Android Family Link Setup Guide

What is Google Family Link?

Google Family Link is a free parental control system that lets you create and manage a supervised Google Account for your child. With Family Link, you can remotely manage apps, set screen time limits, filter content, track location, and more—all from your own device.

Family Link works on Android phones and tablets, and can even be used with Chromebooks. Parents can manage settings from Android, iOS, or a web browser, making it flexible for mixed-device families.

📊 Family Link vs Other Android Solutions

🚀 Initial Setup: Creating a Child Account

On Parent's Device

1. Install Family Link for Parents

   Download "Google Family Link for parents" from the Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iOS).

2. Open the app and sign in

   Use your existing Google account (the one you want to use as the parent/manager account).

3. Tap "Get started"

   Choose "Yes" when asked if your child has a Google Account. If they don't, you'll create one.

4. Create child's Google Account

   Enter your child's name, birthday, and gender. For children under 13 (or applicable age in your country), Family Link is required by law.

5. Create child's Gmail address

   Choose an email address like firstname.lastname@gmail.com or let Google suggest one. Write this down!

6. Create a secure password

   Create a strong password for your child's account. Store this securely—you'll need it to sign in to their device.

7. Agree to Google's Family Link disclosure

   Review the information about data collection and parental controls. You must give parental consent.

8. Choose parental controls settings

   The app will walk you through initial settings. You can customize these more later.

📱 Setting Up the Child's Device

Option 1: New Device or Factory Reset (Easiest)

1. Power on the device

   If it's a used device, perform a factory reset first (Settings → System → Reset options → Erase all data).

2. Follow the setup wizard

   Choose language, connect to WiFi, etc.

3. Sign in with child's Google account

   When prompted to add a Google account, enter the email and password you created.

4. When prompted, enter parent code

   The device will display a code. Enter this code in the Family Link app on your device to link them.

5. Choose device name

   Give the device a recognizable name (e.g., "Emma's Phone").

6. Select apps to install

   Choose which apps to install on the child's device. Family Link will show recommended apps.

7. Finish setup

   Complete the remaining setup steps. The device is now supervised!

Option 2: Existing Device with Data

1. Install Family Link for Children

   On the child's device, download "Google Family Link for children" from Play Store.

2. Open the app and tap "Get Started"

   Follow the prompts to connect to parent's account.

3. Enter child's Google Account credentials

   Sign in with the account you created earlier.

4. Link to parent account

   Follow the prompts to connect. You may need to enter a code from the parent app.

5. Grant permissions

   The child device will need to grant various permissions for supervision to work.

🔐 Essential Controls to Configure

App Management

Control what apps your child can use:

Approving and Blocking Apps

1. In Family Link app, tap your child's name
2. Go to "Controls" → "Apps & activities"
3. View all installed apps and their permissions
4. Toggle apps on or off to allow or block them
5. Set "App install approval" to require your permission

Age-Appropriate Content

1. Go to "Google Play" settings in Family Link
2. Set content restrictions:
   • Apps & Games: Choose rating (Everyone, Everyone 10+, Teen, Mature 17+)
   • Movies: Set maximum rating (G, PG, PG-13, etc.)
   • TV: Set maximum TV rating
   • Books: Show or hide books with mature content
   • Music: Block explicit content
3. Require authentication for purchases

Chrome & Web Filtering

Control web browsing and search results:

1. Go to "Filters on Google Chrome"
2. Choose filtering level:
   • Try to block mature sites: Automatic filtering (recommended for most children)
   • Only allow certain sites: Whitelist mode (most restrictive, best for young children)
   • Allow all sites: No filtering (only for older teens)
3. Manage exceptions: Add sites to always allow or block
4. Enable "SafeSearch" to filter explicit results in Google Search

Google Search Settings

1. Go to "Google Search" in Family Link
2. Turn on "SafeSearch" to filter explicit content
3. This applies to Google Search, Google Images, and YouTube

Screen Time & App Limits

Daily Screen Time Limit

1. Tap "Daily limit" in Family Link
2. Set maximum screen time per day (e.g., 3 hours)
3. Choose whether to apply the same limit every day or customize by day of week
4. When the limit is reached, the device locks except for parent-approved apps

Bedtime

1. Tap "Bedtime" in Family Link
2. Set device lock times (e.g., 8:30 PM to 7:00 AM)
3. Customize schedule for different days
4. During bedtime, only calls to parent-approved contacts work

App Time Limits (Android 10+)

1. Go to "App limits" in Family Link
2. Set individual time limits for specific apps
3. For example: TikTok 1 hour/day, YouTube 30 minutes/day
4. Child can see how much time they have left

Location Tracking

1. Ensure location services are enabled on child's device
2. In Family Link, tap "Location" to see child's device location on a map
3. View location history and set up location alerts (if available)

📺 YouTube & YouTube Kids

YouTube content needs special attention for children:

For Younger Children (Under 10)

1. Uninstall or block regular YouTube app
2. Install YouTube Kids instead
3. In Family Link, configure YouTube Kids:
   • Preschool: Ages 4 and under
   • Younger: Ages 5-8
   • Older: Ages 9-12
4. Approve content mode: Choose between curated collections or approved content only

For Older Children (10-12)

1. In Family Link, go to "YouTube" settings
2. Choose supervised YouTube experience level:
   • Explore: Broader range of videos, excludes mature content
   • Explore More: Larger selection, still restricted
3. Search and comment features are limited

For Teens (13+)

At 13, children can choose to graduate from supervision to a regular Google Account. If they remain supervised:

1. Enable "Restricted Mode" in YouTube
2. Consider allowing regular YouTube with monitoring
3. Have conversations about responsible viewing

📊 Monitoring Activity

Activity Reports

1. Open Family Link and tap your child's name
2. Tap "Activity" to view:
   • Total screen time today and weekly average
   • Most used apps with time spent
   • App activity breakdown by day
3. Set up weekly activity email summaries (Settings → Notifications)

Managing the Device Remotely

From the Family Link app, you can:

• Lock device: Instantly lock your child's device remotely
• Play sound: Make device ring to help find it
• See location: View current device location
• Adjust controls: Change any setting without physical access

🔧 Advanced Tips & Best Practices

❓ Troubleshooting Common Issues

⚖️ Pros & Cons of Family Link