How Google Nest & Google Home work with your child's Google Account

Your child can do things like ask Google questions, play games, and listen to stories if you link their Google Account and voice to supported Google Nest devices, such as a Google Home.

Important: Availability of Google Nest, Google Home, and non-Google apps on Google Assistant may vary.

How Google Nest & Google Home work

Important: Children under 13 can't play YouTube videos or songs from YouTube Music.

For the most part, Google Nest and Google Home work the same for children as they do for adults. When signed in to Google Nest or Google Home, children under 13 (or the applicable age in your country) can't do some things, such as:

Link your child's account & voice

If you created an account for a child under 13 (or the applicable age in your country), you’ll need to set up Google Nest or Google Home before they can link their account.

Important: If you add supervision to your child's existing Google Account, your child will be able to set up Google Nest or Google Home devices and sign in through the Google Home app.

Use your device

To follow these steps, your device and Google Nest or Google Home must be on the same Wi-Fi network.

  1. Open the Family Link app Family Link.
  2. Select your child.
  3. Tap Manage Settings and then Google Assistant and then Add your child to new devices.
  4. If you have multiple Google Nest or Google Home devices, tap the box next to any that you want to set up. If not, skip to step 5.
  5. Follow the instructions on the screen to sign your child in.
  6. Hand the device to your child, and help them teach the Google Assistant to recognize their voice.
Retrain the Assistant to recognize your child's voice

If the Google Assistant isn't recognizing your child's voice, you may need to train it again.

  1. On your device, open the Family Link app Family Link.
  2. Select your child.
  3. Tap Manage Settings and then Google Assistant and then Retrain [child's name]'s Voice Match and then Retrain.
  4. Hand the device to your child, and help them teach the Google Assistant to recognize their voice.

Link your child's account & Face Match on Google Nest Hub Max

Use your child's Android device

  1. Make sure you're on the same Wi-Fi network as your Nest Hub Max.
  2. Open the Google Home app Home.
  3. At the top right, tap your child's account.
  4. Tap Assistant and then Face Match and then Set up Face Match.
  5. To set up Face Match, you must first give parental permission and follow the on-screen instructions to set up Voice Match.
  6. After you set up Voice Match, follow the on-screen instructions to set up Face Match.

Unlink your child's account & voice

  1. On your device, open the Family Link app Family Link.
  2. Select your child.
  3. Select the Google Nest or Google Home device's name and tap Unlink Google Account and voice and then Unlink.

Disable Face Match

Important:

  • To delete your child's face model from the device, you can disable Face Match. This won't delete the enrollment images you used to create their face model. To delete Face Match enrollment images, sign in with your child's account and visit myactivity.google.com.
  • To delete your child's face model from the device, you can opt out of Face Match from your child's Google Home App. When you opt your child out of Voice Match, it also opts your child out of Face Match and deletes your child’s face model from the device. 
Use your child's Android device
  1. Make sure you're on the same Wi-Fi network as your Nest Hub Max.
  2. On your child's mobile device, open the Google Home app Home.
  3. From Home Home, tap the Nest display device and then Device settings and then Recognition and Personalization and then Face Match.
  4. Delete the Google Nest Hub Max from the list of devices with Face Match enabled.

Voice Match & Face Match

Learn more about Voice Match and Face Match.

Turn Personal results on or off

Personal results allows the Google Assistant on Google Nest or Google Home to read or show private info like your child's calendar and contacts, or display their photos on Android TV, Chromecast, or Chromecast built-in TV in response to a question.

  1. On your device, open the Family Link app Family Link.
  2. Select your child.
  3. Scroll down to the Google Nest or Google Home device where you want to turn Personal results on or off.
  4. Below the Google Nest or Google Home device's name, tap Settings.
  5. Turn Personal results on or off.

Important: You can't turn on a subset of Personal results. For example, you can't turn on calendars but not contacts. If you turn off Personal results because you don't want the Assistant to help your child with contacts, it won't be able to help with other personal information like photos and calendars.

How non-Google actions work

Important: If your child is under 13 (or the applicable age in your country), they can only use non-Google actions that have the "For Families" badge For families when signed in to their account.

Check if an action is for families on an Android device
  1. On your Android phone or tablet, say "Hey Google, open Assistant settings."
  2. Under "All settings," tap Explore.
  3. Tap an app.
  4. In the "Details" section, look for the "For Families" badge For families.
Check if an action is for families on the web
  1. On your internet browser, go to assistant.google.com/explore.
  2. Click on an app.
  3. In the "Details" section, look for the "For Families" badge For families.
Prevent your child from using any non-Google actions

If your child is under 13 (or the applicable age in your country), you can decide if you want to allow your child to use non-Google actions on Google Assistant when signed in to their account.

  1. Open the Family Link app Family Link.
  2. Select your child.
  3. On the "Settings" card, tap Manage Settings and then Google Assistant.
  4. Turn Third-party apps on or off.
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