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Google Family Link: setup walkthrough

Free, native to Android and Chromebook. Here’s the full setup and what it can’t do.

Tool guide·Last reviewed 2026-04-22·1 min read·by Lexeprint Inc.

Google Family Link

Google’s free family controls for Android, Chromebook, and limited iOS. Best suited for Google-first families.

Setup

  1. Install Family Link on your parent phone.
  2. Tap Create child account, or add an existing kid account under 13.
  3. Sign the child in to their Android / Chromebook with the supervised account.
  4. Set rules: app approvals, daily screen time, bedtime, location, content filters for Play Store, Search, Chrome, YouTube.

What it does well

  • Free.
  • Native to Android and Chromebook.
  • Location sharing reliably.
  • Clean screen-time interface.
  • Play Store and Chrome supervision built in.

What it doesn’t do

  • Little control on iOS (Apple restrictions).
  • No real content monitoring (no DM or chat scanning).
  • No alerting on risky content like Bark.

Who should use Family Link

Any Android / Chromebook household. Pair with Bark or Qustodio if you want content alerts.