How to download and set up a Google Family Link

In this technologically advanced world, where innovations are constantly taking place, irrelevant and potentially harmful content can be easily accessed. This content may have been acceptable when the user was an adult, but now it is readily available to everyone, including children. As a result, parents may be hesitant to give smartphones to their children.

In response to this issue, Google developed an app called Google Family Link. This parental control app lets parents set parameters for their children’s devices. Through this app, parents can approve or disapprove of appropriate or inappropriate content for their children. In this section, we will discuss Google Family Link in detail.

How to Install and Configure Google Family Link:

As a Google-owned product, the Family Link app allows administrators to control the devices of their family members. Up to six people can be added to control a device with this app. It is available in most countries, but there are a few prerequisites.

Prerequisites:

• Your child must have a personal Google account and be under the age of 13 or the applicable age in your country.
• Your child’s device should be running Android 7.0, but versions 5.0 and 6.0 also work.
• Your device should run Android 4.4 or above, or iOS 9 or above if you have an iPhone.
• The parent should have a personal Google account, and both parent and child should be in the same country.

Note: If you have an Android phone and your child has an iPhone, you cannot control their device. The child and parent should have the same operating system on their devices.

Steps to Take on a Parental Device:

• Open the Google Play Store or the App Store.
• Search for “Google Family Link for Parents.”
• Tap on “Install” and wait for it to complete.
• Once installed, open the “Google Family Link” app and sign in with your Google account.
• Tap the plus icon in the top-right corner and follow the on-screen instructions to add your child.
• Tap on “Next” and finish the setup.
• That’s it! Now you can monitor your child’s device.

Steps to Take with a Child Device:

• Open the Google Play Store or the App Store.
• Search for “Google Family Links for Children or Teens.”
• Tap on “install” and let it complete the installation.
• Open the “Google Family Link for Children or Teens” app.
• Sign in with your Google account.
• Next, verify your Google account and allow any permissions that you want to be monitored.
• That’s it; you’re done!

Now that you have linked your child’s phone to your phone, you may have questions about how to use the app. You can manage your child’s smartphone screen time, location, and websites they visit and lock their phone for a specific time using the dedicated options within the app.

Aside from that, the Google Family Link app is generally user-friendly. As mentioned, the app does have a few restrictions, and a small percentage of users may not be able to download it. However, you need not worry if you are an Android user, as APK files can be used as an alternative solution. Please follow the steps below to do so.

• Download the Google Family Link APK file from here.
• Allow it to finish. Go to Settings > Privacy > Allow apps from untrusted sources.
• Tap on the downloaded APK file and install it.
• Now, open the app and set it up as mentioned above. That’s it; you’re done.

Conclusively, Google Family Link is a prominent application from Google that has numerous functionalities. With this, you can set specific sleep schedules for your child and take other similar measures. So these are the steps by which you can download, set up, and use Google Family Link. In the meantime, if you have questions, feel free to reach out in the comments section below.

Frequently Asked Questions