Chromebooks are everywhere in schools and homes. Kids use them for homework, YouTube, games, and everything in between. Google Family Link gives parents real controls — but most parents either don't know about them, or set them up and miss a critical gap: Family Link manages apps, but it does not filter the full web browser by content category.
I'm going to walk you through every meaningful setting: supervised accounts, SafeSearch, screen time limits, app approvals, site blocking, and then the part that Family Link can't cover — which is where DNS filtering (home-network website blocking) comes in.
Before you start
Have these ready:
- The Chromebook
- Google Family Link installed on your phone
- Your Google parent account password
- 10–15 minutes for supervised-account checks
School-owned Chromebooks may be locked by the district — your main lever at home is often router-level filtering (Section 7).
1. Setting Up a Supervised Google Account
Everything in Google Family Link depends on your child using a supervised Google account — not an adult account, and not a school-managed account. If your child is under 13, Google automatically creates a supervised account. If they are 13 or older, you can still set up supervision, but they have the option to remove it (you can delay this with a notice period).
Install Family Link on your phone
Download the Google Family Link app (iOS or Android). Sign in with your Google account. This is the parent account that controls everything.
Create a supervised Google account for your child
In Family Link, tap the + to add a child. Follow the prompts to create a new Google account under your supervision. If your child is under 13, you will be their account manager automatically. Note the child's account email and password — you'll need it to sign into the Chromebook.
Sign into the Chromebook with the child's supervised account
On the Chromebook, sign out of any existing account. At the login screen, sign in with your child's supervised Google account. Once signed in, the Chromebook is now under Family Link supervision — you manage it from the Family Link app on your phone.
Family Link does not work on school-managed devices
If the Chromebook is owned and managed by your child's school, Family Link cannot be applied to it. The school's Google Workspace admin controls those restrictions. For filtering school Chromebooks at home, your best lever is router-level DNS filtering.
2. Enabling SafeSearch and YouTube Restrictions
This is one of the most impactful settings — it forces SafeSearch on Google, YouTube, and Bing so inappropriate results are filtered out in search results and videos.
Enable SafeSearch from Family Link
Open Family Link → tap your child's name → Controls → Google Chrome → SafeSearch. Toggle it on. This forces SafeSearch on all Google searches made from your child's supervised account, on any device they're signed into.
Enable YouTube Restricted Mode
In Family Link, go to Controls → YouTube → YouTube Restricted Mode: On. This filters mature content in YouTube. You can also set it to YouTube Kids only for younger children, which limits them to age-appropriate content.
3. Daily Screen Time Limits
Family Link lets you set daily time limits for device use and schedule bedtime lock-out hours. These work on Chromebook just like on Android phones.
Set a daily screen time limit
In Family Link, go to your child's account → Daily limit. Set a daily cap (for example, 2 hours on weekdays, 4 hours on weekends). You can customize the limit per day of the week. When the limit is hit, the Chromebook locks and shows a message that screen time is up.
Set a bedtime schedule
In Family Link, go to Bedtime. Schedule hours when the Chromebook is locked (for example, 9 PM to 7 AM on school nights). During locked hours, the device shows a lock screen and your child cannot use it.
You can extend screen time on the fly from the Family Link app — handy when they're in the middle of a school project and need more time without you physically touching the Chromebook.
4. App Approvals and Blocking
Family Link requires your approval for any new app your child wants to install from the Google Play Store on their Chromebook. You can also block specific apps that are already installed.
Require approval for new app installs
This is on by default for supervised accounts. Any app your child tries to install triggers a notification to your Family Link app. You approve or deny it. They cannot install anything without your say-so.
Block specific installed apps
Go to Family Link → [Child] → Controls → Apps. See a list of all installed apps. Toggle off any app you want to block. Blocked apps remain installed but can't be opened — your child sees a message that the app is blocked by a parent.
5. Website Blocking and Allowing
Family Link lets you manually allow or block specific websites in Chrome. This is useful for precise control (block TikTok.com, allow Khan Academy) but is not a content category filter.
Block or allow specific sites
In Family Link → Controls → Google Chrome → Manage sites. Here you can add sites to "Approved" (only these sites work) or "Blocked" (these sites are blocked). You can also set Chrome to "Try to block mature sites" which uses Google's built-in content detection, though it's imperfect.
Want all of this set up correctly the first time?
CyberDaddy guides you through every setting, confirms they're active, and alerts you when something changes — including the age-13 supervision transition you don't want to miss.
6. The Browser Gap Family Link Can't Close
Here is what most Chromebook parental control guides won't tell you directly: Family Link does not filter the Chrome browser by content category.
The "Try to block mature sites" option uses Google's classification and is inconsistent. Family Link's site blocking is manual — you block specific URLs, not categories. That means if you haven't manually blocked a specific site, it's accessible. And there are millions of sites.
Chrome's Incognito mode and signed-out browsing
If your child can open Chrome without signing in (Guest mode, or after signing out), SafeSearch and site blocks don't apply. Go to Chromebook Settings → People and make sure Guest browsing is disabled. Also confirm your child can't sign into a different, unsupervised Google account.
Chrome extensions can include proxy or VPN functionality
Chrome extensions run inside the browser and can route traffic around DNS or Site filtering. Go to Family Link → Controls → Apps and review Chrome extensions your child has installed. Block any proxy or VPN extensions.
7. DNS Filtering as the Backstop
DNS filtering (blocking whole categories of sites at the network layer) is the layer that works even when Chrome's built-in tools don't. When you configure it at the router level, every request from the Chromebook — regardless of which Chrome profile or account is active — goes through the filter first.
Set up DNS filtering on your router
Log into your router admin panel. Find DNS settings. Change the DNS servers to the primary and secondary addresses shown in CyberDaddy or your chosen DNS provider. Enable the content categories you want blocked (adult content, social media, gaming, etc.) and the Chromebook — along with every other device on your home network — is covered.
Lock the Chromebook's DNS settings
On ChromeOS, go to Settings → Network → your Wi-Fi connection → Network → Name servers. You can manually enter DNS server addresses here. Enter the filtering DNS addresses shown in CyberDaddy or your DNS provider dashboard. This ensures the Chromebook uses filtering DNS even on guest Wi-Fi networks. Note: a determined user can change these settings if they have access to Chromebook settings — combine with a supervised account that restricts system settings changes.
For a full comparison of DNS filtering options, see our guide: Best DNS Filtering for Families: NextDNS vs CleanBrowsing vs OpenDNS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chromebook is just one device.
Your kids also use iPhones, Androids, game consoles, and smart TVs — each with its own settings. CyberDaddy gives you one dashboard to set up, verify, and monitor all of them.
Not ready yet? Get the free setup checklist by email: