If you've just handed your child their first Android phone, Google Family Link is the free tool that lets you keep an eye on things without standing over their shoulder. From your own phone you can set daily screen-time limits, approve the apps they download, filter out grown-up content, and even see where their phone is. It's all run from one app, and once it's set up it mostly takes care of itself.
This guide walks you through the whole thing in plain English: installing Family Link, getting your child's Google Account set up, linking their phone, and turning on the controls that matter most. Take it one step at a time. If you get stuck or would rather have someone do it with you, Browning PC is right here in Valdosta and happy to help.
Make sure both phones qualify
Family Link works when the parent has an Android phone (7.0 or newer), or an iPhone/iPad on iOS 16 or newer, and the child has an Android phone running 7.0 (Nougat) or newer. You must be 18 or older, and you and your child should be in the same country. Note that an iPhone or iPad cannot be the child's supervised device, only an Android phone, a compatible Chromebook, or a compatible Fitbit can be supervised.
💡 To check an Android version, open Settings, scroll to About phone, and look for Android version.
Install Family Link on your phone
On your own phone, open the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iPhone), search for Family Link, and install it. Open the app, tap Get started, and sign in with your own Google Account when it asks.
Play Store / App StoreSearchFamily LinkInstall
💡 You manage everything from your phone, so this is the app that stays with you, not your child.
Create or add your child's Google Account
In the Family Link app, tap the option to add a child or create an account. If your child is under 13 and has no account yet, you can create one for them here using their name and date of birth. If they already have a Google Account, choose to add supervision to it instead.
Family Link appAdd child / Create account
💡 Have your child's date of birth ready. Google uses it to apply the right age-appropriate settings.
Link your child's phone to supervision
Pick up your child's Android phone. If it's brand new, sign in with the child's Google Account during the first-time setup and follow the prompts to confirm you're the parent. If the phone is already in use, open Settings, tap Google, then Parental controls, tap Get started, and sign in with the child's account to begin supervision.
Child's phoneSettingsGoogleParental controlsGet started
💡 On a new phone the setup wizard walks you through this automatically and may show a code to enter in your Family Link app. The two phones may need to be near each other to finish linking.
Set daily screen-time limits and a bedtime
Back on your own phone in the Family Link app, select your child at the top, tap Screen time, then Time limits. From here you can turn on a Daily limit and set Downtime, the bedtime hours when the phone locks. You can use the same limit every day or set a different one per day.
Family Link appSelect your childScreen timeTime limits
💡 Turn on Daily limit, then use the weekly schedule to set hours per day. You can apply one limit to every day or fine-tune each one.
Turn on app approvals and block or allow apps
From Screen time, tap Time limits, then App limits to see your child's apps. From here you can set a daily limit on a single app, give it unlimited time, or turn its limit off. Changes take about five minutes to reach the phone once it's online.
Family Link appSelect your childScreen timeTime limitsApp limits
💡 To require your approval before new apps download, open Controls, then Google Play, and set the purchase and download approvals to ask you first.
Filter mature content on Google Play and Search
Select your child, tap Controls, then Google Play, and choose the highest maturity level you'll allow for Apps & games, Movies, and TV. For Books you choose whether to restrict explicit content. SafeSearch for Google Search and other Google filters are turned on automatically when the account is supervised, and you can adjust them under Controls too.
Family Link appSelect your childControlsGoogle Play
💡 You can do all of this from a web browser too at familylink.google.com if you prefer a bigger screen, no app download needed.
Confirm it's all working
Give it a few minutes, then check the Family Link app's main screen for your child. You should see their device listed, recent activity, and the location of their phone. If something looks off, make sure both phones are connected to Wi-Fi and try again.
Family Link appSelect your child
💡 It's normal for new settings to take up to about five minutes, or until the child's phone next connects to the internet, to take effect.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google Family Link free?
Yes, the Family Link app and all its parental-control features are completely free. The only possible charge is a small one-time verification amount (often around 30 cents, which Google refunds) when you create a brand-new Google Account for a child under 13, used to confirm you're an adult giving consent.
Can I use Family Link if I have an iPhone but my child has an Android?
Yes. As the parent you can run Family Link on an iPhone or iPad (iOS 16 or newer) to manage your child's account and Android phone. The catch is the other direction: a child's device must be an Android phone, a compatible Chromebook, or a compatible Fitbit to be supervised. An iPhone or iPad can't be the supervised child device.
What happens when my child turns 13?
When your child reaches 13 (or the equivalent age in your country), they get the option to manage their own account and can choose to turn off supervision. Google notifies both of you ahead of time. You can talk it over and agree on what makes sense, but the choice ultimately becomes theirs at that age.
Can my child remove Family Link or get around the limits?
Family Link is designed to make this hard. If a child removes supervision or factory-resets a supervised phone, the device can lock until a parent signs in again. They can't simply delete the app to escape the controls. No system is completely tamper-proof, though, so it's still worth checking in now and then.
Does Family Link let me read my child's texts and messages?
No. Family Link does not let you read your child's text messages, emails, chats, or listen to their calls. It focuses on screen time, app approvals, content filtering, and device location. For younger kids, those tools cover the most important safety basics.