Setting up parental controls on a child’s Android phone is straightforward using Google’s built-in tools. The most common option is Google Family Link, a free app that lets parents manage safety settings, screen time, and app access in one place. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to get started.

In our guide we show how parents can set up restrictions on an iPhone or iPad to prevent their children from using certain features and apps. This includes blocking access to social media, restricting explicit content, and limiting in-app purchases. You can also control access to the camera and sharing of photos.

Turning your child's iPhone into a "dumb phone" involves limiting its functionality to basic features like calling and texting, while restricting access to apps, the internet, and other distractions. Here’s how you can effectively set up restrictions on an iPhone to mimic the experience of a dumb phone.

Samsung phones have their own built-in parental tools on top of standard Android, including Kids Mode. This guide walks you through setting it up so your child can only access what you approve.

Amazon Fire tablets are popular with younger children and come with excellent built-in controls through Amazon Kids. Here's how to set them up so you're in control of what your child can see and do.

Both Windows and Mac have free, built-in parental control tools. This guide shows you how to set up your child's own account and use it to manage screen time, filter websites, and approve apps.

YouTube can serve up surprising content even when kids search for innocent things. This guide covers your options, from YouTube Kids for younger children to supervised accounts for older ones.

Family Pairing links your TikTok account to your child's so you can manage their settings remotely — without needing their password. This guide shows you how to set it up and what you can control.

Instagram introduced Teen Accounts with automatic protections for under-18s. This guide explains what changes automatically, what you can manage as a parent, and how to link your account for supervision.

Snapchat's Family Center lets you see who your child has been chatting with — without reading the actual messages. It's a balance many teenagers accept more willingly. Here's how to set it up.

Roblox is hugely popular but contains user-generated content that varies widely in quality. This guide walks you through the settings that will help you keep your child's experience safer.

PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch all have strong parental controls built in. This guide gives you the key steps for each console so you can set limits on time, spending, and content.

Your Wi-Fi router can filter content for every device in your home at once — no need to set things up individually. This guide shows you how, including tools from major UK broadband providers.

Apps often ask for more access than they need — location, camera, contacts, microphone. This guide shows you how to check and manage permissions on both iPhone and Android in just a few minutes.

DNS filtering is a powerful way to block inappropriate content across your entire home — working quietly in the background on every device. This guide explains what it is and how to set it up for free.