How to set up Google Family Link on your child's Android phone

Google Family Link is free and built for Android. It lets you manage your child's Google account and Android devices from your own phone, whether that's Android or iPhone.

What you need

• Your child's Android phone or tablet, charged and connected to Wi-Fi
• Your phone with the Google Family Link app installed
• Your own Google account
• About 20 minutes

Step 1: Create or link your child's account

For a new phone (best): turn on the phone and, when it asks for a Google account, choose to create one for your child. Enter their real birthday. If they're under 13, Google will ask a parent to sign in and give consent. That creates a supervised account.

For a phone already in use: open Family Link on your phone, tap to add a child, and follow the steps. Your child's phone will ask for their password and your approval. If your child is 13 or older, they'll need to agree to supervision, so talk with them first.

Use your child's real birthday. Google, YouTube and many apps use it to set age-appropriate defaults. A fake older age switches those protections off.

Step 2: Set app approvals

In Family Link, choose your child, then Controls, Google Play:

• Purchases and download approvals: All content. You'll get a request on your phone for each new app.
• Content restrictions: set apps and games to an age rating that fits your child.

Also check Controls, Apps to see what's already installed and block anything unsuitable.

Step 3: Set screen time

Under Controls, Screen time:

• Daily limit: set a total for each day. You can set different limits for weekends.
• Downtime: the device's bedtime. Try 9:00 or 9:30 PM to 6:00 AM for children under 13.
• School time (on supported devices): limits the phone during class hours, while allowing calls and chosen apps.

You can also set app limits for specific apps, such as one hour for YouTube.

Mark essential apps as Always allowed: phone, messages to family, and maps.

Step 4: Filter content

• Chrome: under Controls, Content restrictions, Google Chrome, choose Try to block explicit sites, or Only allow approved sites for younger children.
• Google Search: SafeSearch is turned on for supervised accounts.
• YouTube: choose YouTube Kids or a supervised YouTube experience. See YouTube parental controls.

Step 5: Location

Under Location, turn on location sharing so you can see the device on a map. Tell your child you've done it and why.

Step 6: Protect the settings

• Make sure your child doesn't know your Google password.
• In Controls, check that your child can't add users or use guest mode, which can bypass controls. Options depend on the phone.
• Your child can't remove supervision without you, except in some cases when they turn 13, depending on Google's current rules. If they do, you're notified and their devices are temporarily locked.

Common problems

• Settings not applying: the child's phone must be online. Open Family Link on their phone and refresh.
• Apps installed before supervision: these may still be there. Review them in Controls, Apps.
• Samsung phones: Family Link works, but some Samsung apps, like the Galaxy Store and Samsung Internet browser, need separate attention. See Samsung parental controls.

What Family Link doesn't do

It doesn't show messages, filter content inside most apps, or manage settings inside TikTok, Roblox or games. Use each app's own controls too, and see the complete parental controls guide.