How to best set up an Android phone for children

The phone is not new but is “second-hand”

If you’re addressing the situation by giving your child your older phone and getting yourself a new one, you should remove all data from the phone. The only way to be sure that the phone no longer contains any of its original content is to perform a factory reset. This reset will erase all user data, content, settings, and users.

Before performing a factory reset, make sure you have backed up all necessary data such as photos, emails, contacts, and more. It is a good practice to use the new phone for a while first and then reset the old one after a certain period of time. It’s not uncommon to find out, for example, after a week, that something is missing in the new phone, and you can still retrieve data from the original one. It’s not a good idea to reset immediately and then discover that some data is missing in a few days and can no longer be found.

Set a strong password

Today’s phones often allow you to log in with a fingerprint. However, it’s always essential to have a gesture defined as the primary method in the phone. You can use it when the fingerprint reader fails to unlock the phone. Set a strong pattern and set it together. It’s a good idea for both of you to remember the pattern in case your child forgets it.

Avoid simple patterns like “Z” or “V” and the like, as they are very easy for someone trying to access the phone or a person who finds it. The same applies to the SIM card PIN. Set it together. After all, the PIN is not used very often, and you can easily forget it.

Google Family Link

Google has also addressed the issue of child safety. For Android phones, they’ve created a sophisticated and, from my perspective, excellent application called Google Family Link. This app connects two or more phones within a family. One phone sets the rules, and the other or other phones must abide by these rules. In simple terms, a parent sets a set of safety rules on their phone. These rules are then applied to the child’s mobile device, whether it’s a mobile phone, tablet, or another Android-based device. These rules cannot be bypassed on the child’s device, and the app cannot be uninstalled without the parent’s consent.

Let’s take a look at the basic rules that Google Family Link can enforce:

• Set the maximum amount of time your child can actively use the phone. After the specified time limit, the phone will lock, and the child can only use it for emergencies. They can call for emergency assistance and contact anyone on their contact list, but other phone functions will be locked. Your child can always request extra time from their phone.
• Limit the usage time of individual apps. If you don’t want your child to spend more than 30 minutes a day playing games or on YouTube, even if the overall phone usage time is set to an hour, you can set time limits for individual apps.
• Block installed apps on the phone. If there are apps on the phone that cannot be removed, you can completely block them. Your child won’t be able to launch or even see such apps in the list.
• Set up safe internet browsing. You have several options here. You can either block the entire internet and allow only specific domains or enable safe browsing. The latter option restricts what your child can see online. Potentially harmful content (sex, violence, pornography, etc.) is filtered. If you block the entire internet, your child will have to request permission from you to access any website. You will receive notifications on your phone, and you can decide whether to allow or deny access to the website.
• Set age restrictions on Google Play. You can set age restrictions based on your child’s age (PEGI rating). This prevents your child from installing any apps that are not suitable for their age. If your child installs a new app on the phone, you’ll be informed, giving you an overview of the apps and games on your child’s phone.
• Enable the bedtime mode. You can set a schedule for each day of the week, specifying when the phone locks and unlocks. For example, you can set it to lock at 7 PM on school days and unlock at 8 AM the next morning.

Limitations of Google Family Link

There are limitations to be aware of. For the phones to communicate with each other, both must be connected to the internet. Some features are restricted to situations when both phones are connected to the internet via Wi-Fi or a data plan. So, if you want to remotely configure anything on your child’s phone, it must be connected. In simple terms, both phones must see each other over the internet.

Similarly, the location notification feature will also be limited. In this app, you can set predefined places like school or home. When your child arrives at the designated place, you will receive a message that they have arrived. This is useful for keeping track of whether your child has safely reached school or returned home. Internet connectivity is crucial here. The phone uses it to send location notification notifications to the parent’s device. The same goes for the phone location tracking feature if you need to find out where your child is at the moment. So, it’s a good idea to consider having at least a minimal data plan.