Parental Controls Explained: Safer Devices for Kids

Phones, tablets and computers already come with the tools you need to manage what your kids can see, buy and download. Here’s how to set them up before handing over a device.

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Quick summary

1. Most phones, tablets and computers include parental controls, so you usually don’t need extra software to get started.
2. Apple’s Screen Time and Google’s Family Link let you approve apps and purchases, filter content and set time limits from your own device.
3. Google requires children under 13 (or the applicable age in your country) to use a supervised account, and under-18s need a parent’s approval to stop supervision.
4. Set a separate Screen Time passcode so children can’t change the limits you’ve put in place.
5. Controls work best alongside an honest conversation about what your child can and can’t do online.

Nearly every phone, tablet and computer sold today includes parental controls, so the hard part is usually finding and turning them on, not buying anything new. This guide covers the options built into Apple and Google devices, what to check on consoles and smart TVs, and a routine to follow before a device changes hands.

What parental controls can and can’t do

Used well, the built-in tools let you approve which apps your child downloads and buys, filter websites, restrict age-inappropriate content, limit who they can contact and set schedules for device use. Apple’s Screen Time and Google’s Family Link both handle these jobs from the parent’s own device.

They can’t do everything. Controls apply to the account and device you set them on, not to a friend’s phone or school laptop. Older children find workarounds, and no filter catches everything. Treat the settings as guardrails that reduce risk, not a guarantee.

Setting up controls on Apple devices

Start with Family Sharing and give your child their own Child Account rather than sharing yours. Once they’re in the family group, you can manage Screen Time and parental controls from your own iPhone, iPad or Mac. Key settings include:

• Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse, which require your approval before your child downloads an app or visits a new website.
• Time Allowances for categories such as games, social media and entertainment, plus Screen Time Schedules such as Before School or After School.
• Content and Privacy Restrictions, which set what can be viewed and downloaded.

Apple switches some controls on by default based on age: Ask to Browse for Child Accounts under 13 and Limit Adult Websites for under 18s, though ages vary by country or region.

Setting up controls on Android and Chromebook

For a child under 13 (or the applicable age in your country), create a Google Account and manage it with Family Link, or add supervision to an existing account; your child needs to agree during setup. From the Family Link app on your own device you can approve or block apps, manage Google Play purchases, filter Search and YouTube, set daily limits and a bedtime schedule, and grant bonus time. A Chromebook can be supervised through Family Link too.

Family Link has limits: it can’t supervise iPhones, iPads or computers other than Chromebooks, and its purchase approvals apply only to Google Play. Parents need to be 18 or older (or the appropriate age in their country), live in the same country as their child, and use a recent device (Android 6.0 or later, or iOS 16 or later).

Computers, consoles and smart TVs

On a Mac, Screen Time works much as on iPhone and iPad, letting you block websites, restrict communication and set schedules. For consoles and smart TVs, look for a parental controls section in the system menu: most let you restrict games and apps by age rating, require a PIN for purchases and block certain apps. Settings differ between brands, so check the manufacturer’s support pages.

Filtering the whole home

Many home routers offer filtering or schedules that apply to every device on your Wi-Fi, including visitors’ gadgets. The trade-off is that router filtering is blunter than per-device settings and stops working once a phone leaves your network. Family accounts such as Apple’s Family Sharing and Google’s family group sit in between: they connect your child’s account to yours, so approvals follow the child across their devices.

Before approving any app for your child, check what permissions it asks for. Our guide to downloading apps safely covers what to look for.

The privacy trade-off: monitoring and trust

Activity reports and location tracking give you a clear picture of what your child does online, but they also mean watching. Google lets parents manage a child’s activity settings and delete saved activity. As children grow, many families loosen the reporting and keep only the purchase approvals and content filters. Explain to your child what you can see, and ease off as they earn it.

A setup routine before handing over a device

1. Create a child account in your family group (a Child Account for Apple, a supervised Google Account for Android or Chromebook).
2. Update the device before turning on controls; Screen Time settings sync properly only when all family devices run the latest software.
3. Turn on purchase approvals (Ask to Buy on Apple, purchase approvals in Family Link).
4. Set content filters and time schedules for your child’s age, including website limits and school-night downtime.
5. Set a Screen Time passcode that only you know.
6. Add your contact details and talk through the rules, including what to do if something unsettling appears on screen.

Check the settings in the first week or two, then adjust. Pair the setup with strong sign-in habits: a unique passphrase for your child’s account and multi-factor authentication on your own accounts. For more on keeping devices current, see our guide to software updates.

Your questions answered

Q: Do I need to buy parental control software for my child’s phone?

A: Usually not. Apple’s Screen Time and Google’s Family Link cover app approvals, content filters, time limits and purchase approvals at no charge. Extra software can add features, but the built-in tools are a solid starting point.

Q: Can I supervise my child’s iPhone using Google Family Link?

A: No. Google states that iPhones, iPads and computers other than Chromebooks can’t be supervised with Family Link. For Apple devices, use Screen Time and Family Sharing instead.

Q: What if my child runs out of screen time?

A: Both platforms include a way through. With Screen Time, children can ask you to approve more time when a limit runs out, and Family Link lets a parent grant bonus time from their own device without changing the daily limit.

Q: Can my child turn off supervision themselves?

A: With Google, a child under 18 needs a parent’s approval to stop supervision, and both of you get notified when it stops. For Apple’s Screen Time, a separate passcode keeps the settings in place.