{ "slug": "setting-up-parental-controls-on-a-kids-first-smartphone", "url": "https://checklists.org/c/setting-up-parental-controls-on-a-kids-first-smartphone", "markdown": "https://checklists.org/c/setting-up-parental-controls-on-a-kids-first-smartphone.md", "title": "Setting Up Parental Controls on a Kid's First Smartphone", "description": "How to set up Apple or Google parental controls before handing over a kid's first phone.", "category": "software", "tags": [ "parental-controls", "smartphones", "kids", "screen-time" ], "version": "1.0", "updated": "2026-10-12", "sources": [ { "name": "Apple Support", "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108806" }, { "name": "Apple Support", "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/105121" }, { "name": "Apple Support", "url": "https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/change-settings-and-restrictions-iph3dfd91de/ios" }, { "name": "Common Sense Media, \"Parents' Ultimate Guide: How to Set Parent Controls on Apple ScreenTime\"", "url": "https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/parents-ultimate-guide-how-to-set-parent-controls-on-apple-screentime" }, { "name": "Internet Matters, \"Google Family Link guide\"", "url": "https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/smartphones-and-other-devices/google-family-link/" }, { "name": "ConnectSafely, \"Parent's Guide to Google Family Link\"", "url": "https://connectsafely.org/familylink/" }, { "name": "FTC Consumer Advice, \"Kids and Cell Phones\"", "url": "https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/kids-cell-phones" }, { "name": "FTC.net, \"How To Control Data Usage on a Child's Phone\"", "url": "https://www.ftc.net/blog/tips-for-keeping-a-kids-cellphone-data-costs-under-control/" } ], "intro": "Handing your kid their first phone is a big moment — exciting for them, a little nerve-wracking for you. The good news is both Apple and Google have built real parental control systems into their phones for free, and setting them up properly before the phone ever reaches your kid's hands makes everything easier later. This walks you through getting it set up right, in order.", "itemCount": 25, "essentialCount": 8, "sections": [ { "title": "Before You Hand Over the Phone", "items": [ { "id": "ked2v3", "text": "Decide on an Apple ID or Google account for your child", "note": "Family controls only work if your kid's phone is linked to a supervised account. On Android, if your child has a Google account, you connect it; if not, Family Link walks you through creating one — it's not possible to use a child's existing account with Family Link if they already set one up independently.", "essential": true }, { "id": "drc86n", "text": "Set up Family Sharing (iPhone) or the Family Link app (Android) on your own phone first", "note": "Download the Family Link app, sign in with your own Google account, and create a new account for your child from within the app. For Apple, the family organizer manages things from their own device, not the child's.", "essential": true }, { "id": "k7sje0", "text": "Have both phones nearby during setup", "note": "Make sure your and your child's phone are nearby during the setup process, since you'll be pairing the two accounts together." }, { "id": "11yy8f3", "text": "Pick a Screen Time or Family Link passcode only you know", "note": "Be sure to set up a parent-only passcode, since kids can otherwise change restrictions on their own. Don't reuse your phone unlock code.", "essential": true }, { "id": "1btkj8q", "text": "Decide your family's actual rules before you open settings", "note": "What hours, what apps, what contacts. Going in with a plan makes the next steps faster and keeps you from flipping settings back and forth." } ] }, { "title": "Link the Device", "items": [ { "id": "988xmx", "text": "On iPhone: open Settings, tap Family, then your child's name, then Screen Time", "note": "Once Family Sharing is set up and the child's account is connected, open the Settings app, tap Family, tap your child's name, tap Screen Time, and follow the onscreen instructions.", "essential": true }, { "id": "1mgudil", "text": "On Android: go to Settings > Google > All services > Parental controls on the child's device", "note": "On the child's device, scroll to Google, then All services, then Parental controls; tap Let's do this, then add or create the child's account and tap Supervise account.", "essential": true }, { "id": "wexos2", "text": "Confirm the account shows up as supervised, not a regular adult account", "note": "Double-check this before moving on; it's the foundation everything else sits on." } ] }, { "title": "Lock Down Content", "items": [ { "id": "117vwxz", "text": "Turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions and set age ratings for apps, movies, shows, books, and music", "note": "Under Content Restrictions you choose a setting like Don't Allow, Unrated, Allow All, or a specific age rating for each content type.", "essential": true }, { "id": "w8r71o", "text": "Turn on web content filtering", "note": "Content filters can be set to prevent kids from visiting explicit or adult websites, and you can build a \"never allow\" list of specific sites and block private browsing." }, { "id": "34eaqu", "text": "Require approval for app downloads and in-app purchases", "note": "Some apps, games, music, and in-app purchases cost real money, so look for settings that let you disable downloading or purchasing unless you give permission first.", "essential": true }, { "id": "75j1tg", "text": "Note that these filters aren't perfect", "note": "Screen Time can limit inappropriate content and manage app usage, but the controls can be inconsistent and have glitches, so don't treat them as a substitute for checking in occasionally." } ] }, { "title": "Set Time, Contact, and Privacy Limits", "items": [ { "id": "1o077fi", "text": "Set daily screen time limits and downtime hours", "note": "Decide bedtime cutoffs and any school-hours limits now rather than negotiating them later." }, { "id": "192134q", "text": "Set communication limits so your kid can only contact approved people", "note": "Useful if you want to restrict calls, texts, and FaceTime to a known contact list.", "when": "mainly-for-younger-kids" }, { "id": "u4fcdp", "text": "Restrict Siri/Google Assistant features you're not comfortable with", "note": "On iPhone you can separately allow or block things like Writing Assistance or Image Creation under Siri restrictions." }, { "id": "11v2kl3", "text": "Lock down location sharing and data settings", "note": "Both Android and iPhone offer a setting that lets you limit how much of a child's content ends up on the web, including preventing search engines from saving search and voice history, and you can prevent apps from accessing photos or sharing data over Bluetooth." }, { "id": "uov10f", "text": "Turn on Find My (iPhone) or location sharing in Family Link (Android)", "note": "Lets you see where the device is if it's lost or the kid doesn't answer." }, { "id": "1e63liw", "text": "Check camera, microphone, and photo permissions app-by-app", "note": "Look at both global privacy settings and each app's individual requirements to limit or block access to location sharing, media, and cameras." } ] }, { "title": "Before They Start Using It", "items": [ { "id": "qao2dm", "text": "Install only the apps you've agreed on, and check their individual privacy settings", "note": "Restrictions at the phone level don't always cover everything inside an app." }, { "id": "1w3m4ka", "text": "Set a SIM PIN and a strong screen lock passcode", "note": "Prevents a lost or stolen phone from being wiped of restrictions or used to rack up charges.", "essential": true }, { "id": "eviv7w", "text": "Check the data/billing plan and usage caps", "note": "Know what happens if your kid blows through data, and set alerts if your carrier offers them.", "when": "if-on-a-shared-family-plan" }, { "id": "l6kmej", "text": "Talk with your kid about the rules and why they exist", "note": "Your kids may try to find ways to get around parental controls or turn them off completely, so be ready to talk with them if they break the rules. A quick, calm conversation up front beats a confrontation later." } ] }, { "title": "After Handoff — Ongoing", "items": [ { "id": "1at31mr", "text": "Review the activity/app usage reports periodically", "note": "Both Family Link and Screen Time show you what's being used and for how long; a quick weekly glance catches problems early." }, { "id": "xkis68", "text": "Revisit age ratings and limits as your kid gets older", "note": "What's appropriate loosens over time; plan to adjust rather than leaving day-one settings forever." }, { "id": "10ndj84", "text": "Re-check settings after major OS updates", "note": "Updates occasionally reset or change how restrictions display; confirm nothing quietly turned off." } ] } ] }