Manage Search on your child's Google Account
Important: We’re currently updating settings for Google Search services, which include Search, Maps, Shopping, Flights, Hotels, Translate, and News. These are rolling out gradually over the next few months. If the settings in this article do not match what you see, history and personalized recommendations for Search services are still controlled by Web & App Activity.
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.
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.
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.
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).
To go to this setting directly in the app, tap the button below:
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.
- Open the Family Link app 👁 Family Link
. - Select your child.
- Tap Controls 👁 and then
Google Search. - 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.
To go to this setting directly in the app, tap the button below:
- Open the Family Link app 👁 Family Link
. - Select your child's name.
- Tap Controls 👁 and then
Google Search 👁 and then
Personalized Recommendations. - Turn Personalized Recommendations on or off.
Turn Google Search on or off
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
- Open the Family Link app 👁 Family Link
. - At the top left, select your child.
- At the bottom left, tap Screen time 👁 Image
👁 and then
Time limits 👁 and then
App limits. - Tap Google App 👁 and then
App details 👁 and then
Search. - Turn off Allowed.
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
- Open the Family Link app 👁 Family Link
. - Select your child.
- Tap Controls 👁 and then
Account settings 👁 and then
Search Services History. - Within “Search Services History Settings,” turn Saving to Search Services History on or off.
Important: If you added supervision to your child’s previously existing Google Account, you’ll need their help to do this.
- On your child's device, visit the My Activity page. Your child may need to sign in with their Google Account.
- Select Search Services History.
- Follow the steps to delete activity manually or set up automatic deletion.
- On your phone or tablet, open the Family Link app 👁 Family Link
. - Select your child.
- Tap Controls 👁 and then
Account settings 👁 and then
Privacy settings. - Tap Account data settings.
- In the ”Other account settings” section, manage contact and app info from devices.
Troubleshoot problems
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
- To find more options, tap the image.
- Below the image, tap More 👁 More
👁 and then
Send feedback.