How to set up Google Family Link on your children's tablet

1. What is Google Family Link?

Family Link is a Google app, the well-known American multinational technology company, designed to offer parental control. This app allows parents and guardians to remotely monitor all devices running Android or Chrome operating systems used by their children under 14 years old. Thanks to Family Link, you can manage and supervise your children’s smartphones, tablets, and Chromebooks.

This parental control system is activated through Google accounts, both for parents and children. The devices on which Family Link is installed and linked to these accounts can be managed centrally by you. It is essential to keep in mind that if at any time your child changes account or device, you will need to reconfigure parental controls on the new account to maintain the current settings and restrictions.

With this app, you have the ability to monitor the time your child spends using their tablet, as well as the amount of time dedicated to each app. Additionally, it allows you to know the real-time location of your child’s device and receive notifications whenever your children enter or leave specific places you have set up. You can also set restrictions on the content available in the Google Play Store, block Google search results, and control the permissions granted to apps, including location, contacts, and access to camera or microphone.

2. How to set up Family Link?

Step 1: Account creation and app downloads

The first step is to install the “Family Link” app on the device from which you want to control your children’s devices. For this, you will need to have a “Google” account. If you don’t have one, you can create an account completely free at this link.

Once you have an account, you will need to download the app from the “Play Store”. You can do it through this link.

Once downloaded, open it. You can choose the account you want to link to the app.

Next, you will be asked if your child has a Google account.

If they DO NOT have an account, you can create it immediately. It won't take more than 10 minutes. Just follow the steps that appear. If your child DOES have an account jump to this step.

IMPORTANT: You will need to accept the privacy policy and agree to Google's terms of service. Also, Google requires an additional step to verify that you are the parent or guardian.

For this, you will need to authorize your credit card by entering your card details. Don't worry, Google will not charge anything for verification and your child will not have access to the card without your approval.

Step 2: Installation on your child's device

Once the child's account creation is complete or if your child already had an account, the Family Link app will ask you again if your child has an account. By tapping YES, the following will appear:

Choose child and in the next step sign in with the account you created for them.

Next, you will need to sign in with your parent account.

After reviewing the basic settings and accepting the terms of service and privacy policy again, you will reach the final step, activating parental control. Tap allow and your child's tablet or device will be ready.

At the end of this step, you will see how the Family Link app icon changes to this .

Voilá, parental control is active on your child's device. Now you can set it up and manage it from your device with the administrator account.

3. How to manage Family Link?

Open the app on the device with the administrator account. On the screen, all devices linked to the family account will appear. In this guide, only the tablet we previously configured appears. If you have more than one child or more than one device, all will appear on the main panel.

Additionally, all available parental control options will appear:

1. Daily Limit:

This control allows you to set the maximum daily time your child can use the device. You can configure different limits for each day of the week.

2. Downtime

This control will lock the device during the selected schedule. It is especially useful to prevent your children from using the device at night.

3. App Limit

This control works very similarly to the daily limit explained earlier, with the difference that here you can set limits within each app or block its use entirely. It is very useful if you want your child to dedicate time to specific activities, like reading, and avoid distractions from other entertainment apps like YouTube.

4. Content Restrictions

This control will allow you to manage search results within Google apps (Chrome, YouTube, ...) and block unwanted content. Here you have 3 options: "Allow all sites," "Try to block sites with explicit content," or "Allow only approved sites."

5. Account Settings

This control will allow you to manage sign-ins, privacy settings, location settings, and information required by third-party apps on your child's device. When configured, you will receive a notification each time your child needs to sign in or grant permissions to an app, through which you can allow or block access.

6. Device Information

From the Family Link control panel, you can always see useful information such as device usage time, battery level, and/or location. You can also set "family places" and receive a notification each time your child's device enters or leaves one of these places.

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