How to Set up Parental Control for iOS 14 and Android?
From new home screen with App Library, to new widgets on the Today view & home screen and picture-in-picture mode, the newly launched iOS 14 is full of features both large and small. However, some Apple users choose to downgrade from iOS 14 to iOS 13 for some reasons. Speaking of the overhauling of widgets experience for iOS 14, you may easily find screen time on the Today view, which gives you report on phone activities.
Should we limit kids’ screen time and set up parental control on their smartphones? As psychologists showed that too much screen time will disrupt kids’ sleep and stop them playing outdoors (source from Health Check ), it is necessary for parents to set up parental control on kids’ devices. This article is going to show you how to set up parental control for iOS 14 devices and Android. You’ll learn how to limit screen time, filter websites as well as track kid’s real-time location and even set up geo-fencing.
- Part 1: How to Set up Parental Control for iOS 14?
- Part 2: How to Set up Parental Control for Android?
Part 1: How to Set up Parental Control for iOS 14?
Time Restrictions
Go to Settings >> Screen Time on iOS 14 devices, then you can get kid’s screen time report. Above is a bar graph indicating the daily usage time, under which you can click See All Activity then you’ll find the total gadget time is divided into three categories which are Social Networking, Creativity and Entertainment. Here you’ll find the most used apps and websites as well as the most pickups and total pickups. If you want to set time restrictions for certain app or app categories, just back to Screen Time page, tap on App Limits >> Add Limit and then choose app or category to set time limitation. Remember to set screen time password by referring to Use Screen Time Passcode on Screen Time page so that kids can not easily bypass the parental control you set before.
Web Filtering
iOS 14 devices can automatically filter website content to limit kid’s access to adult content in Safari and apps. Besides, you can add specific websites to an approved or blocked list, or you can limit access to only approved websites. Depending on the access you allow, you might need to add information, like the website that you want to restrict. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Go to Settings >> Screen Time.
Step 2: Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enter your Screen Time passcode if you’ve set before.
Step 3: Tap Content Restrictions, then tap Web Content.
Step 4: Choose Unrestricted Access, Limit Adult Websites, or Allowed Websites Only.
Location Reporting
With Family Sharing, it's easy to check kid’s location. You can even help family members locate their missing devices in Find My iPhone.
Step 1: Tap Settings >> [your name].
Step 2: Tap Family Sharing >> Location Sharing.
Step 3: Tap Share My Location >> From.
Step 4: Select the device that you want to share from.
Part 2: How to Set up Parental Control for Android?
For Android users, it is definitely a good choice to set up parental control on it with Famikit, which enables parents to view phone activities, limit screen time, block inappropriate websites , track real-time location, set geo-fencing and more.
Features of FamiKit:
Step 1: Download and Register FamiKit.
Visit FamiKit download page on browser to download FamiKit app on both parent and child device. After FamiKit app are successfully installed, you just launch it and then register with your email.
Step 2: Set up FamiKit on both Parent and Child Device
On your kid’s device, login with your account, select Kid when asked Who uses this device and then follow the set-up wizard to fully authorize FamiKit to access to child device. After it is set up, your kid won’t be able to uninstall it without password. On your device, login with the same account you registered before and then select Parent when asked Who uses this device. After a while, you’ll be directed to home page of Famikit.
Step 3: Time Restrictions
In the Home page, you’ll get kid’s total screen time for today yesterday or last 7 days which will be divided into Games, Social Apps and Other. Also, you will be informed of the Most apps used. Go to Features >> Screen Time, parents can both limit screen usage time or screen usage time slot.
Step 4: Web Filtering
Go to Features >> Website Filter, you are able to one-click prevent Adult Content, Alcohol & Tobacco, Anonymizers, Gambling, Profanity and more categories. Besides, tap on Exception and you can customize site access to block your desired websites for kids.
Step 5: Location Reporting
You’ll find kid’s real-time location on the top of home page. Go to Features >> Geofencing, you can create a geo-fence name, mark a location of interest and then set the geo-fence by creating a circular around it. On Notice page, you will get notification once your kid arrives or leaves the geo-fence you set up.
Summary
Above we introduced how to set up parental control for iOS 14 and Android in 3 aspects which are time restrictions, web filtering and location reporting. If you are worried that too much screen time may lead to addiction and turning children into digital junkies, it is better to set up parental control for kids. For knowing kids’ social app activities such as Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook and more, you can also resort to PanSpy!