Check what your child is doing on their phone with parental controls. See how to use Google Family Link.
While technology offers many benefits to humans, it can also pose a great danger: screen addiction among children and adolescents. Screens not only make children addicted, but they can also cause serious problems with cognitive, visual and social development. Any parent knows how difficult it is to keep children away from screens. Because screens are very stimulating.
With that in mind, there are apps and settings to control screen time on Android and iOS phones and tablets. We’re talking about Google Family Link. This is an app that will help you control your child’s screen time. Keep reading and see how to use Google services.
What is Google Family Link?
Google Family Link is an app that helps you keep your safe family online, according to the official synopsis of the app available on the Google Play Store and Apple Store. We know that every family's relationship with technology is different. That's why the technology company created tools like Family Link to offer flexibility in choosing the right balance for your family and help them develop healthy digital habits.
Family Link's easy-to-use tools help you understand how your child is using their device, see their location, manage privacy settings, and more.
Why use Google Family Link?
The app was heavily criticized when it was first released, but now it is doing its job very well. Among the main features are:
- You can set overall usage time limits or different limits for each day.
- You can set the bedtime. In other words, the time when the device becomes unavailable.
- This app can be used for any application (including games and social media). In addition to limiting usage time, you can also block the applications you want.
- Additionally, you can approve or deny installation requests for specific apps from Google Play.
- You can also check your child's current location on a map.
- Parents can install an app on their iPhone or Android devices to monitor and change settings on their child's Android device.
Family Link is generally designed for use with Google Accounts for children under the age of 13. However, there is nothing stopping it from being used for older children. Last but not least, Family Link does not block what it considers offensive content. It is up to you to decide which apps you allow or disallow for your child.
How to use the application?
You'll need your phone and your child's phone to set up and use the app. The basic process is as follows:
- Go to your phone's app store and download Google Family Link (Android | iOS).
- Then follow the instructions to sign in to your Google Account.
- If you're not already a family manager, follow these steps to set up your Google family and become one.
- Then, select the existing Google Account you want to manage or create one for your child.
- Then, install the Google Family Link app on your child's phone.
- Follow your phone's instructions to pair your child's devices (both devices must have Bluetooth turned on).
- From the list of apps installed on your child's device, choose whether you want to allow or restrict their use.
How to block content on Play Store?
If you want to limit the content your children can access on the Google Play Store, you can use the settings. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open the Play Store app on your device.
- Then visit your profile, the button is on the right.
- Then tap Settings > Family.
- Once done, go to “Parental Controls” and enable the option. In this step, you will need to create a PIN code to prevent your child from changing the settings.
- Once you have created and verified your PIN, navigate to each section and set the restrictions you want. The different sections are: Apps and Games. As well as Movies.
- Tap each category to see the different age categories available. Then, tap the maximum age you want your child to have access to and tap “Save.”
Now when your child is in the store, they won't be able to download content that exceeds your settings.
