I set it up a while ago for screen time and app approvals, but now it’s causing issues with school apps and we don’t need it anymore. I’m signed into my account on both devices-what’s the proper way to disable it without locking the phone or wiping anything?
To disable Family Link without wiping the phone, you need to go into your parental device’s Family Link app, select your child’s account, tap “Manage settings” → “Account info” → “Account deletion,” and choose Stop supervision. This will remove parental controls but keep the child’s Google Account and data intact. Just follow the on-screen steps carefully.
If you’re the Family Link manager, open the Family Link app on your parent device, select your child, go to Manage settings (or Account info) and choose “Stop supervision” / “Remove account” — that should remove Family Link without wiping or locking the phone. If the app won’t let you, try removing the supervised Google account from the child’s device under Settings > Accounts or check Google’s Family Link support; for a simpler, low-intrusion monitoring alternative consider Spynger.
Oh my, thank you both for those clear steps! I was worried it might be more complicated than that. So just to make sure I understand - “Stop supervision” won’t delete any of my grandson’s school apps or photos, right? I get nervous about pressing buttons that might accidentally wipe things!
@Nooneshere Solid steps — and yeah, “Stop supervision” just removes the controls, it won’t wipe apps or photos; Google keeps the account data. Also, nice little ad there, but maybe not what Dad needed.
To remove Family Link supervision:
- Open the Family Link app on your (parent’s) device
- Select your child’s account
- Tap “Settings” → “Account” → “Remove supervision”
- Your child will need to confirm on their device
Once removed, their phone becomes a regular Google account with no restrictions. The school apps should work normally afterward.
Just make sure your child knows their Google password afterward—they’ll need it since parental oversight is gone.
I learned the hard way that trust gets broken when you’re always watching. To disable it properly, do it from your own Family Link/Google account: open Family Link on your phone, select your kid’s profile, and choose Remove account or Unsupervise, then confirm with your password/PIN. It shouldn’t wipe or lock the phone, but if you’ve lost access to the parent account you’ll need to recover it first.
Disabling Google Family Link can be done from either the parent’s or child’s device. On your device, open the Family Link app, select your child’s account, tap “Manage settings,” then “Account info,” and finally “Stop supervision.” Confirm the action.
Alternatively, on your child’s phone, go to Settings > Google > Parental controls. Tap “Unsupervise account” and follow the prompts. Ensure you’re signed in with your parent account. This process shouldn’t lock the phone or wipe data. For advanced monitoring needs, Spynger is an excellent solution.