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.
How Search works for school accounts
How Search works for users with parental controls
Family Link helps you manage search activities and device settings for your child’s account. To help filter explicit content from search results, settings like SafeSearch are turned on by default.
For devices like Android and Chromebooks, Incognito mode is disabled to help manage content preferences. Ads Personalization is also disabled.
Manage your child’s search results in Google Search
Important: If you don’t use Family Link, you can set up supervision on your child's account. If your child doesn’t have a Google Account, create one for them. Once you set up supervision on your child’s account, SafeSearch is turned on automatically.
Review & edit your child’s SafeSearch settings
Important: If your child isn't signed in when they use Google Search, or if they use Google Go, their SafeSearch settings won’t apply. Learn how to use Family Link to block Google Go.
- Open the Family Link app
or go to g.co/YourFamily.
- Select your child.
- Select Manage settings
Google Search.
- Turn SafeSearch on or off.
Tip: To manage access to explicit websites, update filters on Google Chrome.
Review & edit your child’s Personal results
- Open the Family Link app
or go to g.co/YourFamily.
- Select your child's name.
- Select Manage settings
Google Search
Personal results.
- Turn Personal results on or off.
Turn Google Search on or off
Google app
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
.
- Select your child.
- On the “App Activity” card, tap More
Google.
- Turn Search on or off.
Family Link on the web
- Go to Family Link on the web.
- Select your child.
- Click Android apps.
- In the "Required" section, turn Search on or off.
Google.com
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
Turn Web & App Activity on or off- Open the Family Link app
.
- Select your child.
- Tap Manage settings
Privacy settings
Account data settings
Web & App Activity.
- Follow on-screen instructions.
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.
- Follow the steps to delete activity manually or set up automatic deletion.
Manage contact & app info from devices
- On your phone or tablet, open the Family Link app
.
- Select your child.
- Tap Manage settings
Privacy settings
Account data settings.
- In the ”Other account settings” section, manage contact and app info from devices.
Troubleshoot problems
My child found inappropriate content in search resultsFirst, 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
Send feedback.