How to Set Up Parental Controls on iPhone and Android

Handing a child their first phone is a big moment, and it comes with a big question: how do you keep them safe without hovering over every tap? The good news is that both iPhone and Android include free, capable parental controls. You don’t need a paid app to get started.

This guide walks through the setup on both platforms, step by step, then suggests age-appropriate settings for younger kids, tweens and teens. The goal isn’t to lock everything down forever. It’s to give your child more freedom as they show they can handle it.

What parental controls can and can’t do

Built-in parental controls on iPhone and Android cover 4 main areas:

1. Screen time: daily time limits, bedtime schedules and limits for specific apps or categories.
2. App approvals: your child asks, you approve or decline downloads and purchases.
3. Content filters: age ratings for apps, movies, music and books, plus website filtering.
4. Communication limits: who your child can call, text and FaceTime, on iPhone.

What they can’t do is replace conversation. Kids find workarounds, friends have unrestricted devices, and some apps have their own settings that phone-level controls don’t reach. Use controls as guardrails while you teach good habits.

Key takeaway: Set controls from your own phone, use a passcode or PIN your child doesn’t know, and review the settings every few months. Controls work best when your child knows what they are and why they’re there.

How to set up parental controls on iPhone

Apple’s controls live in Screen Time and work through Family Sharing. You manage everything from your own device; you don’t need to touch your child’s phone after setup.

Step 1: create a child account in Family Sharing

On your iPhone, go to Settings, tap Family, and add a child. For kids under 13, you create an Apple Account for them as part of Family Sharing. Apple turns on some protections by default based on the child’s age, and some can’t be turned off for younger children.

Step 2: turn on Ask to Buy

Go to Settings > Family > [child’s name], then Apps & Websites > Restrictions > Ask to Buy, and turn on Require Purchase Approval. Download and purchase requests, including free apps, now come to you for approval.

Step 3: set content and web filters

Under Content Restrictions, choose age ratings for apps, movies, TV shows, music and books. Under Apps & Websites > Restrictions > Filtering, pick Limit Adult Websites for older kids or Approved Websites Only for younger ones, which uses Ask to Browse so your child can request new sites.

Step 4: schedule screen time

Use Screen Time Schedule to set times when only approved apps are available, such as overnight and during school. Use Time Allowances to set daily limits for categories like games or social media. (Older iOS versions call these Downtime and App Limits.)

Step 5: manage communication

Under Allowed Contacts, choose whether your child can communicate with contacts only or everyone during screen time. Turn on Communication Safety, which helps warn about or block photos and videos with detected nudity in Messages and FaceTime. You can also manage which contacts appear and whether your child can edit them.

Step 6: check Siri, Game Center and privacy settings

Apple’s controls also cover Siri features such as image creation, Game Center options like private messaging and adding friends, and privacy settings like location sharing. Go through each once; it takes a few minutes.

How to set up parental controls on Android

Android’s parental controls run through Google Family Link. You can manage your child’s Android phone or Chromebook from the Family Link app on either an Android phone or an iPhone.

Step 1: create or supervise your child’s Google Account

Install the Family Link app on your phone. You can create a Google Account for a child under 13 (or the applicable age in your country), or add supervision to an existing account. On many Android phones, you can also start from Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls.

Step 2: require app approvals

In Family Link, select your child, then go to Controls > Google Play. Set approvals so your child must ask before downloading or buying apps. You can also block or allow specific apps that are already installed and adjust app permissions. Note that purchase approvals apply only to purchases through Google Play’s billing.

Step 3: set Google Play content filters

In the same Google Play controls, choose a maximum maturity level for apps, games, movies and TV, and whether to restrict explicit books. Google notes that restricted content can still show up in search results or through a direct link, so filters reduce exposure but don’t make it impossible.

Step 4: set daily limits and bedtime

Under Controls > Screen time, set a daily limit for each day of the week and a bedtime when the device locks. You can grant bonus time when you choose. Limits apply per device, so set them on each phone, tablet or Chromebook your child uses.

Step 5: set web and YouTube options

For supervised accounts, Family Link lets you manage Chrome website settings and SafeSearch in Google Search. For video, decide between YouTube Kids for younger children and a supervised YouTube experience for older ones, both chosen through Google’s family settings.

Step 6: turn on location if you want it

Family Link can show the location of your child’s Android device. Talk with your child about when and why you’ll check it.

Age-appropriate settings: a starting point

Every child is different, so treat this as a starting point, not a rulebook. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages families to create a personalized Family Media Plan at HealthyChildren.org, covering screen-free times and zones, content choices and digital safety. The AAP also advises keeping devices out of bedrooms overnight and avoiding screens for an hour before bed. This is general information, not medical advice.

Check each social media app’s own minimum age and teen settings too. Many apps require users to be at least 13 and offer separate teen account protections.

What happens when your child turns 13

On Android, Google lets a child stop supervision once they reach 13 (or the applicable age in your country). Google sends parents reminder emails before the birthday, and your child can choose to keep supervision, update their account while keeping it, or stop it. Both parent and child are notified if supervision ends. On iPhone, Family Sharing settings continue after 13, but teens gain more control over their own account over time.

Use the 13th birthday as a natural moment to talk about what changes and what stays, and to agree on new rules together.

Where to start tonight

1. Pick the platform steps above that match your child’s phone.
2. Set a passcode or PIN your child doesn’t know for Screen Time or Google Play.
3. Turn on purchase approvals first; it’s the most useful single setting.
4. Add a bedtime lock and a few category limits.
5. Set content and web filters for your child’s age.
6. Explain the rules to your child and put a review date on the calendar.
7. Secure your own account with 2-factor authentication or passkeys so nobody can change the settings. Here’s how passkeys work.

Conclusion

Parental controls on iPhone and Android are free, built in and good enough for most families. Start with purchase approvals, a bedtime lock and age-appropriate filters, then loosen them as your child earns trust. Pair the settings with regular conversations, and they’ll do their job: giving your child room to grow while keeping the biggest risks out of reach. If deepfakes and AI-generated content worry you, our guide on how to spot a deepfake is a good next conversation to have. For router-level controls that cover every device at home, see mesh Wi-Fi vs a single router, and if your family is choosing a shared photo or storage plan, compare iCloud vs Google Drive vs OneDrive.

Sources

• Apple Support: Use parental controls on your child’s iPhone or iPad — Screen Time, Ask to Buy, content restrictions, schedules, allowed contacts and Communication Safety
• Google For Families Help: Family Link features — screen time limits, app approvals, content filters and location
• Google Play Help: How to set up parental controls on Google Play — maturity levels, PIN protection and filter limits
• Google For Families Help: How Google Accounts work when children turn 13 — supervision options at 13 and parent notifications
• HealthyChildren.org (AAP): Helping kids thrive in a digital world — Family Media Plan and AAP guidance on screens and sleep