New expanded Android parental controls to support families

New expanded Android parental controls to support families around the world

Google also increasing our U.S. digital wellbeing fund to support a healthier, more resilient generation of kids and teens.

School’s out, and for many families, that means finding the right balance between summer sun and screen time. To help parents navigate the digital landscape during the break, google sharing new updates guided by our ongoing commitment to ensuring age-appropriate experiences. We designed these updates to provide more control and peace of mind, empowering you to make the best choices for your family’s digital wellbeing.

Expanding Android Parental Controls

Phone screen showing Android parental controls

Phone screen showing the Daily Limit feature in Android parental controls

Google expanding Android Parental Controls to all Android devices that update to Android 17. Launched last year on Pixel, Android Parental Controls make it easier for parents to manage their child’s screen time and to find balance between having fun online and offline.

These parental controls, located directly within Android Settings, provide a single, convenient home for both built-in device controls and Google Family Link. Whether your kids are exploring on their device or disconnecting for downtime, these on-device controls — protected by an easy-to-set PIN — can help you stay in the driver’s seat:

Set the amount of screen time your child can spend on a device each day to help establish healthy habits.
Create downtime schedules to automatically lock the device at night to ensure restful sleep without distraction.
Set app store filters for Google Play to manage the highest content rating you want your child to be able to download.
Control app usage by limiting time spent on specific apps, or blocking apps entirely.

Android Parental Controls also provide a direct path to easily set up Google Family Link in the Family Link app on a parent’s phone. Family Link offers capabilities like School Time, Google Play app purchase approvals, location alerts and more.

Increasing our U.S. digital wellbeing fund to $50 million

Building on our long-term commitment to digital wellbeing, google increasing our U.S. digital wellbeing fund to more than $50 million to support a healthier, more resilient generation of kids and teens. This funding will help introduce new interventions focused on best practices for healthy technology interactions and supports that combat social isolation. Read more about how google expanding our U.S. digital wellbeing fund.

Google is expanding its built-in Android parental controls to all devices running Android 17. Previously exclusive to Pixel devices, these on-device settings are integrated directly into the system and offer a centralized hub that connects seamlessly with Google Family Link. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The expanded suite of tools allows parents to easily monitor usage and build healthier tech habits for their children: [1, 2, 3]

Screen Time Limits: Establish daily maximums for overall phone usage.
App Management: Block specific apps entirely or set custom time limits for individual applications.
Downtime Scheduling: Automatically lock the device at night to encourage sleep and offline time.
Content Restrictions: Set rating filters for the Google Play Store to manage what apps your child can download.
Enhanced Protection: Secure all settings with a custom parent-set PIN. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

For additional tools—such as “School Time” scheduling, Play Store purchase approvals, and location alerts—parents can easily transition into the Google Family Link app. Google is also investing over $50 million to fund digital wellbeing initiatives aimed at promoting healthier technology habits and combating social isolation among kids and teens. [1, 2, 3]

To help you get started, tell me:

What specific apps or content do you need the most control over?
Are you setting this up for the first time, or looking to adjust limits on an existing account?

New expanded Android parental