Decision sheet — Family agreements
Parental control and phone location
Location for a child works best through the family service built into the child's own platform: Google Family Link for a child's Android phone or compatible watch, and Apple Family Sharing with Find My for a child's iPhone. Each one needs a parent account, a child account inside the family group, and location sharing switched on. The two do not cross over: Google says Family Link cannot supervise an iPhone or iPad, so pick the tool that matches the child's device, then explain to your child what you will see.
- Read7–9 min read
- You needYour own Google or Apple account and your child's device in hand
- Works onFamily Link (Android child) · Family Sharing + Find My (iPhone child)
Verified: October 2026 against Google For Families and Apple Support official help.
Use a supported family feature with the correct parent and child account setup, age rules and location sharing turned on. Match the tool to the child's device, and explain the arrangement clearly so your child knows what is shared, with whom, and how it changes as they get older.
How to set it up honestly, step by step
- Start from the child's device. A child's Android phone or compatible watch goes with Google Family Link; a child's iPhone goes with Apple Family Sharing and Find My. Google states that iPhones, iPads and computers other than Chromebooks cannot be supervised with Family Link, and that Device location does not work when a child is signed in to Google apps on an iPhone or iPad.
- Check the adult requirements. For Family Link, Google says the parent must be 18 or older (or the appropriate age in their country), have a Google Account and live in the same country as the child. For Apple, one adult acts as family organizer and invites the others; a family group is you and up to five other members.
- Create or connect the child account. Apple requires a Child Account for children under 13 and allows one up to 18. Google requires a parent's consent for children under their country's minimum age. If your child already has a Google Account, Google says the child needs to agree to parental supervision, and suggests you set it up together.
- Turn on location sharing with the official control. In Family Link: tap Location, then Set up location; if that does not display, select the child and turn on Location sharing. On Apple: the organizer sets up location sharing for the family, and a parent can turn on Automatically Share Location for a child. On Apple, Location Services must be on in Settings > Privacy & Security.
- Improve accuracy only where the help says to. Google recommends turning on Location Accuracy for the most accurate result; place arrive and leave alerts also need it, and they switch off if accuracy is off.
- Talk it through and write it down. Tell your child who can see their location, why, what you will and will not look at, and when you will review the arrangement. Show them where the setting lives on their own device.
Which family setup do you have?
Pick the combination of devices in your family to see the tool that actually fits.
Family Link fits.
Google documents location for a supervised child's Android device and compatible watch or Fitbit device once device location sharing is on. You can run the Family Link app on your own Android phone or on an iPhone; Google's help includes iPhone and iPad steps for the parent.
Do this: Install Family Link, add supervision, then turn on Location sharing for the child.
Use Apple Family Sharing.
Family Link cannot supervise an iPhone, and Google lists Device location among the settings that do not work on a child's iPhone. Apple's own path is a Child Account in your Family Sharing group, with location shared through Find My. When Automatically Share Location is on for a child, only parents and guardians in the group can see it.
Do this: Set up Family Sharing as organizer, add the child, turn on location sharing.
Follow the child's platform.
The deciding device is the child's. A parent on iPhone can still use the Family Link app for a child's Android phone. The reverse is not covered: Google's help does not offer Family Link location for a child's iPhone, and Apple's help does not describe Find My for an Android phone.
Do this: Choose the tool built for the child's device, not yours.
Supervision keeps going, but changes.
When a supervised child turns 13 (or the local age), Google sends an email to the supervising parent and to the child about updating the account; settings stay the same until the child decides to update. Google says children need parent approval to stop supervision until 18. While a parent manages the account, Google says the parent can manage Location Sharing with the Family Link app.
Do this: Revisit the agreement with your teen before that email arrives.
Create it first.
Neither platform shares a child's location without an account in the family group. Google requires parental consent for children under the minimum age; Apple requires a Child Account under 13.
Do this: Create the child account, then come back to location.
Edge cases worth knowing before you rely on it
- No cross-platform parity
- Google's help says iPhones, iPads and computers other than Chromebooks cannot be supervised with Family Link. If your family mixes platforms, a single parental app does not give you the same controls on every device.
- Screen Time can lock the setting
- Apple notes that children and teens with Screen Time turned on may not be able to change their own location sharing settings. That is a parental decision to explain, not a hidden one.
- Location needs a connected, recently used device
- Family Link does not show a location when the device is powered off, offline or has not been used recently, and it works best when the child's device has a mobile data plan.
- Your own phone needs a supported version
- Google lists the parent's device for the Family Link app as an Android device (6.0+), an iPhone or iPad (iOS 16+), or a Chromebook that supports Android apps. Some settings can also be managed at familylink.google.com.
- Notice on Apple
- Apple's help states that each family member receives a message when you share your location with them. The official help does not describe a separate alert to a child each time a parent opens Find My.
Family Link and Apple Family Sharing side by side
| Google Family Link | Apple Family Sharing + Find My | |
|---|---|---|
| Child's device | Android device or compatible watch / Fitbit | iPhone (and other Apple devices) |
| Parent's device | Android or iPhone / iPad (Family Link app) | Apple device in the same family group |
| Account needed | Supervised Google Account; parental consent under minimum age | Child Account required under 13, available up to 18 |
| Who sets up location | Parent turns on Location sharing in Family Link | Organizer sets up sharing; parent can auto-share a child |
| Who sees the child | Parents in the family group | Only parents and guardians in the group |
| Can the child change it | Supervision ends only with parent approval until 18 | May be locked when Screen Time is on |
| Calls and screen | Google: parents cannot listen to calls or see the screen | The official help does not describe call or screen access |
If the standard setup does not fit your family
Mixed devices
Use each platform's own tool for each child's device. Do not install a third-party monitoring app to fill the gap; the official family features are documented, visible to the child and reversible.
Older teen
While you still manage your teen's Google Account, Google says you can manage their Location Sharing with the Family Link app. Use that control to agree on what stays shared, and review it together when Google's 13th-birthday email arrives.
Shared custody
On Apple, the organizer or a parent/guardian can create a Child Account, and only parents and guardians in the family group see a child who shares automatically. Google's official help does not describe how two parents in separate homes share Family Link. Agree on roles first and tell your child.
A short call instead
If what you need is reassurance after school or a late night, an agreed call or message often answers the question without any location setting at all.
This page covers the official family features for your own child's device. No app or website can add location for a child, or for another adult, from just a phone number, and an app sold as a hidden monitor is not a family tool. The FTC describes that category as stalkerware.
Official sources (checked October 2026)
- Google For Families — Find and manage your child's location
- Google For Families — Get started with Family Link (requirements, iPhone not supervised)
- Google For Families — Consent and supervision: what parents can and can't do
- Google For Families — When children turn 13
- Apple — Share locations with family members on iPhone
- Apple — How Family Sharing works
Questions people ask
Can I use Family Link to see my child's iPhone location?
No. Google states that iPhones and iPads cannot be supervised with Family Link and lists Device location among the settings that do not work on a child's iPhone or iPad. For a child's iPhone, use Apple Family Sharing and Find My: add the child to your family group, then turn on location sharing there.
Can I run Family Link on my iPhone for my child's Android phone?
Yes. Google's help includes steps for parents using an iPhone or iPad in the Family Link app, and lists iOS 16 or later for the parent's iPhone. What matters is that the child's device is a supported Android phone or compatible watch, so check that first.
Does my child have to agree?
For a child who already has a Google Account, Google says the child needs to agree to parental supervision and suggests setting it up together. For younger children, a parent's consent is required. Either way, sit down with your child, show them the setting on their own device, and explain what you will see.
Who can see my child's location on Apple?
When Automatically Share Location is turned on for a child, Apple says only parents and guardians in the family group can see the child's location, including parents and guardians added later. If you add another adult as a parent or guardian, tell your child that this person can see them too.
Can my child turn location sharing off?
On Apple, children and teens with Screen Time turned on may not be able to change their own location sharing settings. On Google, a supervised child needs parent approval to stop supervision until 18, and both of you are notified when it stops. Explain this in advance so it never feels like a trap.
What happens when my child turns 13?
Google sends an email to the supervising parent and to the child to say they can update the account. Supervision settings stay the same until your child decides to update. The official help does not describe automatic changes to location at that point, so use the email as a prompt to talk.
What do I need on my own phone?
For Family Link, Google says the parent needs a Google Account, must be 18 or older (or the local age), and needs an Android device (6.0+), an iPhone or iPad (iOS 16+), or a Chromebook that supports Android apps. You must also live in the same country as your child. Check these before you start setup.
Is a parental control app from an ad better than these?
This guide covers the documented, visible family tools from Google and Apple. Apps sold as hidden monitors fall into what the FTC calls stalkerware, which is a different thing from an open family arrangement. If an ad promises more than the official tools show, treat that as a warning sign rather than a feature.