Google Family Link: Supervision Basics

What Changed

Google Family Link is Google's free supervision tool for a child's Google account and Android device. It lets a parent approve or block app downloads and in-app purchases, set daily screen-time limits, downtime and school time, see the device's location, and apply content filters across Google services such as Search, Chrome and YouTube. For YouTube specifically, supervised experiences let a parent choose a content level for their child. For teens, YouTube's English (UK) Help Centre describes a voluntary supervised teen account managed in Family Centre, where parents can set break and bedtime reminders and a daily Shorts feed limit; both parent and teen must agree to link, and either can turn supervision off. Google says Family Link parents can choose whether Google shares their child's age range with apps, but that age sharing is not available in all regions, and Google's developer documentation says its Play Age Signals API is returning age signals in Brazil and for eligible Texas users; we have not found Google confirming it in the UK. Separately, Google Play's help page says that in the UK, for users Google determines to be minors, Google Play blocks the acquisition and purchase of 18+ rated apps and games. Features vary by device and the child's age, and Google adjusts them over time, so review the settings periodically rather than treating them as set-and-forget.

What to Review

• •If your child has an Android device or Google account, set up Family Link and walk through each section: app approvals, screen-time limits, location, and content filters.

Parent Actions