This wikiHow teaches you how to create a Google account for a child under the age of 13, both through Google Family Link and by setting up a supervised account in Google Chrome.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Create a Family Link Account
Step 1. Make sure you have all the prerequisites available
Google Family Link allows you to create an account for your child that you can monitor using your Android device. In addition to having to live in the United States, you will need the following items to create a Family Link account:
- an Android phone with KitKat operating system or higher
- a brand new (or factory reset) Android phone with Nougat
- own Google account
Step 2. Go to the Family Link website
You will find it at
Step 3. Click Get Started
It's a blue button in the middle of the page.
Step 4. Click Request Invitation
Doing so will take you to an account page to make sure you are using the correct account.
Step 5. Click Start Over
You will do it in the middle of the page.
- If you haven't signed into a Google account yet, first click Log in in the middle of the page and enter your email address and password.
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If necessary, first click Use a different account?
and select a different email account (or enter the details for one).
Step 6. Confirm that you meet the prerequisites for creating an account
To do so, click Yes below the question, click the arrow pointing to the right and repeat the process for each subsequent question.
Step 7. Click Finish
Doing so will send an invitation request to the beta version of Family link. Once it's approved, you'll log into the Family Link app (Google will provide you with access), create an account for your child, and set it up with Family Link on their Android 7 device.
Part 2 of 2: Create a Supervised Account in Chrome
Step 1. Open the Google Chrome browser
This app has a red, green, yellow and blue circle icon.
- You will need to log into Google Chrome with your Google account to create a supervised user. To sign in, click on the top right of the Chrome window. Then click Log in and enter your Google account credentials. If the tab shows your name, it means that you are already logged in.
Step 2. Click ⋮
It's in the upper-right corner of the Google Chrome window.
- In some versions of Chrome, the button looks like this: ☰
Step 3. Click Settings
You'll find this option at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
Step 4. Scroll down and click Add
This option is under the heading "People" towards the bottom of the page.
- Make sure the boxes Enable guest browsing and Allow anyone to add a person to Chrome are unchecked.
Step 5. Write your child's name
You will do so in the box next to "Name" below the list of profile pictures.
You can also choose a profile picture by clicking the icon at the top of the window (or let your child decide)
Step 6. Make sure to click on both boxes below the name field
When you do so, a check mark will appear on each of them. If you don't see a check mark, click again. These charts include the following:
-
Create a desktop shortcut for this user:
This option will allow your children to open their version of Chrome directly, which will minimize the possibility of accidentally opening a browser without restrictions.
-
Control and view the websites that this person visits from (your email address):
This option will allow you to directly monitor the Internet use of your children.
Step 7. Click Add
This option is in the lower right corner of the "Add Person" window. Doing so will add your child's profile to your account as a secondary profile.
Step 8. Click OK when prompted
This option is in the lower right corner of the window. Now that your child's profile is active, you can continue with the setup.
Step 9. Click on the “Supervised Users Dashboard” link
This link appears below the row of buttons below the "People" window.
Step 10. Click on the name of the monitored account
You can do it from the control panel in the middle of the page, or you can find it in the menu on the left side of the Google Chrome page.
Step 11. Click Manage
This option is in the upper right corner of the "Permissions" window on the right side of the page.
Step 12. Click on the box under the "Allow" heading
Doing so will open a drop-down menu.
Step 13. Click Approved Sites Only
While you can select Whole web To block individual sites, it is much easier to create a list of sites that you will allow your children to use.
Step 14. Enter a list of approved sites
To do this, simply type the URL of a site in the "Add a website" field and press ↵ Enter. Some recommended sites that you can allow include the following:
- Youtube
- Wikipedia
- The Learning Network
Step 15. Click OK
This option is in the lower right corner of the window. The selected sites will be added to the “Approved Sites” list, which means that your children will be able to visit these sites (and only these sites).