Item: Google Family Link
Rating: 6.4
Author: Raven Wu

Question 1

Is Google Family Link really free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Google Family link is 100% free. There isn’t a premium version or any features you have to pay money to use. You get access to everything Google Family Link has to offer just by having a Google account.

However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a price: Google Family Link simply doesn’t have the same depth and breadth of features available on the best parental control apps on the market. Qustodio can monitor your kids’ calls and text messages. Net Nanny has advanced content filters and real-time text analysis to better protect your kids from inappropriate online content. And Norton Family has one of the best location supervision features out there.

Question 2

Does Google Family Link work on PC and macOS?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no. Google Family Link has a web app for parents that you can access using any operating system and from any browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.), which allows you to change various settings and permissions for your child. However, its web app is very limited in function compared to its mobile apps.

Additionally, while Google Family Link can manage some of a child’s account settings no matter what operating system they’re on, many of its parental controls are unavailable if your child is using Windows or macOS. If you want to supervise your child’s laptop usage, you’ll have to get them a Chromebook.

For a parental control app with a good web app and fully functional supervision for PC and macOS, consider using Qustodio, Net Nanny, and Norton Family instead.

Question 3

Does Google Family Link work on iPhones and iPads?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no. Google Family Link has a parental app for iPhones and iPads that you can download from the App Store, which allows parents to monitor their child’s activity and change various settings and permissions.

However, if the child is using an iPhone or iPad, many features will be unavailable. This includes the ability to filter apps and block apps, set app and screen time limits, locate their device, and more.

If your kids use an iPhone or iPad, try one of our top iOS parental control apps instead.

Question 4

Does Google Family Link work for children over the age of 13?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no. You can continue to supervise children once they’re over the age of 13 (the exact number may vary depending on what country you’re from), but they can opt out of the supervision at any time. That said, when they turn off the supervision, you’ll be notified and their device will be locked temporarily (for 24 hours, unless unlocked by the parent).

Qustodio, Net Nanny, and Norton Family don’t allow a child to stop supervision without your permission and may be more suitable to your needs.

Question 5

Can I monitor my child’s calls and text messages using Google Family Link?

Accepted Answer

No, Google Family Link doesn’t have the ability to block calls or monitor text messages. A good parental control app that offers these features is Qustodio, which allows you to read your child’s text messages and block or whitelist incoming or outgoing calls. Bark is another good alternative. It won’t let you block calls or contacts and only lets you see text messages with problematic content (relating to bullying, violence, or suicidal ideation), but it’s a great choice if you want to be less invasive. Bark can also monitor your child’s social media.

Question 6

Can my child bypass Google Family Link by changing accounts?

Accepted Answer

No, Google Family Link has a setting that stops your child from bypassing supervision on supported devices and platforms. It does this by preventing them from adding or removing users on the supervised device. This setting is enabled by default.

Question 7

Can Google Family Link see browsing history?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no. Every user’s browsing history is saved by Google by default unless you disable it in the settings, and Google Family Link can prevent your child from disabling it. The catch is that Google Family Link doesn’t prevent a tech-savvy child from simply deleting activity history entries that they don’t want you to see. In addition, it also doesn’t save search history on other search engines.

Other parental control apps that don’t rely on the in-built Web & App Activity history function of Google like Qustodio, Net Nanny, Norton Family are much better for monitoring browsing history.

Question 8

Can Google Family Link see YouTube history?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no. Every user’s YouTube search and watch history is saved by YouTube by default unless you disable it in the settings, and Google Family Link can prevent your child from disabling it. The catch is that Google Family Link doesn’t prevent a tech-savvy child from simply deleting search and watch history entries that they don’t want you to see.

Other parental control apps that don’t rely on the in-built search and watch history functions of YouTube like Qustodio are much better for monitoring YouTube usage.

Question 9

Can Google Family Link see activity in incognito mode?

Accepted Answer

No, Google Family Link simply blocks your child from using incognito mode. If you want a parental control app that takes a less brute force approach, try Qustodio, Net Nanny, or Norton Family. All of these parental control apps can monitor and block sites even when your child is using incognito/private mode.

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