Setting up parental controls on phones, tablets and home Wi-Fi

Start with a plan

Before you touch any settings, work out what you're trying to do. Most families want some combination of these:

• Screens off at bedtime and during school hours
• Adult content blocked
• A say in which apps get installed
• Limits on spending inside games

Talk it over with your kids first if they're old enough. Controls set up with them tend to last longer than controls that appear overnight, and you'll want them to come to you if something goes wrong online.

Then set up two layers: controls on each device, and filtering on the home Wi-Fi. Device controls follow your child everywhere, including on mobile data and at a friend's place. Wi-Fi filtering covers everything in the house, including devices that don't have their own controls.

iPhone and iPad: Screen Time

Apple's controls are built in and free. They work best through Family Sharing, which lets you manage your child's device from your own phone.

1. On your iPhone, open Settings and set up Family if you haven't already. Add your child with their own Apple Account.
2. Tap your child's name, then Screen Time.
3. Set Downtime for bedtime hours.
4. Use App Limits for categories such as games or social media.
5. Turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions and set the age limits for apps and websites.
6. Turn on Ask to Buy, so app purchases need your approval.

Choose a Screen Time passcode that your child doesn't know, and don't use your phone's unlock code. Kids watch over shoulders.

Android: Google Family Link

Family Link is Google's free app for parents, and it works with most Android phones and tablets.

1. Install Google Family Link on your phone.
2. Follow the steps to create or link your child's Google account.
3. Set daily limits and a bedtime for their device.
4. Set Google Play to require approval for downloads and purchases.
5. Turn on content filters for Chrome and Google Search.

Family Link can also show you the device's location, which is useful when your child starts catching the bus.

Home Wi-Fi: filter the whole house

There are two easy ways to do this.

Use your router's features. Many modern routers and mesh systems have parental controls. These can pause the internet for certain devices at a set time, which is a good way of getting everyone to the dinner table. Look in your router's app, or log in to its settings. Some providers' modems have this feature, and some don't.

Use a family-friendly DNS service. DNS is like the internet's address book. Swapping yours for a filtered one blocks many adult websites for every device on your Wi-Fi. Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 for Families is free, and its family setting uses the addresses 1.1.1.3 and 1.0.0.3. You put these into your router's DNS settings. Some providers' modems lock this setting, so it may not work with yours.

Wi-Fi filtering has limits. Once a phone switches to mobile data, it's no longer on your network, and a determined teenager can get around it with a VPN. That's why you want both layers.

Don't forget the consoles and TVs

Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch all have their own family settings, with a parent's app for managing time limits, age ratings and spending. Streaming services have kids' profiles too, so set those up and put a PIN on the adult profiles. YouTube is worth a look as well. YouTube Kids is the safer choice for younger children.

What about social media?

Since 10 December 2025, age-restricted social media platforms in Australia have had to take reasonable steps to stop under-16s from having accounts. The list includes Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube accounts, among others. The rule falls on the platforms, so parents and kids aren't penalised.

It won't catch everything, and the list can change. The eSafety Commissioner's website, esafety.gov.au, has current information, along with practical guides for parents. It also explains how to report serious online abuse.

Check in regularly

Controls need attention as kids grow. Review them every few months, particularly after a birthday, a new device or a new school. Loosen things as your child shows they can handle it. Keep devices out of bedrooms overnight if you can. It's a simple rule, and it often does more than any app.

When to call a Nerd

If your router won't let you change its settings, your family has a mix of Apple and Android devices, or your teenager has found a way around everything, we can help. We can come out, set up controls across every device and your Wi-Fi, and show you how to change them. Tell us what rules you want, and we'll sort out the technical side.