The little ones are getting started at an earlier age in technology. To avoid greater evils, we must set up parental control to prevent them from making excessive use of or accessing content that, due to their age, can negatively influence them.
If you want to know all the options that Android makes available to us for limit use of Android managed device and how to know at all times the use you make of the applications you have installed, the best option that Google offers us is Family Link.
When limiting access to children or adolescents, Google offers us two methods:
- Parental control. This option is available in the Play Store and allows us to establish limits of use and access depending on the age of the minor when using our device.
- Family Link. Family Link is the option that Google offers us to configure the use of a standalone device.
Parental control on Android with Google Play
To activate parental control on Android when a minor will temporarily have access to our smartphone, we must perform the steps detailed below:
- We access the Play Store, click on the three lines horizontally to access the Play Store settings and click on Settings.
- Within Settings, click on parental control, option found in the User Controls section.
- Next, we activate the switch located at the top of the screen and we establish a PIN access (we must enter it 2 times).
- Next we must limit the maximum age of use and download both the applications and the movies that we have on our account.
Parental control on Android with Family Link
Google makes two applications available to us to manage the content that our child can access: Family Link y Family Link for kids and teens.
While Family Link is designed to manage the type of content, hours of use, know the location and control the activity of the smartphone, Family Link for children and adolescents is the application that we must install on the device we want to manage.
Family Link is also available on iOS, so if the father, mother or guardian does not have an Android device but if their child wants to manage the activity carried out with the terminal, we can do it through this application.
Install Family Link
The first thing you should do before configuring the device that we want to manage remotely is to install Family Link, the application that will allow us access and control the device.
It is necessary to install this application first because it is the one provide us with the code necessary to link our child's account to ours through Family Link.
Once we have installed it and we have established the Gmail account with which we are going to monitor the activity, we must install the FAmily Link application for children and adolescents on the child's Android smartphone.
Installing and configuring Family Link for kids and teens
- Once we have installed the Family Link application on the child's device, we start it for the first time and it will not ask us to select the device we want to monitor, selecting the option This device.
- Next, we enter the name of the child's Google account. If you do not have one created yet, we can create it directly from that window, by clicking on Create account.
- Next, the account with which the phone was initially configured will be displayed along with the one we just added. We select the minor's account.
- At that moment, we must open the Family Link application where a setup code of the application to associate the minor's account with that of the parents or guardians.
- Next, we have to enter the password of the minor's account.
- Finally, a message will be displayed informing us that the new account of the minor, will join the family group of his parents. To proceed, we must click on Join.
Below are all the supervision options that the father, mother or guardian will have on that device and among which we find the location, time of use, applications, account settings and controls, Google Chrome filters and Google Play searches. Proceed, click on Allow.
Finally we are invited to activate the profile manager. This administrator allows us to:
- Establish rules for using passwords. This option allows us to set the length and characters allowed in the PIN and in the screen lock passwords.
- Control the number of screen lock attempts. In this way we can delete all the content if a limited number of access attempts is exceeded.
- Lock the screen. Control how and when the screen locks.
- Define password expiration. It allows us to set the frequency with which the screen lock PIN or password pattern should be changed.
- Storage encryption. Requires stored application data to be encrypted.
- Disable cameras. Prohibits the use of the device's cameras.
- Disable some screen lock function. Avoid using some screen lock features.
All these functions can be configured remotely through the Family Link application. For this device manager to start working we must click on Activate this device manager.
Review installed applications
Once we have configured and associated our child's account with ours, we must check if all the applications that are installed at that moment on the device want them to be maintained. If not, we just have to deactivate the switch corresponding to each application so that it is removed from the device.
This was the last step to connect the child's device with ours. Through Family Link, parents can personalize the operation and use of the child's device.
Set up parental controls on Android with Family Link
When accessing the Family Link application, manage and check the use made by the minor, the image or images of the minor or minors associated with the account will be displayed, since the application allows us to manage their use independently.
By clicking on one of them we can:
Know the location
This function, which initially deactivates the location of the minor for privacy reasons, allows us to know the location of the minor.
Today's Activity
Through section, we can know at all times the use that you have made of each and every one of the applications installed on the device on the day we are in, the day before, the last 7 days and the last 30 days.
Within this option, we can set a daily use limit per application or disable the use of the application.
Screen time
This option allows us to establish hourly limits of use by setting the hours of sleep in which you cannot use the device.
Device details
Within the Device Details option, we can make the device play a sound, add or remove users, install apps from unknown sources, and enable developer options.
In addition, it also allows us to establish whether we want the minor to have permission to manage application permissions.