How to Set Parental Controls on Android (Free)

The best free way to set parental controls on Android is Google Family Link: it lets you approve apps, filter content and set screen time limits on your child’s phone or tablet from your own phone. Add Play Store and YouTube filters, and most families need nothing more.

Decide what you want to control

Pick your priorities before touching settings:

Apps and downloads: approve every new app or game.
Content: YouTube, Google search and websites.
Screen time: daily limits and a bedtime.
Spending: no surprise in-app purchases.
Location: see where the phone is.

A 7-year-old on a tablet needs tight limits; a 15-year-old with their own phone needs fewer rules and more trust.

Built-in: Family Link and Digital Wellbeing

Family Link is free and works from an Android phone or an iPhone.

Install Google Family Link on your phone.
On the child’s device, open Settings > Google > Parental controls (on some phones Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls).
Sign in with the child’s Google account, or create one for under-13s during setup.
Link it to your account and choose the rules.

Teens can be supervised too, but must agree, and you are notified if they turn it off. Full walkthrough: Google Family Link guide.

Digital Wellbeing (in Settings) is for the child’s own use: app timers, bedtime mode and focus mode. On its own, a child can switch it off, so pair it with Family Link.

Play Store, YouTube and browser filters

Play Store: profile picture > Settings > Family > Parental controls. Set a PIN and pick age ratings for apps and games. Also set purchase approval so every payment needs you.
YouTube: use YouTube Kids for young children, or a supervised YouTube account for older ones.
Chrome and Google search: Family Link turns on SafeSearch and can block sites.

Details: parental controls on Play Store and Chrome.

Screen time limits

In Family Link you can set:

a daily limit (for example 2 hours on school days)
downtime at night, when the device locks
per-app limits, so games run out before homework apps do
bonus time for the weekend or a good report

Review limits before school holidays (April, August, November to January), when screen time usually jumps. More ideas: limit screen time on Android.

On shared family tablets, add a separate user profile for the child (Settings > System > Multiple users on many tablets) so they can’t open your apps or M-Pesa. Some brands also add a “kids mode” or “kids space” in Settings. To stop a bundle disappearing, set a mobile data limit in Settings > Network > Data usage.

When to use a parental control app

Built-in tools cover most homes. A paid app (Qustodio, Norton Family and similar) is worth it when you need:

stronger web filtering across every browser
one dashboard for Android, iPhone and a laptop
detailed activity reports

Mixed iPhone and Android family? See parental controls on iPhone and Android.

Talking to your child about it

Controls work best when they are not a secret. Explain what you have set and why, agree the rules together, and loosen them as your child shows they can handle it. Tell them to come to you if they see something upsetting, without fear of losing the device.