Parental controls sound simple until you actually try to set them up. I’ve been there, staring at a phone menu that seems to have been designed by someone who actively doesn’t want you to find the right setting. When my youngest started using his Android device more independently, I knew I needed something more robust than just hoping for the best. Google Family Link kept coming up as the go-to option, and after finally working through the setup properly, I can tell you it’s genuinely useful. There are a few things nobody tells you before you start, though, and getting those wrong early on will frustrate you no end.
The good news is that Family Link is completely free, which is rare in a space full of subscription-based parental control apps charging you monthly for what should be a basic right as a parent. The less good news is that the setup involves two devices, a specific sequence of steps, and some important eligibility rules that catch people out. This guide walks you through the whole thing, including the bits that the official instructions gloss over.
Before You Start
There are a few things to check before you download anything. Family Link works on Android 6.0 and above for children’s devices, and you can manage everything from either an Android or iPhone (iOS 16+) as the parent, or via the web at familylink.google.com. You’ll need your own Google Account and you’ll need to be in the same country as your child. One important eligibility note worth flagging: Family Link can only supervise accounts that were either created through Family Link, or where the child has actively agreed to supervision. If your child already has their own Google Account that wasn’t set up through Family Link, it may not be eligible for supervision. Check this before you begin. Budget around 15 to 30 minutes depending on how familiar you are with Android settings.
Step 1: Download the Apps on Both Devices
Start on your own device. Search for Google Family Link in the App Store or Google Play and install it. It’s the one with the colourful people-shaped icon. Sign in with your Google Account once it’s open.
Then, on your child’s device, install the same app. Confusingly, it’s the same app name, but the experience adapts depending on which device you’re setting up as the parent versus the child’s device.
[Screenshot placeholder: Google Family Link app icon in the Play Store]
Step 2: Create a Google Account for Your Child (If Needed)
If your child doesn’t already have a Google Account managed through Family Link, you’ll create one now. Open the Family Link app on your device and follow the on-screen prompts. When it asks whether you’re setting up an account for a child or a teen, choose accordingly.
For children under 13, you’ll be guided through creating a new Google Account with you as the supervising parent. You’ll set a username, password, and agree to Google’s terms on your child’s behalf. Family Link will then link this new account to yours.
If your child is 13 or over, they can choose to update their existing supervised account to a supervised teen account. Supervision doesn’t automatically end at 13. They’re simply given the option to accept continued supervision. Either way, parents keep control of parental settings.
Step 3: Link the Child’s Device
This is where the sequence matters. On your child’s Android device, go to:
Settings > Google > All Services > Parental Controls
Tap Get Started, then select Child or Teen when asked who owns the device. The device will ask you to sign in with your child’s Google Account. Use the account you just created, or the one they’re already using if it’s eligible.
You’ll then be asked to confirm on your own device that you’re approving the link. A code or confirmation prompt will appear, and once you’ve approved it from the parent side, the two devices are connected.
[Screenshot placeholder: Parental Controls menu inside Android Settings]
Step 4: Set Up Screen Time Limits
Once linked, open the Family Link app on your device and tap on your child’s profile. Here you’ll find the screen time controls. You can set:
- Daily limits, which cap how long the child can use the device each day
- Bedtime schedules, which lock the device at a set time each night
- School time, which locks the device during school hours
One thing I’d strongly recommend reading before you set these: daily limits apply per device, not across all devices combined. So if you set a two-hour daily limit and your child has two Android devices or a Chromebook as well, they get two hours on each one separately. That’s not a bug, but it’s a long way from obvious, and it’s easy to think you’ve capped their usage when you haven’t really.
If your child’s device is locked and they need a bit more time for something legitimate, you can grant bonus time from within the app without changing their regular schedule. Useful for those evenings when homework genuinely does require the tablet.
Step 5: Manage App Approvals
Still in your child’s profile in Family Link, head to the Controls section and then Apps. This is where you decide what your child can download and use.
By default, you can require your child to request approval before downloading anything from the Google Play Store. When they request an app, you get a notification on your phone and can approve or reject it in seconds. It feels a bit like being a bouncer at a very small nightclub, which I’m honestly fine with.
You can also go through installed apps individually and block any that you don’t want them using. Worth knowing: when you block an app, it takes around five minutes to take effect, or until the child’s device next connects to the internet. If they’re actively using the app when you block it, they’ll get a one-minute warning. The block applies across all of their Android devices and Chromebooks.
Some apps cannot be blocked because they’re required for the parental supervision system to function. Don’t be alarmed if you see a handful of apps that are greyed out in the controls.
Step 6: Enable Location Sharing
Inside your child’s Family Link profile, look for the Location section. Toggle on location sharing and you’ll be able to see where their Android device is from your app. It’s not live GPS tracking in the military sense. It updates periodically. But it’s more than enough to check they’ve actually gone to where they said they were going.
Step 7: Set Content Filters
Back in the Controls menu, you can adjust filtering settings for Google Chrome, Google Search, YouTube, and the Play Store. For younger children, I’d recommend setting Chrome to only allow approved websites, and enabling SafeSearch on Google Search.
One honest disclaimer that Google itself acknowledges: these filters aren’t perfect. Explicit or inappropriate content can sometimes get through. Family Link is a meaningful layer of protection, not an airtight seal. Combine it with ongoing conversations about online safety rather than relying on it entirely.
One thing Family Link does handle automatically is that Incognito Mode on Chrome is disabled for supervised accounts. So the classic “just go private” workaround doesn’t work here.
If It’s Still Not Working
The devices aren’t linking. Make sure both devices are connected to the internet and that you’re signed into the correct Google Accounts on each. The child’s account must be one created through Family Link or eligible for supervision. An existing independent Google Account won’t work without that prior setup.
App blocks aren’t applying. Give it five minutes and check that the child’s device is online. Blocks don’t apply when the device is offline.
Screen time limits aren’t showing in the app. If you’ve just completed setup, try closing and reopening Family Link. Occasionally a sync delay means the settings take a few minutes to populate fully.
Wrapping Up
If you’ve followed the steps above, you should now have a properly linked Family Link setup with screen time limits, app approvals, location sharing, and content filtering all running. It won’t solve everything. No parental control tool does. But it’s a solid, free starting point that genuinely gives you meaningful oversight of what your child is doing on their device. If you’re still hitting a wall, drop a comment below or come and ask in the Tech Dads Life newsletter community where there are plenty of parents who’ve been through exactly the same thing.
If this kind of practical guide is useful to you, the Tech Dads Life newsletter is where I share more of this sort of thing, along with kit reviews, honest opinions, and the occasional reminder that technology is supposed to make family life easier, not harder. Sign up at techdadslife.beehiiv.com and join the community.
