When we live around electronic gadgets all the time, it is impossible to not become tech-savvy these days. This rings true especially for our kids who have become experts in handling electronic devices and the internet.
From browsing on the internet to get information for their home work to playing online games, to chatting with their friends, to watching movies, there is a lot that the internet has to offer to kids. As soon as they grow up, they demand Android phones. Parents usually give in to their demands because they want to stay in touch with their kids and have a sense of relief that they are safe.
With cellphones in their hands, kids can access all sorts of information on the internet which may also include inappropriate content. They can come across explicit content or start talking to online predators or cyberbullies without knowing the consequences. A parental control app needs to be installed on their phone to prevent your kids from these dangers.
Most parental control apps come with incredible monitoring and filtering features for Android phones/tablets. If you want to give an Android device to your kid, be sure to first install the parental control app on it.
How to Set Up Parental Controls on Android
Besides using a third-party parental control app, you can also use the built-in privacy and parental control features offered by Android devices. you can also enable them to protect your kids from the internet world.
Let us now learn how you can set up parental controls on your kid’s Android phone. Enable them and keep your kids safe from online threats and dangers.
Create a Restricted Profile
You can create a new user account on an Android phone. When you create a new, restricted profile for your kid on an Android phone, you can protect them from harmful online threats. Here is the step by step guide to learn how to create a restricted profile on your kid’s Android phone.
Step 1:Open the Settings on your kid’s phone.
Step 2:Now you need to scroll down and then tap “Users.”
Step 3:After opening “Users”, tap “Add user/profile”. A list of options will become visible. Choose “Restricted profile” from the option and move ahead.
Step 4:After that, you will be required to set up a password for your kid’s account. Remember, you will only be asked about this step if you haven’t set up a password previously. In case, you haven’t, then choose the security option that you like such as pattern, password, or PIN, and then enter the pattern, password, or PIN for it accordingly.
Once you have entered, a new screen will appear on your phone’s screen, giving you the list of all the installed apps on your kid’s Android phone. Next to the apps, there will be a toggle ON/OFF button.
Step 5:The next step will require you to name the profile. Next to the “New profile” option which can be found at the top of the screen, you need to tap the three-line icon. Enter the name of the profile in the dialog box that appears on your phone screen. Tap “OK” once you are done.
Step 6:In the next step, you will select apps that you need to keep on your kid’s phone. That way, your kids can only access the apps that have been enabled and chosen by you.
Step 7:In the end, you can exit the Settings menu and then lock your kid’s phone screen. Once you press the Home button, the screen will be activated. After that, you will be on the lock screen. On the lock screen, you can see user names at the bottom of the screen. There, you can select the user name of the restricted profile that you have created and then unlock the phone screen by using the security option you had set.
When you access the app drawer, you can only see apps that have been selected for the restricted profile on the screen. Only these apps can be accessed by your kid.
Use A Parental Control App
Parents can also use parental control software to protect their kids from harmful online dangers. With the help of a parental control app, you can manage and control what your kid is doing and seeing on the internet.
All you need to do is choose the best parental control app, select the package that best suits your needs, and then download the app. You can then install the app on your kid’s Android phone by obtaining physical access to it.
Once the app has been installed on your kid’s Android phone, you can open the online dashboard provided by the parental control app and begin controlling your kid’s Android device usage. You can also monitor all the events and activities taking place on your kid’s phone such as text messages, phone calls, web browsing, location, social media, etc.
Enable Parental Controls in the Google Play Store
There is another way to set up parental controls on your kid’s Android device and that is to enable parental controls in the Google Play Store. By doing this, you can prevent your kids from downloading and installing inappropriate and explicit apps on their Android devices.
Below, you can follow the step by step guide to enable parental control features on the Play Store:
Step 1: First of all, open Google Play Store on your kid’s Android device.
Step 2:Open the Settings menu. It can be found on the top left corner of the screen. Tap the three-line icon to open the Settings.
Step 3:You can see the Parental controls option under the “User controls” heading. Tap on this option.
Step 4:Usually, parental controls are disabled or turned off by default. You can enable them by toggling it on.
Step 5:Once you toggle it on, you will see a new window opening on your screen. This screen will ask you to create a content PIN. Enter a 4-digit PIN here so that you can use it to change settings for parental controls. Tap “OK” once you have entered the PIN. Confirm the PIN after entering it again.
Step 6:In the next step, tap “Apps & games”.
Step 7:A new window will pop up on your screen, requiring you to select app ratings for certain age levels of your kids. For instance, if you select apps rated ages 3+, the Google Play Store will only display apps for kids aged between 3 and 7. And, if you choose rate 7+, the Play Store is going to show apps for kids between 7 and 12, and so on. You can tap the rating you want to set according to your kid’s age.
