Google

If you’re a parent, chances are that you have a smartphone and maybe a tablet, and it’s equally likely that your child would like one as well. You may be hesitating, because perhaps your child isn’t yet old enough to take full responsibility when it comes to all the things people do with phones and tablets, such as reaching out to other people, sharing their location, posting to social media, sharing photos and downloading and using apps.

Safely and securely managing all the things you can do with smartphones and tablets takes a bit of maturity and your child may not be there yet. And that’s where Family Link comes in. It allows you – the parent – to do the managing so that your child can enjoy his or her device under your supervision and watchful eye. It doesn’t completely relieve your child of responsibility — after all this is a learning process, but it does allow you to determine what sites they can visit, what apps they can use and when they can — and can’t — use their device.

There is no minimum age for Family Link. You decide when your child is ready.

This guide provides parents with an overview of the Family Link parental tools with tips on how to set up and manage your child’s device, including setting “screen time” to determine how long and at what times they can use their device.

Finally, we give some general advice on how to talk with your child about what they need to do to safely and responsibly use their device as well as how you might approach using and eventually weaning your child away from the parental tools built into Google Family Link.

Top Questions from Parents

1. What is Family Link?

Family Link is an app from Google that allows you to set-up, manage and monitor a Google account and Android device for your child so even young children can take advantage of the benefits of having a smartphone or tablet.

2. What does Family Link do?

The app gives you the ability to manage what apps your kids can use and when they can use them, what websites they can visit, and when they can use the device. Parents can set a device’s “bedtime” so that it can’t be used for anything except phone calls during specific hours of the day or night.

3. What do I need to set up a Family Link account?

You need a compatible Android smartphone or tablet for your child (find details on this webpage) and either an Android or Apple phone or tablet for yourself to manage your child’s account. You can manage some of your child’s account settings from a web browser, but need an Android device for some features and settings. You’ll also need to be in the U.S., and have your own Google account.

4. What are the minimum and maximum ages of kids who can use Family Link?

The app doesn’t have a minimum age. It’s up to parents to decide when their child is ready to have a managed smartphone. For Family Link users, Google will notify both the parent and the child before the child’s 13th birthday, “to encourage a family conversation around when the child will be ready to take control over their own account and device.” The child has the option to transition to a regular account or remain under parent management up until their 18th birthday.

5. Why should my family use Family Link?

There are a great many benefits to smartphones and tablets, even for very young children. We can’t list them all, but they include the ability to make calls and send and receive texts and emails with family members, the ability to use educational apps or games, the ability to take and share pictures, track health and fitness data, and much more. Also, it’s possible to configure your child’s phone so that it securely reports its location to you, which means you know where the phone is and, if the phone is with your child, where the child is as well. Of course, you could give your child a device without Family Link but then you wouldn’t have the ability to manage the apps they use, the sites they visit, and the times they’re using it, and be able to monitor how your child is using the phone. Family Link helps your child learn how to responsibly use their device while giving parents extra peace of mind.

6. Who can manage my child’s account?

By default, it’s just the person who sets up the account but the family manager can add another family member to serve as a second parent who can manage and monitor the child’s device.

7. What should I say to my child before installing Family Link?

It is always a good idea to have a discussion with your child before allowing them to use a device and before using any monitoring or device management tool. Remind your child about their responsibility to use the device appropriately and to take good care of the device. Explain any family ground rules and policies, and talk with them about the features in Family Link so they understand what information you can monitor and how you will be able to manage what they can do with their device. If you elect to limit the apps and sites they use, explain how they can ask permission if they come across an app or site that they would like you to add.