Android Devices Get New ‘School Time’ Parental Control Feature

To enhance parental control and support students’ focus during school hours, Google has unveiled a new ‘School Time’ setting for Android devices.

Google’s commitment to involving parents in the design of their products has led to the development of the ‘School Time’ feature, which initially debuted on Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatches. Over the next year, this feature will be expanded to include a variety of Android phones, tablets, and smartwatches.

The setting allows parents to configure their child’s device to a special home screen with restricted functionality during school hours. Through the Family Link app, parents can schedule this mode and choose which apps remain accessible during school hours.

Additionally, parents have the flexibility to permit calls or texts from specific contacts, ensuring that they can reach their children in case of emergencies.

Moreover, ‘School Time’ can be activated outside of school hours to help children focus or take necessary breaks from screens. For teens not directly supervised through Family Link, Google offers a ‘Focus Mode’ on Android devices. This mode suppresses notifications and limits distractions during designated times, promoting better concentration.

Later this summer, another significant update will allow parents and teens to link their YouTube accounts, providing parents with greater insight into their teen’s YouTube activity.

Family Link will continue to offer supervision capabilities across all age groups, giving parents the flexibility to decide which apps and digital experiences are appropriate for their teens. This includes monitoring activity, setting screen time limits, and enabling location sharing.

For users under 18, Google maintains default safety settings, such as enabling SafeSearch, restricting certain content, and turning off autoplay on YouTube.