Family Link App Safety Settings 2025

Why Parental Controls Are Essential

In 2025, giving a child a connected device without safety controls is like letting them wander through a busy city with no signs, no map, and no one watching their back. The dangers are not hypothetical, they are happening every day.

Children face risks from:

• Inappropriate content like violent, sexual, or extremist material.
• Online predators using games, chat rooms, and social media to contact them.
• Screen time overuse leading to poor sleep, anxiety, and concentration issues.
• Financial exploitation through in-app purchases and scams.

Fortunately, Google Family Link offers a free, easy-to-use tool for parents to regain control. This guide explains every setting, why it matters for different age groups, and how to make it work as part of a broader family safety plan.

 

What is Google Family Link?

Google Family Link is a free app for Android and iOS that allows parents to:

• Create and manage a child-specific Google Account.
• Control which apps are installed.
• Set daily screen time limits.
• Lock the device at certain times.
• Track the device’s location in real-time.

Think of it as a remote control for your child’s device. When used correctly, it significantly reduces the risks of unsupervised online access.

 

How to Enable the Settings

Step 1 – Install Google Family Link

• On your device, open the Google Play Store (Android) or Apple App Store (iOS).
• Search for Google Family Link.
• Download and install it.

Step 2 – Create a Google Account for Your Child

When setting up Family Link, you can link an existing account or create a new one.

Creating via the Family Link app:

• Open Family Link.
• Tap Create (top right).
• Enter your child’s details use a nickname for privacy.
• Set a password.
• Sign in with your own Google account to verify.

 

When setting up a new device:

• Choose Create new account during setup.
• Enter details, avoiding full names or real birth dates.
• Provide parental consent and choose safety settings.

 

Why it matters by age group:

• Under 8: Blocks unsafe apps and sites.
• 9–12: Stops them from creating hidden accounts.
• 13–15: Balances independence with monitoring.
• 16–17: Still essential for purchase approvals and safety tracking.

 

Step 3 – Link the Child’s Device

1. On your child’s device, install Google Family Link for Children & Teens.
2. Sign in with the child’s account you created.
3. Follow prompts to link it to your parent account.

 

Step 4 – Enable All Settings for Maximum Safety

App Management

• Function: Approves or blocks app installs.
• Why it matters: Stops harmful apps disguised as games or study tools.
• Risks if off: Gambling apps, stranger contact, hidden microtransactions.
• Expert advice 2025:
  • Under 8: Only educational apps.
  • 9–12: Approve all apps.
  • 13–15: Review app permissions together.
  • 16–17: Allow more freedom, but block unsafe apps.

 

Screen Time Limits

• Function: Sets daily usage caps.
• Why it matters: Prevents screen overuse and related mental health impacts.
• Risks if off: Sleep disruption, reduced focus, anxiety.
• Expert advice:
  • Under 8: 1 hour/day.
  • 9–12: 1–2 hours.
  • 13–15: 2–3 hours.
  • 16–17: Flexible but avoid late-night use.

 

Bedtime Lock

• Function: Locks the device at night.
• Why it matters: Supports healthy sleep.
• Expert advice:
  • Under 8: 7:30–8 PM lock.
  • 9–12: 8:30–9 PM.
  • 13–15: 10 PM.
  • 16–17: Midnight.

 

Location Sharing

• Function: Tracks device location.
• Why it matters: Critical in emergencies.
• Expert advice: Keep always on, with open communication for older teens.

 

Safe Browsing & Search Restrictions

• Function: Filters harmful search results.
• Why it matters: Even innocent searches can reveal dangerous content.
• Expert advice: Keep SafeSearch and Restricted Mode on for all under 18.

 

Purchase Approvals

• Function: Requires approval before spending.
• Why it matters: Prevents financial loss.
• Expert advice: Under 13 — all purchases approved; 16–17 — large purchases only.

 

Step 5 – Test Your Setup

• Try installing an app — it should ask for approval.
• Check the location — it should update in real time.
• Wait for bedtime — the device should lock.

 

 

Why Every Setting Matters in 2025

Reports from the Online Safety Commissioner Ireland (2025), UK Ofcom, and US FTC show that children are online more than ever — and encountering more risks. Parental controls like Family Link are only effective when all settings are enabled and updated regularly.

 

About Children of the Digital Age

Children of the Digital Age empowers users of all ages to navigate digital platforms safely, whether it’s dating apps, gaming, or social media. We help families and individuals protect their privacy, wellbeing, and digital footprint.

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© 2025 Children of the Digital Age. All rights reserved. | Last Updated: August 2025