Navigating family technology can be tricky, especially when it comes to knowing what your child is doing on their phone or tablet. If your family uses Android devices, the Google Family Link app is worth knowing about. Developed by Google, it helps parents manage their child’s device and keep a better handle on apps, screen time and downloads — without needing to hover over their shoulder.
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What is it?
The Google Family Link app was developed to help parents stay in the loop while their kids are online.
The app lets a parent connect their own phone to their child’s Android device and manage, remotely, what the child can do on it.
With Google Family Link, parents can:
- Manage the apps their child can use.
- Approve or block apps their child wants to download from the Google Play Store.
- Keep an eye on screen time, with weekly or monthly activity reports showing how much time is spent on favourite apps, and set daily screen time limits.
- Set a device bedtime and remotely lock the device when it’s time to play, study or sleep.
The app itself is free to download and set up. During setup, Google may ask for a small verification step to confirm it’s actually a parent creating the account — the exact process can change over time, so it’s worth checking the current sign-up steps when you install it.
You might also like reading 10 Tips for Practical Internet Safety for Kids
Who is it for?
Family Link is designed for parents of younger children who don’t yet manage their own Google Account independently. As children get older, their account moves into their own control. Age rules can vary depending on where you live, so it’s worth checking Google’s current guidance for your country when setting it up.
Why is it different?
Family Link isn’t a simple on/off switch for internet access. It’s designed to give parents a hands-on way to stay involved in their child’s online life, while recognising that every family’s approach is different. What one parent considers appropriate, another might not be — and Family Link is built with that flexibility in mind.
It doesn’t promise to make a child’s device completely “safe.” Instead, it gives parents a practical way to manage and stay involved, depending on their own family’s needs.
As Amar Gandhi, Google’s director of product management, put it: “We never think tech is a substitute for parenting, but we do think technology can help.”
You might also like reading Kids Online? 5 Tips You Should Know
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Google Family Link app free to use?
Yes, the app itself is free to download and set up.
Does it work on iPhone as well as Android?
Parents can use an Android phone or an iPhone to manage a child’s Android device through the app.
What can parents actually control with Family Link?
Parents can manage and approve app downloads, monitor screen time with activity reports, set daily time limits, and set a device bedtime with remote locking.
Is Family Link a substitute for talking to my child about online safety?
No. It’s a tool to support parents, not replace conversations about safe and healthy device use. It works alongside good family digital habits, not instead of them.
Related Articles
- 10 Tips for Practical Internet Safety for Kids
- Kids Online? 5 Tips You Should Know
- Setting Healthy Screen Time Rules for Your Family
Before You Go
Managing screen time doesn’t have to be a battle. If you’d like more practical ideas for setting digital ground rules that work for your family, browse our other parenting and technology articles for tips you can put into action today.
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