Schedules menu also offers "School time," which limits the phone to apps you allow during school hours.
Recommended:
Need to grant extra time? In Family Link, tap your child's name and select "Bonus time" to add minutes without changing settings.
Set maturity ratings for:
Apps & Games
Movies
TV
Books
Options:
Chrome filtering helps but isn't perfect. Consider additional DNS-level filtering through your router or a service like CleanBrowsing.
Enable SafeSearch to filter explicit results. This applies across Google Search on all devices where your child is signed in.
For children under 13 with supervised accounts:
Options:
Turn on "See your child's location" to view their location in the Family Link app.
Family Link shows your child's current location, not a history of where they've been. Detailed route history lives in Google Maps Timeline, which is stored on your child's account and device.
Set up "Place alerts" to get notified when your child arrives at or leaves specific locations like school or home.
Control:
Prevent your child from adding additional Google accounts:
This prevents circumventing restrictions with a different account.
Digital Wellbeing provides additional controls directly on the device:
See daily usage breakdown by app.
Set limits for specific apps (these work alongside Family Link limits).
Pause distracting apps during homework or family time.
Grayscale the screen and silence notifications at bedtime.
Samsung devices have additional controls:
Or use Samsung Kids app for younger children:
With Family Link active, your child's device displays a small supervision icon. They'll also see when you check their location.
Google intentionally makes supervision visible to maintain trust. Your child knows they're being supervised.
| Feature | Visibility |
|---|---|
| App usage time | ✓ Full breakdown |
| Apps installed | ✓ Complete list |
| Location | ✓ Real-time and history |
| Search history | ✓ If activity controls enabled |
| Messages/texts | ✗ Not visible |
| Call history | ✗ Not visible |
| Photos | ✗ Not visible |
When your child turns 13, Google notifies you both and they gain more say over their account settings. As of early 2026, however, teens under 18 need parental approval to stop Family Link supervision — they can no longer end it unilaterally.
Rather than relying solely on technical controls, build trust so teens choose to keep supervision or are open about their digital life.
Common methods and solutions:
Your child's Android device is now protected with Family Link. Remember to revisit settings as they grow and have ongoing conversations about digital safety.
Follow these steps to configure parental controls. Check off each step as you complete it — your progress stays on this page.