Set Up Your Child’s First Android Phone
Start with the child's Google Account and a parent who will manage it. Google Family Link works across supported Android phones, including Samsung models, but your parent's device and child's device play different roles. A parent can use the Family Link app on Android or iPhone to manage a supported Android child device.
Charge both phones, connect to Wi-Fi, and install supported system and app updates. Have account recovery details ready. Menu names vary between Android versions and manufacturers, so follow the current prompts if they differ from the route described here.
Choose the account path for your child's age
Ages 10–12 in the U.S.
Create or use the child's own supervised Google Account with their correct birthday. During device setup, sign in with that account and complete the parent-verification steps. Do not sign the child into your personal account to save time; it mixes your information and permissions with theirs.
Ages 13–14 in the U.S.
If your teen has an existing Google Account, use Google's process for adding supervision together; the teen needs to agree. If the account is already supervised, turning 13 does not automatically end that supervision. Google's current guidance says children under 18 need parental approval to stop supervision. The account may offer an age-related update process.
Those are U.S. starting points. Age requirements vary by country, and a school-managed account can have separate administrator rules. Use the child's personal supervised account for this family setup rather than trying to change a school account's policies.
Connect Family Link
- Install the official Google Family Link parent app and sign in with the parent account.
- On the child phone, follow the supervised-account setup prompts. For an existing account, Google's documented route is Settings → Google → All services → Kids & Family → Parental controls; the wording may vary.
- Complete the steps with your child present, then confirm that the child's device appears in Family Link.
Before moving on, make sure you are looking at the correct child and device. A family may have several devices connected to the same account.
Set app, web, and purchase boundaries
Review the controls for Google Play, Chrome, Search, and YouTube as separate services. Choose age-appropriate access and review app permissions, especially location, camera, microphone, and contacts. Google Play approval settings do not cover every purchase made through other billing systems.
Try an app request together so both of you know what happens next. Explain that an approved app can still contain chats, user-generated content, or links that need judgment. A web filter reduces some exposure; it does not check everything a child sees.
Set a schedule that fits real life
In Family Link, open Screen time to review limits and schedules. Set daily limits and downtime around your family routine; use School time where available. Review apps you want available outside the usual limits. Google notes that system apps cannot all have individual limits.
Make a normal call to a trusted adult and check an approved school resource after configuring the schedule. If a needed tool is blocked, adjust that specific setting instead of turning supervision off.
Discuss location and getting help
Review Family Link's location settings and explain who will use them. Location depends on the device and its settings and may be unavailable or out of date. Agree on a backup contact plan for a dead battery or missing connection.
Teach your child to stop responding to unwanted contact, use the app's blocking/reporting options, and tell a trusted adult. Keep the conversation open even when they clicked something they regret.
Finish with the phone and service check
If using Boost Mobile, verify the exact model and regional version supports the offer's eSIM activation path. A physical SIM slot is not proof of eSIM compatibility. Follow the instructions included with the eligible purchase and test normal calls, messages, and data.
- Correct child account and supervision state confirmed.
- App approvals and content controls reviewed.
- School and home schedules checked.
- Needed contacts and resources remain usable.
- Location settings explained, with a backup contact plan.
- First review date chosen in the family agreement.
Sources and further reading
- Google: sign a child into Android
- Google: add supervision to an existing account
- Google: account changes at 13
- Google: manage screen time
- Google: school and downtime schedules
Source review: September 14, 2026. Menus, app features, and availability can change. Follow the current instructions shown on your device.
