Parental controls cannot substitute for a conversation with your child about what a phone is for — but they provide a technical backstop while those conversations happen over years. The short version: iOS Screen Time and Android Family Link both cover daily time limits, app and content restrictions, purchase approval, and location sharing; neither is unbypassable; carrier-level filtering adds a network layer that neither replaces. Set controls with your child rather than around them.
This guide covers what each platform’s controls actually do (per Apple and Google official documentation), how carrier-level filtering works, and how to approach the setup as your child grows.
What iOS Screen Time Does
Screen Time is Apple’s built-in parental control system, available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It is configured on the device itself and, when enabled as a Family Sharing child account, can be managed remotely from a parent’s device via the Screen Time section of Settings.
Daily time limits (App Limits and Downtime)
App Limits let you set a maximum daily usage time for individual apps or app categories (Social, Entertainment, Games, and so on). When the limit is reached, the app icon dims and shows a timer icon. The child can request more time, which sends a notification to the parent’s device for approval. Downtime schedules a period during which only allowed apps and phone calls are accessible — this is useful for enforcing no-phone hours at bedtime or during school.
Content and privacy restrictions
The Content & Privacy Restrictions section lets you:
- Set a maximum age rating for App Store apps, movies, TV shows, books, and music (explicit content toggle)
- Restrict web content in Safari to “Unrestricted”, “Limit Adult Websites” (automatic filtering), or “Allowed Websites Only” (allowlist-only mode)
- Block specific websites by URL
- Prevent changes to accounts, passcode, location settings, or cellular data settings
On “Limit Adult Websites” mode, Safari uses Apple’s on-device content classification to block known adult sites and allows you to add explicit allows and blocks manually. This filtering applies in Safari only — third-party browsers are not controlled by this setting unless blocked via App Limits.
App purchases and downloads
Under Content & Privacy Restrictions → iTunes & App Store Purchases, you can require a password for every purchase (including free downloads), or set purchases to “Don’t Allow” entirely. For children under 18 in a Family Sharing group, Ask to Buy is available: the child initiates a purchase, and a notification is sent to the family organiser’s device for approval or denial.
Location sharing and Find My
A child’s device can be shared in the family’s Find My group, making their location visible to family members on the Find My app. The child sees that location sharing is enabled. This uses the same Apple network described in What to Do If Your Phone Is Lost or Stolen — the device location is visible even when the device is offline on supported models.
Communication limits
Screen Time can restrict who the child can call and message during allowed hours and during Downtime, based on contacts in the phone’s address book. This applies to Phone, FaceTime, and Messages.
Setting a Screen Time passcode
When Screen Time is managed remotely (Family Sharing + Screen Time), the parent sets a four-digit Screen Time passcode that is separate from the device’s unlock PIN or passcode. The child cannot change Screen Time settings without this code. If this passcode is not set, Screen Time settings are accessible to anyone who unlocks the device.
For the complete configuration path: on the child’s device, go to Settings → Screen Time. If managing from the parent’s device via Family Sharing: Settings → Screen Time → Family → [child’s name].
Source: Apple Support — Use parental controls on your child’s iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
What Android Family Link Does
Family Link is Google’s parental supervision system for Android devices and Chromebooks. Unlike Screen Time, which is configured device-locally, Family Link works through supervised Google Accounts: the child’s Google Account is a supervised account, and the parent manages it from the Family Link app on their own Android or iOS device.
Daily time limits and Downtime
Family Link lets you set daily screen time limits by app or as a total device limit. You can also lock the device at a scheduled time (Bedtime) or remotely lock it immediately from the Family Link app. When the child reaches their daily limit, they can send a request for more time, which appears as a notification on the parent’s device.
App approvals and Google Play
By default, Family Link requires parental approval for every app download and in-app purchase from Google Play. The parent receives a notification with the app name, category, and rating, and can approve or decline. You can also allow certain apps without per-download approval by marking them as “always approved” in the Family Link app.
Content filters in Chrome and Google Search
Family Link can set Google SafeSearch to locked (preventing the child from changing it) and can restrict Chrome browsing to approved sites only, or to block explicit content using Google’s filters. As with iOS, this filtering applies in Chrome — other installed browsers are not covered by this setting.
App visibility and activity reports
The Family Link app shows the parent a weekly activity report: how much time the child spent in each app, how many times the device was unlocked, and which apps were most used. The parent can view the child’s installed apps and remotely uninstall apps they find inappropriate.
Location sharing
Family Link shares the child’s device location with the parent in the Family Link app, updated periodically. The child’s device shows a “supervised by [parent name]” indicator in Settings, so the child is aware of the supervision.
Age of digital consent and account graduation
Family Link supervision continues until the child’s Google Account reaches the age of digital consent in their country — typically 13 in most markets. When that age is reached, Google notifies both parent and child that the child is now old enough to manage their own account. However, a child under 18 needs a parent’s approval to stop supervision; turning 13 does not let the child remove supervision on their own. A parent can also choose to stop supervision at any time once the child has reached the age of consent. Once a child turns 18, they can manage their account independently.
For the setup process: the parent downloads the Family Link app on their device, then uses it to create or link the child’s Google Account. The child’s Android device must then be signed in to that supervised account.
Source: Google Family Link Help — Set up parental controls
Carrier-Level Content Filtering
Many mobile carriers offer network-level content filtering as an opt-in (or sometimes opt-out) service. This filtering operates at the carrier’s network infrastructure, blocking or categorising traffic before it reaches the device, regardless of which browser or app the device uses.
What carrier filtering covers
Network-level filtering typically blocks by content category — adult content, gambling, violence — using URL classification databases maintained by the carrier or a third-party filtering provider. Because it operates at the network level, it applies to any app or browser on the device, including third-party browsers that are not covered by device-level content restrictions.
What carrier filtering does not cover
- Wi-Fi connections: carrier filtering applies only to the carrier’s mobile data network. When the device is connected to Wi-Fi (home, school, public), carrier filtering has no effect.
- Screen time limits and usage monitoring: carrier filtering does not know or control how long a child uses a device or individual apps.
- In-app purchases and app downloads: these go through the platform’s app store, not through carrier filtering.
- End-to-end encrypted traffic: filtering systems cannot inspect content carried over end-to-end encrypted protocols (for example, some messaging apps) and can only act on destination URLs and IP addresses.
Legal obligations vary by country
Some countries have legislation requiring carriers to offer child-safe filtering options or to block specific categories of illegal content by default. These obligations differ significantly between jurisdictions — what is legally mandated in one country may be entirely voluntary in another. Check your carrier’s account settings or customer service page to see what filtering options are available and whether any are pre-enabled on your plan.
Using carrier filtering alongside device controls
Carrier filtering and device-level controls (Screen Time, Family Link) are complementary. Carrier filtering provides network-level coverage that applies to all apps and survives the removal of device-level apps. Device-level controls provide time limits, purchase approval, and location sharing that carrier filtering cannot offer. Using both provides broader coverage than either alone.
If you are concerned about what your child accesses over public Wi-Fi — where carrier filtering does not apply — see How to Use Public Wi-Fi Safely for network-level risks and mitigations.
Age-Appropriate Setup: A Graduated Approach
The right level of restriction depends on the child’s age and maturity. Applying maximum restriction to a 15-year-old is less appropriate than applying it to an 8-year-old, and a single static configuration rarely serves a child well as they grow.
Younger children (roughly 6–10)
At this stage, the goal is to establish healthy habits from the start rather than correct entrenched ones. Tight defaults work well: short daily time limits, Allowed Websites Only or equivalent in the browser, app approval required for all downloads, and no social media or messaging apps. Location sharing is appropriate for safety reasons and is usually accepted without friction at this age.
Downtime set to align with bedtime and school hours avoids battles about putting the phone down — the limit is presented as a rule the phone follows, not a negotiation point.
Older children (roughly 11–14)
The approach shifts from blocking to shaping. Moving from Allowed Websites Only to content filtering (Limit Adult Websites) gives more browsing freedom while maintaining a backstop. App Limits can be widened or set by category rather than total time. Purchase approval remains important at this age, as in-app purchases can accumulate quickly in games.
Involving the child in setting the limits — “you have two hours of free time on weeknights, how do you want to split it between YouTube and games?” — is more effective than unilateral configuration. Controls that the child understands and has partially agreed to are harder to resent and easier to enforce.
Teenagers (roughly 15+)
At this stage, moving toward monitoring rather than blocking is developmentally appropriate. Android Family Link automatically prompts a graduation discussion at 13; iOS Screen Time requires a conscious parental decision to reduce restrictions.
Keeping location sharing active (with explicit agreement from the teenager) serves safety without functioning as a restriction. Moving App Limits to advisory (notifications without hard locks) allows the teenager to self-regulate while maintaining awareness. Regular check-ins about what they are seeing online are more valuable than content filters that can be circumvented.
Establishing a Family Agreement Before Handing Over the Device
Technical controls are more effective when they accompany a clear family agreement. Setting controls without discussion invites adversarial behaviour — the child’s goal becomes bypassing the restriction rather than understanding its purpose.
A family agreement for a child’s first phone might cover:
- What the phone is for (school, staying in touch with family, specific apps agreed in advance)
- Daily time limits and why they exist (sleep, homework, family time)
- Which apps require a conversation before downloading
- Privacy expectations: that the parent may ask to review the phone, and under what circumstances
- Consequences for breaking the agreement, agreed in advance
The agreement changes as the child grows. Reviewing it annually — or when the child asks for more freedom — is a practical cadence.
For families who are concerned about SMS-based two-factor authentication on accounts the child uses, see Why SMS Two-Factor Authentication Is Not Enough for an explanation of why authenticator apps are preferable. If you are setting up accounts for your child, use an authenticator app rather than SMS 2FA where the service supports it.
Setting Up Location Sharing Correctly
Both platforms provide location sharing as a feature of parental supervision. The setup details differ.
iOS Family Sharing + Find My
In a Family Sharing group, all members can optionally share their location with other family members. Location sharing for the family group is managed via Find My and Screen Time settings; each family member’s device appears in the Find My app once sharing is enabled.
The child sees that their location is being shared and can see the parent’s location as well (sharing is mutual within the family group). To share only in one direction, the child would need to turn off their own location sharing in Find My, which they can do unless location settings are restricted in Screen Time.
Android Family Link
Location sharing is built into the supervised account model — the parent sees the child’s device location in the Family Link app by default. The child cannot disable this while the supervised account is active.
What location sharing does and does not tell you
Device location sharing shows the location of the device, not necessarily the location of the child. A child who leaves their phone at home before going somewhere they should not be has circumvented location sharing without any technical bypass. Location sharing is a safety tool for genuine emergencies, not a comprehensive monitoring system.
If a device is lost or stolen, location sharing via Find My or Find My Device can assist in recovery — see What to Do If Your Phone Is Lost or Stolen for the full recovery process.
Protecting the Child’s SIM and Account
A child’s SIM is exposed to the same security risks as an adult’s. For a child’s account, where a parent may be managing the carrier account, the relevant protections are the same as for any account.
SIM swap fraud — where an attacker convinces a carrier to transfer a number to a new SIM — can affect any account, including a child’s. Carriers in several countries have introduced account lock features and notification requirements in response to regulatory guidance. Enabling any available account lock or SIM swap notification on the carrier account is a practical step. For a full explanation of how SIM swap works and how to protect against it, see SIM Swap: What It Is and How to Protect Your Number.
For accounts the child uses independently (school email, gaming platforms, social media), prefer authenticator apps over SMS for two-factor authentication where the service supports it. If the child is old enough to use a VPN — particularly on public Wi-Fi — How to Choose and Use a VPN covers what a VPN does and does not protect.
What Parental Controls Cannot Do
Being clear about the limits of these systems avoids false confidence.
Technical controls cannot replace ongoing conversation. A child who understands why certain content or time limits exist is less likely to seek workarounds than one who sees controls as arbitrary restrictions. Technical enforcement is a supplement to trust, not a substitute.
Neither Screen Time nor Family Link is unbypassable. Both can be circumvented by determined children with access to technical resources (online bypass guides exist for both platforms). A second device without controls, a friend’s device, or a factory reset can all defeat device-level controls. The goal is friction, not an absolute barrier.
Content filters have false positives and false negatives. “Limit Adult Websites” in Safari and Google SafeSearch will miss some inappropriate content and block some legitimate content. They are heuristic filters, not curated allowlists.
Carrier filtering does not cover Wi-Fi. Every session on a home router, school Wi-Fi, or public hotspot bypasses carrier filtering entirely. Device-level controls are the relevant layer for Wi-Fi connections.
Location sharing shows device location, not child location. A phone left at home, lent to a friend, or switched to airplane mode does not accurately represent the child’s location.
Summary: A Practical Setup Checklist
For iOS (managed via Family Sharing):
- Add the child as a Family Sharing member under 18 and enable Ask to Buy.
- On the child’s device, open Settings → Screen Time → Turn On Screen Time → select “This is my child’s iPhone”.
- Set a Screen Time passcode (different from the device unlock code).
- Configure Downtime and App Limits to match agreed daily limits.
- Under Content & Privacy Restrictions: set age-appropriate app, movie, and content ratings; set web content to Limit Adult Websites or Allowed Websites Only.
- Enable location sharing via Find My (family members appear in Find My once sharing is active).
For Android (Family Link):
- Install the Family Link app on the parent’s device.
- Follow the in-app setup to create or link the child’s supervised Google Account.
- On the child’s Android device, sign in with the supervised Google Account.
- In the Family Link app: set Daily screen time limits and Bedtime.
- Set app approval to required for all downloads.
- Review the web filter settings in the child’s Chrome profile.
In both cases: discuss the setup with your child, explain what the controls do, and agree on a review schedule for when limits will be revisited.
Related Guides
- How to Use Public Wi-Fi Safely — risks on shared networks that carrier filtering does not cover, and what to do about them
- How to Choose and Use a VPN — what a VPN does and when it is useful for an older child’s device
- What to Do If Your Phone Is Lost or Stolen — how Find My and Find My Device work for recovery, and what to do if a child’s phone goes missing
- Why SMS Two-Factor Authentication Is Not Enough — why authenticator apps are preferable to SMS 2FA on accounts a child uses
- SIM Swap: What It Is and How to Protect Your Number — protecting the SIM account that underlies a child’s phone number