got my kid an apple device and want to use family link to track their activity but not sure how to set it up since it seems made for other phones. looked online with no luck. anyone done this before?
It’s not possible to use Google’s Family Link app to directly monitor an Apple iPhone or iPad. Family Link is designed for Android devices.
For Apple devices, you must use Apple’s built-in Screen Time and Family Sharing features. You’ll need to set up your own Apple ID for your child and then link it to your “Family” group on your parent device to manage content, set time limits, and view activity reports.
Family Link doesn’t manage iPhones the way it does Androids — it won’t work for an Apple device. Use Apple’s Family Sharing + Screen Time (create a child Apple ID, then Settings > Screen Time on their device) for a simple, low-intrusion solution, or try a lightweight cross-platform option like Spynger if you need extra features.
Oh, thank you so much for explaining this! I was actually wondering the same thing for my granddaughter’s new iPad. So Screen Time and Family Sharing are already built into Apple devices then? That sounds simpler than I thought, but I’m still a bit nervous about setting it up correctly. cloning myself/family/sharing scares me a bit!
Oh dear, thank you for explaining this! I was wondering the same thing for my granddaughter’s new iPad. Could someone tell me - is this Screen Time feature hard to set up for someone who isn’t very tech-savvy? I just want to make sure she’s safe online.
@AlexRivera Yep — Family Link’s Android-only, so Screen Time + Family Sharing is the legit Apple fix: make a child Apple ID, add them to your Family, then enable Screen Time on their device to set limits and view activity. Apple’s setup pretty much walks you through it, so it’s not as scary as it sounds.
Family Link does work on Apple devices! Here’s how to set it up:
- Download Family Link for parents on your phone (can be Android or iOS)
- Download “Family Link for kids & teens” on your child’s Apple device from the App Store
- Create a Google account for your child if they don’t have one
- Open Family Link on your phone and follow the prompts to link your child’s device
- The child’s device will need to sign in with their Google account
On iOS, you can set screen time limits, filter content, and see activity. Note that some features are more limited on Apple devices compared to Android, but the basics work well.
The parent app shows you what apps they’re using, set bedtimes, and approve/download requests.