Most children who are getting their first phone or tablet usually start with Android devices. This is partially because Android devices offer more reasonable prices and have all the features kids need. With phones and tablets comes unrestricted access to the internet and platforms such as YouTube. And these platforms have lots of inappropriate content because the uploaded content has not been designed and tailored for kids.
Children being exposed to inappropriate content is a major concern for parents, especially parents with young children. The best solution for parents is to put parental controls on their kids’ phones. You have several options for putting parental control on your child’s phone, such as the device’s built-in settings, Google Family Link, and 3rd-party apps. Keep reading this article to find out how you can put parental controls on Android devices.
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Different Methods for Putting Parental Controls on Android Devices
As we have mentioned, you have several methods for putting parental controls on Android devices, but not all of them can deliver what you want them to deliver. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, which we will get into further in the article. For now, let’s see how you can set parental with each method.
Device’s Built-in Settings
Since most Android devices that are being sold are Samsung, we will teach you how to set parental controls on Samsung phones. You have two different methods to choose from – Installing Samsung Kids and using Digital Wellbeing.
Digital Wellbeing
Most Android phones have a built-in setting called Digital Wellbeing. This feature can save you some time if you only want to get reports and not set restrictive parental controls on your child’s device. The Digital Wellbeing setting on your Samsung phone can help you in a variety of ways, as explained below.
1) It can help you set your preferred daily screen time goal. It doesn’t automatically limit your screen time, though.
2) It can help you set app timers to limit the amount of time you spend each day on an app.
3) It can help you set a Bedtime, or Wind Down mode in some devices, which will turn the screen to grayscale, which notifies your brain that it’s time to sleep.
4) It can help you set different profiles for Focus Mode. This setting will block access to apps that distract you from focusing on your current task.
Samsung Kids
The Samsung Kids feature is closer to what you might expect from a parental control app. It can be downloaded via the Play Store and is fairly easy to use. Let’s see how it can help you keep your child safer in a digital world.
1) It can help you set a screen time for your child and set a daily screen time goal.
2) It can show you your child’s frequently contacted contacts. However, this feature doesn’t work on tablets.
3) It can show you your child’s gallery and artwork.
4) It can help you allow or disallow certain apps or websites based on your child’s age.
5) It provides you with an app store exclusively made for Samsung Kids that have age-appropriate apps for kids of all ages.
Google Family Link
The Google Family Link is a decent choice for Android users, and it offers a variety of options that you, as a parent, will find useful. Let’s see how you can put parental controls on your child’s android device using Google Family Link.
1) Open your device’s Settings.
2) Select Google
3) Select Parental Controls
4) Select Get Started
5) Select Child or Teen (depending on your child’s age) and tap Next
6) Create a new Google account for your child. If they already have a Google account, use their existing account
7) Select Next and put in your own Google account information as the Parent
The Family Link app can help you keep your child safer on the web in numerous ways. Namely, you can set screen time limits and limit how much time your child spends on their phone or tablet. You can also block their access to any app you think is inappropriate for them. By using the Find my Child feature on Family Link, you can find out where your child is with pinpoint accuracy in case they go missing.
The last method we will be covering is using third-party apps to put parental controls on Android devices. Let’s see how they work.
Using Third-Party apps
If you’re looking for premium features in your parental control settings, third-party apps, such as Safes parental control app, are the way to go. The number of apps is endless, and they each offer their own features. However, there are key features that almost all parental control apps have, which we will get into further in this section. One of the advantages of third-party parental control apps is that they offer more practical features which will keep your child safer on the internet compared to what built-in settings or Family Link offers. Let’s see how parental control apps will help you take better care of your child on the internet.
1) They allow you to block access to apps your child shouldn’t be using.
2) They allow you to block websites. You can block websites either manually by entering their URL or by category. you can use this to block websites on Android Devices too!
3) They allow you to track your child’s location via GPS. Some apps also give you daily reports of where the child has been during the day.
4) They allow you to set zones at which your preferred parental controls will automatically be applied. You might also be notified when your child enters or leaves those zones based on the app you’re using.
5) They allow you to get reports of your child’s activity on their phone. You can also set limits on the amount of time they can use their device.
6) Some parental control apps allow you to get reports of your child’s call logs. You will know who your child has called during the day and who has called your child.
7) Most parental control apps have to uninstall protection which keeps children from uninstalling the app. They will have to put in a password before uninstalling the application.
8) Major parental control apps allow children to send SOS messages to their parents when they feel like they’re in danger.
Concluding: How to Put Parental Controls on Android Devices?
As a parent, you have to keep your child safe from online dangers, including child grooming and inappropriate content. Since most children’s first phone’s operating system is Android, parents should learn how to put parental controls on Android devices. You can use either your child’s device’s built-in controls, Google Family Link, or third-party parental control apps. Each method comes with its own pros and cons, but third-party apps are the way to go for most parents. The premium features that third-party apps offer can come in handy when you’re looking for a specific type of parental control setting, such as SOS messages. This article only touches the surface of what parental control apps offer, but you can always conduct your own research and choose the parental control that is best for your needs.
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