Parental Control on Android – How to Protect Your Child’s Device

Whether you have set screen time limits for your children or lectured them on responsible online behavior, you cannot trust them entirely without parental control on Android phones or tablets.

Children are curious by nature, and they use their mobile devices to explore the world of the internet as much as possible.

That’s why you never know what type of content they are consuming. So, setting parental control on Android is the only thing that can help you check and limit your children from consuming mature, harmful, and explicit content.

This guide supplies complete details on how to put parental controls on Android.

Mobile Devices Expose Your Kids to All Kinds of Content – Why Should Parents Use Parental Control?

Remember, mature, violence-related, profane, explicit, and sexual content on mobile phones is just a link or a few taps away on an Android phone or tablet. Your child can get exposed to such harmful content without your knowledge if you have not put restrictions on Android.

Using parental control on Android is an essential step every parent should take.

You can:

• Monitor your kid’s devices by using Android parental controls.
• Manage what your child can search on the internet by using parental controls.
• Block your kid’s access to specific features of games by using parental controls.
• Develop cyber safety habits in your child by using parental controls.
• Limit screen time for your child by using parental controls.
• Defend the online reputation of your child by using parental controls.
• Back up data by using parental controls.
• Develop cyber etiquette in your kids by using parental controls.
• Customize parental control according to the needs of your family.

How to Monitor Your Kid’s Android Mobile Devices?

You can monitor your kid’s smartphone devices using Android apps for parental control.

What does parental control on Android technically do? Details are below.
Web Filtering

Android parental control filters websites and blocks your kid’s access to specific URLs. For example, adult content relates to specific keywords used in the website’s metadata and content.

Web filtration removes all objectionable websites from your kid’s search results. As a result, your child will never browse any website you don’t want them to.

You can also set as many keywords as you need in your parental control app. And your child will never see websites related to them in their search results.

Also, you can do one more thing: enable safe search in your kid’s search engine. It automatically removes explicit content from search results.
App Monitoring, Messaging, and Time Restrictions

Parental control on Android lets you:

• Know what types of apps your kid uses
• What does your kid do on all apps?
• Know time spent by your kids on apps
• What is the maximum time after which your kid’s phone automatically gets locked?
• Who is your kid communicating with by using an Android device?
• What are the messages your kid received from contacts?
• Who can send your kid a message?

Using internet restrictions on Android, you can monitor everything on your kid’s device.

Snapchat is an app that you must bring under your control for your kid. Here’s a complete guide to implementing parental control on Snapchat.
Location Reporting

Android parental control apps also tell you about your child’s location if you have enabled it through app settings. Location reporting helps you know where your child is when you want to know it. Such flexibility helps you track your kid’s activities while wandering around the neighbourhood.

Basic Parental Controls for Android

Using “Settings,” you can also implement basic parental controls. Here’re the details!

1. Data Limit

Your child can use too much data in a single day, increasing your expenses. For that, there is built-in parental control on Android. Here’s how you can limit data.

• “Settings” > “Network & Internet” > Internet > Data Warning & Limit > Mobile Data Usage Cycle > Set Data Limit

Now you can set the data limit as you want

You can also restrict background data usage on specific apps. Here’s how:

• “Settings” > “Network & Internet” >“Internet” >“Non-Carrier Data Usage” >“Background Data”

2. Screen Pinning

You can use screen pinning to implement strict parental control on Android. By using is, you only allow your child to use only one app. Screen pinning sets only one app on the screen, and your child cannot access any other app.

To screen pin an app, here are the steps.

• “Settings” > “Security” > “Advanced” >“App Pinning” > Enable “App Pinning” > Enable “Ask for Unlock Pattern Before Unpinning”
• Now, choose the app you need to ‘Pin”
• Tap and hold the bottom of the app while dragging it up
• Now tap on the icon of the app
• Tap “Pin”

It pins your selected app on the screen, and your child cannot minimize the app or use any other app.
Set a PIN

You implement parental control on Android apps by setting a passcode on apps. This way, your child never has access to apps you don’t want them to use. Here’s how can you do it.

• “Settings” > “Biometric & Security’
• Now, choose any options as a passcode; PIN, Pattern or Password
• Next, open the app drawer
• Tap on “Secure Folder”
• Tap on “Add apps”
• Now add apps
• After adding apps, tap “Lock”

After these steps, all apps in the “Secure Folder” can be accessed by a passcode. In short, it is a parental lock on Android.
Add Child Mode/Restricted Profile

You can add a new user to your phone, and your profile will be admin. Using admin controls, you can limit the new user.

Here’s how you can add child mode or limited profile.

• “Settings” > “Users and Accounts” > “Users” > “Add Users” > “Restricted Profile”
• Select a security login
• Choose apps that the new user can access
• Turn off the apps that you want to remove access

Parental Control Settings in Family Settings (In Google Play App)

Your child can access everything on Google Play Store. Yet, you can implement parent control on Android on Google Play Store by using family settings. Here’s how you can do it.

• Open “Google Play App”
• Press three lines on the app
• Tap on “Settings”
• Tap on “Parental Controls”
• Turn it “On”
• Now set the PIN

Set Content Restrictions (Apps & Games, Films, TV, Books)

Now, you can impose restrictions. Here’s how you can do it.

• Google Play App Settings > “Parental Controls” > “Set Content Restrictions”
• Now, you can restrict apps, games, films, TV, books, and more

1. Set Age Limit

You can also set an age limit through parental controls on Google Play App. Here’s how you can do it.

• Google Play App Settings > “Parental Controls” > “Set Content Restrictions”
• Here, you’ll have five options
• Allow “Everyone” restricts everything
• You must uncheck “Mature 17 +” and “Adult 18+”
• All other boxes are acceptable for your child
• You can also uncheck “Teen” if your child is less than 10

2. Install Family Link App

You can also set parental control on Android by using Google Family Link App. For that, you must install Family Link App on your device. Next, you must create a Google Account for your child through Family Link App.

Family Link App allows you to monitor your child’s activity on the internet. You can know everything and remotely lock your child’s device. Using the Family Link App, you can set screen time and lock your kid’s device during the study and sleep hours.
Purchase Security: Password and Authentication

You can also restrict your child from buying apps on Google Play Store. Here’s how you can do it.

• Google Play Store Settings > “Require Authentication for Purchases”
• Set the password
• Now your child cannot buy any app without a password

3. Block Third-Party Installation

You can also block third-party app installation by using parental control on Android. Here’s how you can do it.

• Google Play App Settings > “Security &Location” > “Unknown Sources”
• Turn it Off

Now, your child cannot install any third-party apps.

5 Best Parental Control Apps for Android

You can place a parental lock on your kid’s phone by installing parental controls apps on an android phone or tablet.

1. Google Family Link

Google Family Link App is the most convenient parental control on Android.  You can track your child’s digital activity. Using the Google Family Link app, you can:

• Approve apps for your child
• Block apps on your child’s device
• Manage your child’s screen time
• Lock your child’s device remotely
• Know your child’s location
• Set a bedtime for your child’s device

Setting up the Family Link App needs only 30 minutes, and there are only three steps to set up parental control. Yet, Family Link App does not block or filter inappropriate content or websites.

2. Net Nanny

Net Nanny is another widely used and advanced app for parental control on Android. By using Net Nanny, you can:

• Filter everything on the Internet
• Block and remove pornographic links and websites from search results
• Block any website
• Receive alerts for your child’s online activity
• Set screen time limits and schedule screen time
• Know everything about your child’s online searches
• Have a detailed report on your child’s online activity

Net Nanny is a premium app, and you must pay $39.99 annually.

3. Kaspersky Safe Kids

Kaspersky Safe Kids is an affordable app that lets you create multiple child profiles using only one subscription. Here’s what you can do by using Kaspersky Safe Kids.

• Filter content
• Block websites
• Know your child’s location
• Monitor your child’s social media accounts
• Set screen time limits

Kaspersky Safe Kids has a yearly subscription of $14.99. You can also use your subscription to create multiple child profiles on Android as well as iOS and desktop computers.

In short, Kaspersky Safe Kids can help you implement parental control on almost every device in your home.

4. Norton Family

Norton Family claims it supplies parents with the required information to safeguard their children. Using Norton Family, you can:

• Know your kid’s online activity
• Block websites
• Filter content
• Know your child’s location remotely
• Have a detailed report on your child’s search history
• Set screen time limit
• Monitor videos and apps

The Norton family offers a 30-day free trial, and you must pay $49.99 yearly for complete access.

5. Qustodio

Qustodio is an advanced parental control on android that also helps you monitor messages, calls, and your child’s search history. Using Qustodio, you can:

• Filter websites
• Filter apps
• Set time limits
• Know the location of your child
• Track calls
• Track SMS
• Get a detailed report on your child’s digital activity
• Block contacts from calls and texts

Qustodio is a bit expensive. Yet, you can buy a yearly subscription at $54.95 for the whole family.

Communicate With Your Children About Internet Dangers

Besides having parental control on Android, it would help if you discussed with your children the dangers of unfettered internet usage.

It’s best to tell them about internet safety and cyber etiquette. Also, it would help if you established rules and set an example with your behavior.

Remember, it’s always best to train your child to make the right choices. So, communicate with your children and be open and honest with them.

Here is a complete guide to parental control apps. It’ll provide you with more information. Have an enjoyable day.

FAQs

Does Android Have Built-In Parental Controls?

Yes, Android has some built-in parental controls. You can set a data limit, PIN a screen, add a restricted profile, and filter apps in Google App Store

How can I Monitor My Kids?

You can monitor your kid’s online activity using a parental control app on Android.

How to Protect My Kids from Online Dangers?

You can protect your kids from online dangers by taking these steps.

• Talking openly with your child about online dangers
• Using a parental control app on all devices
• Knowing who is engaging with your child on the internet
• Controlling your family’s digital footprint

How to Monitor Your Children Without Their Knowledge?

M-Spy is the best app that works 100% in the background. Your children will never know that you are monitoring them.