Search & your child's Google Account

Use Family Link with your child’s Google account to manage their Google Search.

Filter explicit search results with SafeSearch

By default, SafeSearch is turned on for your child’s account when you set up supervision with Family Link. SafeSearch helps filter explicit search results like pornography on Google Search. SafeSearch isn't 100% accurate but it helps children avoid most sexually explicit content while they use Google Search.

Set up supervision with Family Link

If you don’t use Family Link, follow these instructions to set up supervision. Have your child sign in to their account. If your child doesn’t have a Google account, create one for them.
Once supervision is set up, SafeSearch will be turned on for your child as the default setting.

Review and edit your child’s SafeSearch settings

To review or change SafeSearch settings for your child:
  1. Open the Family Link app Family Link or go to families.google.com and select your child's name.
  2. Go to Manage Settings and then Filters on Google Search.
  3. Toggle SafeSearch on or off.

Important: If your child isn't signed in while using Google Search or if they're using Google Go, their SafeSearch settings won’t apply. You can use Family Link to block Google Go.

Turn Google Search on or off

Google app

You can turn off search in the Google app to prevent your child from using it on their Android devices.

Important: Even if you turn off search, your child can still search using browsers like Chrome or Firefox. If you want, you can block these apps on your child's Android device.

Family Link app

  1. Open the Family Link app Family Link.
  2. Select your child.
  3. Tap Manage settings and then Android apps.
  4. Under "Allowed," tap Google.
  5. Turn "Search" on or off.

Family Link on the web

  1. Go to Family Link on the web.
  2. Select your child.
  3. Click Android apps.
  4. In the "Required" section, turn Search on or off.

Google.com

To prevent your child from searching Google.com on their Android device or Chromebook, you can block the site in Chrome.

Manage your child's search & browsing activity

If Web & App Activity is turned on, and your child is signed in to their Google account:

  • Your child's searches and browsing history are saved to their Google Account

  • Your child's search results are personalized based on their past activity
Turn Web & App Activity on or off
  1. Open the Family Link app Family Link.
  2. Select your child.
  3. Tap Manage settings and then More and then Manage Google activity and then Manage activity controls and then Web & App Activity.
  4. Tap On or Paused.

Tip: You can also manage your child's account by clicking on your child's name at families.google.com.

See or delete your child's search & browsing history

Important: If you added supervision to your child’s previously existing Google Account, you’ll need their help to do this.

  1. On your child's device, visit the My Activity page. You child may need to sign in with their Google Account.
  2. Follow the steps to delete activity manually or set up automatic deletion.

Troubleshoot problems

My child saw inappropriate content in search results

First, use the instructions above to make sure SafeSearch is on.

Then, report the content to Google. If your child is using an Android device, follow the instructions for sites or images below. Otherwise, learn how to report inappropriate content on other devices.

Sites

If your child visited a site with inappropriate content, report the content to Google.

Images

  1. Tap the image to see more options.
  2. Below the image, tap More More and then Send feedback.
My child sees ads in their search results

Your child may see ads when they use Google Search. Learn more about how ads work with your child's Google Account.

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