SkieHow do I set parental controls on Android?
You have two routes. Android's own settings and the Google Play Store have basic content filters that your child can change. For controls the child cannot undo, use device management software like Skie, which needs a one-time reset of the phone or tablet and then runs from a web dashboard.
The built-in route is Google Play's parental controls, which limit apps and games by age rating, plus Google Family Link for a child's account. These are free and quick. They also depend on the child not changing them, and on the child having a Google account set up for it.
The Skie route has more steps at the start and fewer problems later. First, check the device is Android 12 or newer. Second, make sure it has been reset and no Google account is on it. Third, set it up with the Skie Provision app on another phone, or with a computer and cable. Fourth, open the dashboard in a browser and choose apps, schedules and the filter.
After that, the child's device shows a normal Android screen with only the apps you chose. Adult websites do not load, Chrome safe search is locked, and the Play Store can be hidden.
The reset is the part parents ask about most. Android only allows device owner management on a device that has not been set up. It is not a Skie rule. Back up photos and contacts first.
Tip: set up the device on a calm weekend, with your child present if they are old enough. Explain what is on and why. Children accept a rule more easily when they see it set up, not found later.