Configure Parental Controls on Google WiFi Mesh

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

Keeping your family safe online is important. Your Google Wifi router can help do just that. With adult content filtering and scheduling, you stay in control. Parental controls are simple, fast, and easy to setup.

This Guide Will Help You:

  • Create a group of your kids devices.
  • Enable Adult Content filtering for those devices.
  • Setup schedules for when your kids can use the Internet.

Before You Begin:

Google Wifi

Google Wifi App
You will need to have the Google Wifi app installed on your smartphone or tablet to make these changes.

Google Wifi.

Content Filtering

No content filter is 100% perfect. New sites are created all the time. Content Filtering gives you an extra tool to assist you, not replace your involvement.

The best content filter is you! Being involved with your child and knowledgeable of sites they visit, and educating them on how to tell a good from a bad site!

2. Setup Family Wi-Fi

The Google Wifi app walks you through every step of setting up the parental controls.

  1. Open the Google Wifi app.
Google Wifi
  1. Select the Shortcuts and Settings tab.
Shortcuts and Settings

Google Wifi with Shortcuts and Settings tab highlighted.

  1. Select Family Wi-Fi.
Family Wifi

Shortcuts and Settings with Family Wi-Fi highlighted.

  1. From the welcome screen, select Setup.
Family Wi-Fi setup Welcome screen with Setup highlighted.

  1. A quick overview is shown, letting you know you'll be creating a label, and then assigning it to your child's devices. Select Create.
Overview with Create highlighted.
  1. Enter a name for your Label, such as "Kids" or your child's name. Then, select Next.
Create label with Label Name and Next highlighted.

  1. Place a checkmark next to each item your child uses, then select Next.
Select Devices with 3 devices checked and Next highlighted.

  1. If you have another child that you'd like on a different schedule, or with different access, you can create another label. For now, select Continue.
Another kid prompt with Continue highlighted.

  1. To restrict access to adult content, set the switch to On, then select Next.
Toggle On.

Adult content filter switched on and Next highlighted.

  1. Everyone classifies "adult content" a bit differently, and new sites that may fall into that category are created all the time. No adult content filter can be 100% perfect, and the best filter is your involvement with your child.
  2. An overview of the next step is shown, letting you know you'll be setting up scheduled times when the Internet 'pauses' or stops working on your kid's devices, to help enforce bedtime or homework time. Select Create Schedule.
Schedule pauses description with Create Schedule highlighted.

  1. You'll be asked to pick a schedule to start with. You can use one of the suggestions, or create your own. This example will show you how to customize a Kids bedtime schedule. Select Kids bedtime.
Kids Bedtime.

Schedule selection with Kids bedtime highlighted.

  1. Select the Start and End time, and use the clock to pick the start and end of your kids bedtime is. Once both are set, select Next.
Scheduling time entry with start, end times, clock example, and Next highlighted.

  1. You'll be asked what days of the week this should apply. School nights, for example, means it would start Sunday night, and last till Thursday morning. Select one of the available schedules or create your own, then select Next.
Repeat Schedule with School nights highlithed.

  1. A reminder that this will pause, or disable, Internet access on the devices you chose for your child. Select Continue.
Pause reminder with Continue highlighted.

Family Wi-Fi is setup and active!

3. Pausing Internet Access At Another Time

Now that you have your Kids Label setup, you can choose to pause, or disable, Internet access at any time for your kids devices.

Pausing a Device or Devices

  1. Open the Google Wifi app.
Google Wifi
  1. Select the Shortcuts and Settings tab.
Shortcuts and Settings

Google Wifi with Shortcuts and Settings tab highlighted.

  1. In Shortcuts, select the Label you created; Kids in this example.
Shortcuts and Settings with Kids highlighted.

  1. You can use the large Pause button at the top to pause all devices. You can select one of the smaller pause buttons next to each device to stop Internet access just for that device.
Instant Pause options for Kids with pause buttons highlighted.

Setting a Pause Time Limit

After pausing a device or devices, you can schedule when those devices will automatically turn back on.

  1. Select Add end time.
Kids pause screen with Add end time highlighted.

  1. Choose how long before the connection will turn back on.
End time choice with 2 hours highlighted.