How to Use Google Family Link?

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

In This Guide

You'll Learn:

What Family Link is
How to set up Family Link

2. What is Family Link

Google Family Link allows a parent to monitor and filter some content a child has access to on their Android tablets, smartphones, and Chromebooks. It provides some of the same features when the child is using Google services and programs on a browser they're signed into with their Google account.

Google Family Link lets you limit and monitor your child's access to certain content on Google services when they're signed in. You can do this through an app on your smartphone, or a website on your computer.

No filtering technology is 100% perfect. The best solution is active, engaged parenting; working with your child to ensure they develop good habits through your instruction and guidance.

Google Family Link cannot monitor the entire Internet, only services and devices signed in with the child's Google account.

Hardware Devices

Google Family Link affords you the most monitoring and control over Google Account-based devices.

Android Phones and Tablets

On an Android tablet or phone the parent can:

See what apps are installed
Block access to apps for a time
Remove apps from the device
Require approval for new apps to be installed
Set a bedtime when the phone won't allow access
Set general screen-on time limits
Lock the device remotely

Even with these restrictions, your child is always still able to call you to check in or for emergencies.

Chromebooks

On a Chromebook the parent can:

See what apps are installed
Block access to apps for a time
Remove apps from the device
Require approval for new apps to be installed
Set general screen-on time limits

In general, the Google account signed into the Chromebook, the child's in this case, will be used for all Google services. You can be more sure that rules you set up for Google's Internet Services (below) will follow these rules more closely.

If the device is not signed into the child's Google account, or is signed into a guest account, Family Link has no way to monitor or restrict the device.

Internet Services

Google Family Link provides some monitoring and control over these web-based services.

YouTube

Google Family link can help you manage what your child can see on YouTube. You can:

Completely block access to YouTube
Turn on Restricted Mode, filtering out much of the more adult-oriented content
Restrict YouTube to YouTube Kids; a special, heavily curated set of videos designed specifically for very small children, and no ability to search for other videos
Monitor what videos are watched

Google Search

Family Link will let you:

Turn on Safe Search
Review what has been searched for

Google Chrome Browser

While fewer, you can control some aspects of the Chrome Browser with Family Link:

Review browsing history
Basic website blocking and filtering capabilities

If the browser is not signed into the child's Google account, or is signed into a guest account, Family Link has no way to monitor or restrict the content on the services.

Google Families

Google Family Link is one part of a much larger service; Google Families.

While this guide will focus on Family Link, a large number of other Google services, both free and for a price are available. For more information, visit families.google.com with your web browser for more information.

3. How to Set Up Google Family Link

Show Me How

Clicking this button will open a new guide that will provide you with steps to resolve your issue.

4. How to Add a Child Account to Google Family Link