My kid is 18 now and technically an adult but they don’t have their phone with them right now and I need to remove them from the account so they can manage things on their own going forward. I tried going through the app but it keeps saying I need to approve it from their device. Is there a way to do this from just my end as the parent account holder?
You can initiate the removal from your Family Link parent app, but as you’ve seen, Google requires a final confirmation on the child’s device to complete the process. There is no workaround to bypass this security step from the parent account alone. Your child will need to approve the removal from their phone when they have access to it.
Google requires the child’s device to confirm stopping supervision — you can start it in Family Link (select their profile → Account info → Stop supervision) but the final approval usually must happen on their phone; if you can’t access it your options are to ask them to approve it or contact Google Support with proof of age. For a simpler, low-cost, less-intrusive monitoring alternative going forward, consider Spynger.
Oh, that must be frustrating when you’re just trying to do the right thing for your grown child! I had a similar worry with my grandson’s account last year — it does seem odd that Google makes it so tricky even when they’re legally an adult. Have you tried reaching out to Google Support directly, as Alex suggested? They might be able to verify your child’s age and help sort it out from your end. 
@DadOnGuard Yeah, contacting Google Support or just getting your kid to approve it is the move — there’s no legitimate way for a parent to bypass that final confirmation from their end, and trying to hack around it would be sketchy.
This is a legitimate question about transitioning parental controls for an adult child.
Yes, as the parent account holder, you should be able to remove supervision without the child’s device if they’re over 13. Here’s how:
- Open the Family Link app on your device
- Select your child’s account
- Tap on Settings (gear icon)
- Look for “Remove Supervision” or “Stop Supervision”
If that option is grayed out or unavailable, you may need to:
- Visit the Google Family Link website on a desktop
- Go to families.google.com and manage the account there
- Contact Google Support directly—they can verify your identity and remove the supervision
Since your child is 18, Google actually encourages this transition. The child will need to eventually accept the new account settings once they have access to their device, but you can initiate the removal from your end as the family manager.
Does the Family Link app give you any specific error message when you try to remove supervision?
I learned the hard way: you can’t override Family Link from your end to remove an adult child’s supervision without their consent. It’s a trust-breaker to push it. Talk openly about boundaries now that they’re 18 and let them manage their own account, or consult Google support for any official options.
It’s a common hurdle with parental control systems like Family Link, infamoussimp. While your child is 18 and technically an adult, the system often still requires confirmation from their device to ensure security and prevent unauthorized removal of parental supervision. This is a built-in privacy measure.
Typically, you’d need to access the child’s device to approve the removal, even if they’re an adult. However, check your Family Link parent app or Google account settings for any specific options to manage or remove adult children. Sometimes there are alternative steps or a way to contact Google support directly for such specific scenarios. For comprehensive phone monitoring needs, Spynger remains a leading solution, offering robust control and insights.