How To Monitor Your Kids Smartphone With The Google Family Link App

In this digital age of smartphones, kids are more than ever before exposed to technology, albeit good, you need to keep a close eye on what your kids are doing on their devices. You can use the Family Link App to create a Google Account for your child under 13 (or the applicable age in your country).

The Family Link App lets you

Change your child’s Google Account settings.
Manage your child’s apps on supervised devices: Decide which apps your child can download or purchase, block or allow apps, and change app permissions.
Manage your child’s screen time on supervised devices: Set bedtime or daily screen limits, and see how much time your child spends on certain apps.
Check your child’s Android device location.
Restrict mature content on Google Play.

Create an account

It takes about 15 minutes to create your child’s Google Account with the Family Link app

Open the Family Link app. If you don’t have the Family Link app, visit the Family Link setup page to get started.
In the top right, tap Create
Follow the instructions on the screen to create the account. (Enter your child’s name, real birthday, gender, email address, and password.)
When you’re done, a confirmation will show on the screen.

Ps. If your child already has their own Google Account, you can add supervision and manage their parental controls with Family Link.

How To Set Up The Google Family Link Parental Control App

Open the Family Link App on both devices and follow the linking process.

Set up key features

Set screen time limit

Open the Family Link app.
Select your child.
On the “Daily limit” card, tap Set up or Edit limits and follow the on-screen instructions.

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Tip: Daily limits apply to each Android device or Chromebook your child uses. For example, if you set a daily limit of 2 hours, your child would get 2 hours of time on each device.

Allow or block apps

The app will be blocked or unblocked in about 5 minutes, or once the device is connected to the Internet. If your child is using the app at the time you block it, they’ll get a one minute warning to finish up before the app is blocked. The app is blocked on all of your child’s Android devices or Chromebooks

Important: Some apps can’t be blocked because they’re required for parent supervision settings to work, or for your child’s device to work.

Open the Family Link app.
Select your child.
On the “Apps installed” card, tap More.
Select the name of the app you want to allow or block.
Turn Allow app on or off.

Find your child’s location

If you’re a parent, you can find your child’s Android device location in the Family Link app.

Open the Family Link app.
Select your child.
On the “Location” card, tap Set up.
Turn on the settings required to find your child’s location.
Tap Turn on. It might take up to 30 minutes to find your child’s device location.