Google Family Link is an app for parental control and child safety in the digital world.

Google Family Link is a parental controls app that helps you keep your family safer online. We know that every family’s relationship with technology is unique, so we designed tools like Family Link that give you the flexibility to choose the right balance for your family, and help them create healthy digital habits. Family Link’s easy to use tools allow you to understand how your child is spending time on their device, see their device location, manage privacy settings, and more.

With Family Link, you can:

Establish Digital Ground Rules

• Set screen time limits — Family Link lets you set downtime for your child’s device and time limits for apps, so you can help them find a healthy balance.

• Guide them to age-appropriate content — Approve or block apps your child wants to download. Family Link also allows you to choose the right YouTube experience for your child: a supervised experience on YouTube, or YouTube Kids.

Manage and secure your child’s account

• Protect their privacy — Permissions management in Family Link allow you to make meaningful choices about your child’s data. View and manage permissions for websites and extensions accessed through Chrome as well as apps downloaded on your child’s device.

• Secure their account — Family Link gives you access to manage your child's account and data settings. As a parent, you can help change or reset your child’s password if they forget it, edit their personal information or even delete their account if you feel necessary.

Stay connected on the go

• See where they are — It’s helpful to be able to find your family when they’re on the go. With Family Link, you can locate your children on one map, as long as they’re carrying their device.

• Get notifications and alerts — Family Link delivers critical notifications including when your child arrives or leaves a certain location. You can also ring devices and view the device’s remaining battery life.

Important Information

• Family Link’s tools vary depending on your child’s device. See a list of compatible devices at https://families.google/familylink/device-compatibility/

• While Family Link helps you manage your child's purchases and downloads from Google Play, they will not need approval to install app updates (including updates that expand permissions), apps you have previously approved, or apps that have been shared in Family Library. In addition, purchase approvals will apply only when your child makes a purchase through Google Play’s billing system and will not apply to purchases made through alternate billing systems. Parents should regularly review their child’s installed apps and app permissions in Family Link.

• You should carefully review the apps on your child’s supervised device and disable those you don’t want them to use. Note that you may not be able to disable some pre-installed apps such as Play, Google, etc.

• To see the location of your child or teen’s device, the device must be powered on, recently active, and connected to the internet through data or wifi.

• Family Link parental controls are only available for supervised Google accounts. With supervised Google Accounts, children get access to Google products like Search, Chrome, and Gmail, and parents can set up basic digital ground rules to supervise them.

• While Family Link provides tools to manage your child’s online experience and keep them safer online, it does not make the internet safe. Family Link can not determine the content on the internet, but it can give parents the opportunity to make decisions about how their child spends time on their device, and determine what path to online safety looks best for your family.

What's New in the Latest Version 2.31.0.I.644358856

Last updated on Jun 28, 2024

Several stability improvements and bug fixes.

Google Family Link is a parental control application designed to help parents manage their children's Google accounts and device usage. It allows parents to set digital ground rules, guiding their children towards healthy online habits. The core functionality revolves around monitoring and controlling screen time, app usage, and content access. Parents can set daily screen time limits for their child's device, ensuring they aren't spending excessive amounts of time on their phones or tablets. They can also set a bedtime, locking the device during specific hours to promote healthy sleep schedules. Furthermore, Family Link provides detailed reports on app usage, allowing parents to see which apps their children are using most frequently. This information helps parents identify potential problem areas and have informed conversations about online safety and responsible technology use.

Beyond monitoring, Family Link also empowers parents to manage app installations and purchases. Before a child can download an app from the Google Play Store, parents receive a notification and can approve or deny the request. This ensures children aren't installing inappropriate or potentially harmful applications without parental consent. Similarly, parents can manage in-app purchases, preventing children from racking up unexpected charges. The app also offers location tracking features, allowing parents to see their child's approximate location, providing peace of mind and ensuring their safety. Family Link isn't intended as a spying tool, but rather as a communication and guidance platform. It encourages open dialogue between parents and children about responsible technology use and online safety. It's important to remember that as children grow older, the level of control may need to be adjusted to foster independence and trust. The ultimate goal of Family Link is to equip children with the skills and knowledge they need to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly, while providing parents with the tools to support and guide them along the way.