How do I set up parental controls on my child’s Android smartphone?

Summary:

How to Set Up Parental Controls on Your Kid’s Smartphone

If you want to give your kids their own Android smartphone or tablet, Google offers a wide range of safe usage controls, especially when it comes to protecting minors. We have explained the first installation step in another article:

The key is to install the Google Family Link app. You need to install it on your smartphone as a parent to have a protected Google account for your child.

To set up Google Family Link on your child’s smartphone, certain requirements must be met:

• You must accompany your child when installing a new smartphone or tablet
• Children must use a Google Account set up and managed by a parent
• The child must be the primary user of the new device.
• Device must be running Android 5.0 or higher

Google Family Link can restrict, lock and even locate your child’s device / © kwgeek

When you first set up your child’s device with a protected Google Account, the Family Link app automatically sets itself up as a device administrator. This makes it difficult for children to circumvent the safety measures and protective guidelines you set. Not even us editors can do this without a parental password.

As a parent, you also have several options for remote control from your smartphone:

• Limit maximum smartphone usage per day
• determine bedtime
• Completely restrict/block usage of individual apps
• Share sites individually or trust Google’s parental control filters
• See where the kids are once T
• Instantly lock your smartphone
• reset device

How to Create Parental Controls in the Browser and Play Store

It is undoubtedly almost impossible to protect minors from browsing the web. Even Google’s parental controls filter only “attempts to block adult sites,” as it says in Parental Settings. These are in each child’s domain, which you can find in the Parent device’s Family Link app. Therefore, we recommend the following settings for true parental control when browsing with Google Chrome:

1. open the application family connection on the parent’s device.
2. select tab control.
3. choose content restrictions.
4. according to Google Chrome.
5. choose between options try blocking porn sites Where Only allow approved sites.
   1. The first option attempts to hide violent and sexually explicit sites, while the second option requires a list of approved and/or blocked sites.

Google Family Link admits its filtering technology isn’t perfect. / © kwgeek

With the latter option, you will be notified when your child uses a new domain. You can then deny or allow access to the web page individually. In this way, a list of approved sites is gradually created. Parents can view this list and edit it later in the menu under Admin Site described below.

The problem with this approach is that the rules only work in the Chrome browser. These restrictions do not apply if your child installs another browser, such as Firefox, from the Play Store. This brings us to the next step.

Parents can enforce Google Play installation requirements to be approved or authenticated on a parent’s device. / © kwgeek

For blocking apps in the Play Store, parents can proceed in the same way as above. Out of the box, kids with a Family Link account can install unsolicited free apps from the Play Store, up to a USK rating you determine. But we shouldn’t rely on USK ratings, because for example the Firefox browser allows “from year 0” but can display pornography without any restrictions. Therefore, your child should obtain your consent before installing the application:

1. open the application family connection on the parent’s device.
2. select tab control.
3. choose content restrictions.
4. according to google play.
5. select option request permission.
6. choose all content.

Google Family Link provides options to restrict and require approval for different types of apps. / © kwgeek

According to USK guidelines, many games are certainly not dangerous for young people. However, they have considerable addictive potential. Additionally, they often require checkout via in-app purchases, which can unnecessarily frustrate children if without a corresponding purchase no achievements are achieved and time invested in the game is wasted.

Parental Control Limits for Family Link

While your child may not be able to beat the above measures, they are still limited. You may wish to use a messaging app on your child’s smartphone. But unless you control this application’s servers yourself, children may receive adult content from third parties.

Family Link has no control over the cost if your child has a SIM card in their smartphone. To limit current mobile internet and phone charges, it is always recommended for children to use a prepaid tariff or family card such as Vodafone or Telekom. With these, parents can sometimes see who their kids have called.

Keep your smartphone safe and hand it over to your kids safely

Do you want to let your kids play or watch videos on your smartphone for a while? In this case, he should not be able to press the home button and open other applications. Fortunately, thanks to features integrated into your smartphone, no additional apps are needed to prevent this from happening.

Most Android smartphones have a hidden feature that pins the currently open app to the foreground of the screen. For most manufacturers, you’ll be in…

• set up
• Security (and Privacy) / Devices and Privacy
• (more)
• fixed screen

Each manufacturer has a different method of securing applications. Usually, this is done through the multitasking menu after pressing the “Recent Apps” button. Then there’s a pin icon on the app overview, or a new menu entry in the app.

Your child can’t use the home button, only the current app / © kwgeek

Even if your kids find the key combination to unpin apps, they won’t be able to use your smartphone. In fact, the child has to unlock your screen afterwards.

If you like this approach to parental controls on your smartphone, we recommend great Android apps for kids in a separate article.

Note that with this method, the child can answer or reject the incoming call.

Mode and limited profiles designed for kids

Some manufacturers’ smartphones offer dedicated areas or specific modes for children. They go further than the fixed functions introduced above. Thus, you can declare multiple apps as safe for children and have your smartphone offer children a choice of fewer apps.

Restricted profiles are only available on certain Android devices. In this case, you use a second user account, which offers extensive restriction possibilities. Methods as below:

1. set up
2. Users and Accounts
3. user
4. Add user or profile
5. restricted profile

warn: Also create a second user profile that cannot contain your Family Link child’s Google Account. Due to the parental management tools, the Family Link child must be set as the primary user.

Over the years, Google has provided the Android operating system with some great tools for parents to control their children’s smartphone use. Break times, duration of use, and most importantly, full content control can be achieved using the methods presented here.

Interestingly, entrusting your own smartphone to a child is much more complicated than configuring your own device. There’s also the question of whether you want or can sacrifice your availability for a little peace of mind for your child.