How to Set Up Parental Controls on a Child's First Phone

Your child has just been handed their first phone, and you have no idea what it can reach. Within ten minutes of unboxing, a new phone can install almost any app, open any website and make in app purchases on a saved card.

Setting up parental controls before you hand it over takes about 30 to 40 minutes, and it is much easier to do on day one than to add restrictions after a child has got used to an open phone. This guide covers both iPhone and Android, the settings that actually matter, and the ones that cause more arguments than they prevent.

Before you start: what you need

Have these ready so you are not stopping halfway through the setup:

Your own phone, signed in to your Apple ID or Google account.
Your child's phone, charged to at least 50 percent and connected to Wi-Fi.
Your child's date of birth. Both Apple and Google use it to decide which protections switch on by default.
A four or six digit passcode for the controls that is different from the code that opens your own phone.

Do the setup with the phone still mostly empty. Fewer apps means fewer decisions, and you avoid fighting over something your child already has installed.

How to set up parental controls on an iPhone

Apple builds parental controls into Screen Time and Family Sharing. You manage everything from your own iPhone once the child's account is linked.

Create a child account. On your iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, then Family, then Add Member, and choose Create Child Account. Enter their name and date of birth.
Sign the child's iPhone in. During setup on the new phone, sign in with the child account you just created, not your own Apple ID.
Turn on Ask to Buy. In Family settings on your phone, select your child and switch on Ask to Buy. Any app download or purchase now sends a request to you first.
Set Downtime. Under Screen Time for your child, choose Downtime and set a schedule, for example 20:30 to 07:00 on school nights. Only apps you allow will work during that window.
Add Content and Privacy Restrictions. Turn this on, then set age ratings for apps, films and music, and choose Limit Adult Websites under web content.
Set Communication Limits. Choose if your child can call and message anyone or only saved contacts. For a child under 12, contacts only is a sensible start.

Finally, set a Screen Time passcode that your child does not know. Without one, the restrictions can be switched off in a few taps.

How to set up parental controls on Android

On Android, parental controls run through Google Family Link. It works on most phones from Samsung, Google, Motorola and other brands running a recent version of Android.

Install Family Link on your phone. It is free in the Play Store. Open it and follow the prompt to add a child.
Create or link the child's Google account. For children under 13, Family Link creates a supervised account. Older teens can have supervision added to an existing account, but they must agree to it.
Sign the child's phone in with that supervised account during setup. The phone will show a supervision notice and ask you to approve the link from your device.
Set app approvals. In Family Link, go to Controls, then Content restrictions, then Google Play. Set an age rating and require approval for all downloads.
Set daily limits and bedtime. Under Screen time, add a daily limit, such as 2 hours on weekdays, and a bedtime when the phone locks.
Filter the browser. Under Content restrictions, open Google Chrome and choose Try to block explicit sites. SafeSearch is switched on automatically for supervised accounts.

Family Link also shows the phone's location on a map, which is useful for younger children walking to school alone.

The settings that matter most

There are dozens of toggles, but a few do most of the work. If you only have ten minutes, focus on these:

Setting	Why it matters	Suggested start
Purchase approval	Stops surprise bills from in app purchases	Always on
App age rating	Blocks apps meant for older users	Match your child's age
Bedtime or Downtime	Protects sleep, the biggest phone related issue	One hour before bed
Web filtering	Reduces exposure to adult content	On for under 13s
Contacts only messaging	Limits contact from strangers	On for under 12s

Also think about storage before the phone fills up with games and videos. Our guide on how to free up phone storage without deleting your photos works on a child's phone too.

Why strict daily limits can backfire

Many guides recommend a hard daily screen time cap from the start, such as one hour total. In my experience, that often causes more trouble than it solves.

A blanket limit treats a homework app, a video call with a grandparent and a game the same way. When the timer runs out in the middle of a school task, the child learns that the limit is the enemy, and the next step is usually hunting for workarounds, such as changing the time zone or using a friend's phone.

A better approach is to limit specific categories instead. Leave school, maps, phone calls and messaging to family unlimited. Put a time limit on games and social video apps, which are the ones that tend to swallow evenings. Then use Downtime or bedtime to protect sleep. You get the same result with fewer arguments.

Keep the setup working over time

Parental controls are not a one off job. Check them every few months, and especially after a major software update, which can occasionally reset or add new settings.

Review the app list every month and ask about anything you do not recognise.
Loosen limits gradually as your child shows they can handle them. A clear path to more freedom gives them a reason to stick to the rules.
Protect your own account too. If someone takes over your phone number, they could change your child's settings. Our article on protecting your phone number from a SIM swap scam explains how to lock it down.

Frequently asked questions

Can a child turn off parental controls on their phone?

Not easily, if you set them up correctly. On iPhone, a Screen Time passcode they do not know prevents changes, and on Android, Family Link settings can only be changed from the parent's device. A factory reset will remove controls, but it also wipes the phone and usually requires your account password to set it up again.

What age should a child get a phone with parental controls?

Many families start between ages 10 and 12, often when a child begins travelling to school alone. The right age depends on your child, but at any age a new phone should start with strong controls that you relax over time.

Do parental controls work on both Wi-Fi and mobile data?

Yes. Screen Time and Family Link are built into the phone and its account, so they apply on any connection. Router based filters, by contrast, only work while the phone is on your home Wi-Fi.