Google Family Link
Family Link creates a Google Account for a child under 13, or adds supervision to an account that already exists. The parent has to be 18 or older. iPhones and iPads cannot be supervised with Family Link.
Set these in the Family Link app on your phone. The parent account has to be 18 or older.
Limits apply per device. An iPhone cannot be supervised with Family Link.
Require approval for app downloads and purchases
On your phone · ages 5–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026
You approve downloads and purchases. This covers Google Play billing only, not a purchase made inside another store.
- In Family Link, turn on approval for app downloads and purchases.
- Remember this does not cover spending inside a console store or a gift card.
Block or allow apps, and review permissions
On your phone · ages 5–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026
You can block an app outright and review the permissions it asks for.
- Block any app you do not want on the device.
- Review permissions for the apps you leave on.
Set a daily limit, a weekly schedule, and bedtime
On your phone · ages 5–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026
Family Link can set a daily limit, a weekly schedule, bedtime, and bonus time. The limits apply separately on each device.
- Set a daily limit and a bedtime.
- If the child has more than one Android device, set the limit on each one.
Decide whether device location is on
On your phone · ages 5–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026
Family Link can show the location of a supervised Android device or Fitbit, including Family places. Supervised children under 13 can share real-time Maps location only with parents. This does not cover an iPhone.
- Family Link, Location, Set up location. Turn on “See your child's location” if that is what you both agreed.
- Add Family places if you want arrival and departure notes.
- This is not Apple's Find My. That lock is still being checked, so it is not listed.
Restrict mature content on Google Play
On your phone · ages 5–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026
Family Link can limit mature apps, games, and other media on Google Play.
- Set the Play content restriction to match your child's age.
Review the supervised Google Account settings
On your phone · ages 5–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026
Family Link also manages settings on the Google Account itself, separate from any one app.
- Open the account controls in Family Link and review what the child can change.
Know that supervision stays on at 13
On your phone · ages 13–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026
Google emails you and your child. If they do nothing, supervision continues. Stopping it before 18 needs your approval, and you are both notified when it stops.
- If you want supervision to continue, you do not have to tap anything when the update email arrives.
- In Family Link, open your child's account settings and choose Stop supervision (you'll need to confirm).
Set Chrome's site filter
On your phone · ages 5–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026
Family Link can allow all sites, try to block explicit sites, or allow only sites you approve. Incognito is off while they are signed in with the supervised account. On a computer or an iPhone they can sign out of Chrome, and then these controls do not apply.
- Family Link, the child, Controls, Google Chrome and Web.
- Choose Try to block explicit sites, or Only allow approved sites.
- Remember a signed-out browser, or a different browser, is outside this filter.
Leave SafeSearch locked on
On your phone · ages 5–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026
For a supervised child, SafeSearch is on and locked by default. You can set Filter, Blur, or Off. It is not enforced if they are signed out or use another search app.
- Family Link, the child, Controls, Google Search.
- Leave Filter on unless you have decided otherwise.
Optional: lock SafeSearch on the home network
In a browser · ages 5–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026
A supervised account already locks SafeSearch. A network lock covers Google Search even when someone is not signed in on that Wi-Fi. It does not cover other search engines.
- On the router, set the DNS name for www.google.com to a CNAME for forcesafesearch.google.com.
- Google also documents a hosts-file method for a single computer. Use that only if you know how to edit that file.
How we check lists what was left off Google Family Link.
Build a plan that includes Google Family Link