How to Set Up Parental Controls and Screen Time Limits Using Google Family Link on Android

Providing a child or teenager with their first Android smartphone opens up vast educational resources and communication channels, but it also introduces real concerns regarding excessive screen time, unapproved app downloads, and late-night digital distractions. With Google Family Link, parents can guide their children’s digital habits transparently. By linking a child’s supervised Google account to a parent’s smartphone, Family Link allows parents to enforce daily screen limits, approve Play Store downloads, establish bedtime device shutdowns, and view real-time location remotely.

Key Parental Controls in Google Family Link

Family Link coordinates supervision across your family group seamlessly:

• Daily Screen Time Caps: Set overall daily allowances (e.g., 2 hours on weekdays, 4 hours on weekends) after which the phone automatically locks to essential phone calls.
• Per-App Limits: Place specific time caps on social media or games (such as limiting YouTube to 45 minutes) while keeping educational apps unlimited.
• Scheduled Bedtime: Automatically locks the device every evening at a specified bedtime hour until the following morning.
• Play Store Download Approvals: Requires parental biometric approval whenever the child attempts to download new apps or make in-app purchases.
• Real-Time GPS Location: View your child’s phone location on Google Maps and receive arrival/departure notifications for school or home.

Step 1: Setting Up Family Link on the Parent’s Phone

Parental management begins on the adult’s Android or iOS device:

1. Download and install Google Family Link from the Google Play Store (or Apple App Store).
2. Open the app and sign in with your primary adult Google account.
3. Select your role as Parent.
4. Follow the setup prompts to create a Google Family Group if you do not already have one.

Step 2: Linking and Supervising the Child’s Android Phone

Next, configure the supervision profile on the child’s handset:

1. On the child’s device, open Settings and tap on Google.
2. Tap on Parental controls (or Family Link parental controls) and tap Get started.
3. Select Child or teen.
4. Sign in with your child’s supervised Google account (or create a new account managed by you).
5. Select your parent account, enter your parent password to authenticate supervision, and review allowed permissions.
6. Tap Activate to lock down supervision so the child cannot remove controls without parent authorisation.

Configuring Daily Screen Time and Bedtime Locks

Once linked, all management happens remotely from the parent’s phone:

1. Open the Family Link app on your parent smartphone.
2. Tap your child’s profile card.
3. Under the Daily limit card, tap Edit limits. Customise total allowed hours for each day of the week.
4. Under the Bedtime card, tap Edit schedule. Specify lock and unlock hours (e.g., lock at 8:30 PM, unlock at 7:00 AM).
5. Under App limits, tap on any listed software to set specific daily time allocations or block the app entirely.