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Google Family Link lets parents manage selected settings and see limited activity on supported, supervised devices—but it is not a live view into a child’s phone. Parents can review app-use time, set limits, approve or block Google Play apps, and check the location of some Android devices. They cannot use Family Link to see a child’s screen, read messages, or listen to calls. What works depends on the child’s device, software, account setup, and age.
What can parents see and manage with Family Link?
Family Link combines selected activity summaries with controls over a child’s Google account and supported devices. A parent may be able to:
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- See which apps are used and how long they are open on screen.
- Set daily screen-time limits, limits for individual apps, schedules, or remotely lock a supported device.
- Approve or block Google Play app requests and manage certain account, service, and content settings.
- Check the location of a supported Android device when the relevant location features are available.
These are controls and limited summaries, not access to all of the child’s activity or content. Google’s Family Link help documentation says, “Parents can’t remotely see what’s on their child’s screen.”
App activity is foreground time, not every minute an app runs
Google defines app activity time as the period when an app is open and displayed on the screen. Time an app runs in the background does not count. Parents can also turn off app-activity collection. App limits are subject to Android or ChromeOS version requirements, and system apps cannot be assigned app limits. See Google’s guides to managing Google Play apps and setting app time limits.
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Purchase approval is limited to Google Play billing
Family Link purchase approval applies to transactions processed through Google Play’s billing system. It does not approve every purchase a child could make on a website or through another payment system. Google describes this and other setup conditions in its Family Link getting-started guide.
What can’t parents monitor through Family Link?
Family Link does not provide a remote screen view or call audio. For a child’s existing supervised Google Account, Google also says parents cannot find past searches, check Chrome browsing history or YouTube watch history, or read emails and messages. These limits are documented in Google’s guidance on adding or managing supervision on a current Google Account and providing consent and adding supervision.
Managing a filter or account setting is different from viewing the content it affects. For example, a parent may manage certain content restrictions without being able to inspect the child’s messages or browsing history. The exclusions above are documented for the supervised-account situation Google describes; they should not be read as a blanket statement about every Google service or account configuration.
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What changes by device?
Family Link’s capabilities depend on the device the child uses—not just the device where the parent runs the app. Google’s device compatibility guidance and instructions for signing a child in on an iPhone or iPad describe these distinctions:
| Child’s device | What Family Link supports | Important limits |
|---|---|---|
| Android phone or tablet | Supervision, app activity and controls, time limits, and device location, subject to feature and software requirements. | App time reflects foreground display, not background runtime. Some controls have minimum Android versions, and system apps cannot receive app limits. |
| Chromebook | Supervision and supported app and screen-time controls, subject to ChromeOS version. | Family Link location reporting is unavailable for Chromebooks. |
| Child’s iPhone or iPad | The child can sign in to some Google apps under the account arrangements Google describes. | Family Link screen-time limits, device location, app activity, app blocking and permissions, and Chrome website and permission restrictions do not work in this situation. |
| Other computers | The child may sign in to Google websites or use a Google Account. | Most Family Link supervision tools do not work; computers other than Chromebooks cannot be supervised as devices. |
A parent can use the Family Link app on an iPhone or iPad. That does not make a child’s iPhone or iPad a supervised device.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does Family Link track a child’s location?
Parents can check the location of supported Android devices, but location is not available for a child’s Chromebook. Location sharing in Google Maps has separate rules based on age and account setup. Children under 13—or the applicable age in their location—with managed accounts can share real-time location only with parents. Older children whose existing accounts have supervision added may share with parents and others. Google explains these distinctions in its Google Maps and your child’s Google Account help page.
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So, Family Link should not be treated as a guarantee of continuous location visibility across every device. The device and account must support the relevant feature, and age-related sharing rules can affect who sees a shared location.
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- Identify the child’s device. Android, Chromebook, iPhone or iPad, and other computers do not offer the same supervision tools.
- Separate visibility from control. An app limit, content filter, or account setting does not mean a parent can see the underlying screen, messages, or history.
- Check the specific activity. Family Link can summarize foreground app use on supported devices; it does not expose communications or the excluded histories listed above.
- Check software and account conditions. App limits have version requirements, and location sharing depends on device, age, and account setup. Google’s help pages are the best place to confirm current requirements because interface labels and eligibility rules can change.
Google’s cited help pages do not state publication dates; they were accessed on October 3, 2026. Confirm current regional and software requirements in the linked Google documentation before relying on a particular control.
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