Google Family Link guide

Step 1 – Sign into your Google account and go to your profile in the web browser. Click Add another account > Create account > For my child.

Step 2 – Read and follow the prompts that come up on screen. Then, fill out your child’s details and create their email address. Click Next.

Step 3 – Enter your own email address (for any child under 13). Click Next. Read through and agree the provided information.

Step 4 – Enter your account password to confirm parental responsibilities. Then read through the provided information to fully understand what this means.

Step 5 – If you’re ready to customise parental controls, choose Manual personalisation. If you want to do that later, select Express personalisation instead. Read through the information and follow the prompts. Click continue or close the window to finish.

Step 1 – Open the Google Family Link app or Sign in here. Select whether your child has an account. If they don’t, you will need to set one up.

Step 2 – When asked if your child has a Google account, select No for now (even if they have one).

Step 3 –  Click Get started > Create a family group. Click Confirm to become the family manager.

Step 4 – You can then add up to 6 users in your family group.

Step 1 – From your account on the Family Link app or site, click on Manage family. Then select Send invitations under Your family group members.

Step 2 –Select people to add or manually enter their email addresses, including your child’s. Click Send.

Step 3 – Once users accept the invitation, they’ll be added. Work with your child to add them to the group on their account or set it up for them.

Step 1 – From your Family Link account, select your child’s name. Under this, click Highlights.

Step 2 – Review how much time is spent on each device and in each app. This will give you an idea of where they spend most of their time and where restrictions might be needed.

Step 1 –Under your child’s name, select Controls > Daily limit.

Step 2 – Set custom schedules for devices. You can base these on individual days, weekdays or weekends.

Step 1 – From the Controls screen, select App limits.

Step 2 – Here, you’ll see a breakdown of time spent on different apps. You can block apps that they’ve spent too much time on. Select which app you’d like to do this for.

Step 3 – Block the app. Or select App details to learn more about the app and its PEGI rating to see if it’s appropriate for your child’s age.

Step 1 – On your child’s Controls screen, select Downtime.

Step 2 – Add as many schedules as you need to for when the device should be locked. Discuss with your child what times would be the best to set for downtime to help them feel a part of the choice.

Step 1 – On Google Family Link, select Controls under your child’s name and then Content restrictions.

Step 2 – Select which Google service you’d like to customise. These include Chrome, YouTube, Search and more.

Step 1 –  On Family Link, click on Controls under your child’s name and then Account settings.

Step 2 –  Select Controls for signing in to set up restrictions on where your child can sign in to their account (i.e., on other devices).

Step 1 – On Google Family Link (the app or website), click on Controls under your child’s name and then Devices.

Step 2 – Click on the listed device to show platform-specific controls. You’ll see those that are already Supervised as well as Others. Other Google devices offer the most options for controls.

Step 1 – From the Family Link Hub, select Location under your child’s name. This will show where they are on supporting devices.

Step 2 – Click the three horizontal lines on the map to open the menu. Then click the refresh icon for the latest location update.

Step 3 – Select the Family places tab. Add addresses for your child’s school and home along with any other important addresses (such as other family members). You’ll then receive alerts when they arrive or leave that location.