Manage Search on your child's Google Account

To manage your child’s search results, use Family Link with your child’s account.

How Search works

When your child searches on Google, our systems aim to provide the most relevant and reliable info available. You can also set up preferences that make sense for your child’s account.

How Search works for school accounts

When students sign in to their school Google Workspace for Education account and use Google Search, SafeSearch helps to filter explicit content that appears in their search results. This feature works if the school administrator keeps it turned on.

School administrators can update SafeSearch filtering at any time and turn it on or off in the Admin Console. When SafeSearch enforcement is turned off, students can manage their own SafeSearch preferences.

How Search works for users with parental controls

You can manage search activities and device settings for your child's account with Family Link. To help manage explicit content in search results, SafeSearch filtering is turned on and locked by default for your child's account. SafeSearch filtering can only be managed by parents.

For devices like Android and Chromebooks, Incognito mode is disabled to help manage content preferences. Ads Personalization is also disabled.

Manage your child's Google Search results

Important: If you don't currently supervise your child's Google Account, you can use Family Link to set up supervision. If your child doesn't have a Google Account, create one for them. Once you set up supervision on your child's account, SafeSearch filtering is turned on automatically and locked so that your child cannot change the setting. If you choose to, you can update this setting on behalf of your child in Family Link (see next section).

Supervise your child's access to explicit websites

To go to this setting directly in the app, tap the button below:

Set up Google Search controls

Important: The SafeSearch preferences you set in Family Link can't be enforced if: 

• Your child isn't signed into their Google Account. Sign them into their account before use.
• You have installed alternative search apps, such as Google Go. Learn how Family Link can help you approve and limit specific apps here.

1. Open the Family Link app or go to g.co/YourFamily.
2. Select your child.
3. Tap Controls Content restrictions Google Search.
4. Keep SafeSearch in "Filter" or change it to "Blur" or "Off" if you want to update access rights for your child.

Tip: To manage access to explicit websites, update filters on Google Chrome.

Review & edit your child’s Personal results

To go to this setting directly in the app, tap the button below:

Set up personal results

Important: Your child can turn “Personal results" on or off from their device. If your child changes this setting, you won’t get a notification. You can always check your child’s account settings in the Family Link app.

1. Open the Family Link app or go to g.co/YourFamily.
2. Select your child's name.
3. Tap Controls Content restrictions Google Search Personal results.
4. Turn Show personal results on or off.

Turn Google Search on or off

Google app

You can turn off search in the Google app so your child can't use it on their Android devices.

Important: Even if you turn off search, your child can still search with 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 .
2. Select your child.
3. Tap Controls App limits Google Block or unblock app.

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 account data settings

Turn Web & App Activity on or off

1. Open the Family Link app .
2. Select your child.
3. Tap Controls Account settings Privacy settings Account data settings Web & App Activity.
4. Follow on-screen instructions.

Find 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. Your child may need to sign in with their Google Account.
2. Follow the steps to delete activity manually or set up automatic deletion.

Manage contact & app info from devices

1. On your phone or tablet, open the Family Link app .
2. Select your child.
3. Tap Controls Account settings Privacy settings Account data settings.
4. In the ”Other account settings” section, manage contact and app info from devices.

Troubleshoot problems

My child found 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 uses 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. To find more options, tap the image.
2. Below the image, tap More Send feedback.

My child found ads in their search results

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