How to check your child's screen time on Android
Updated · 4 min read
Short answer
There are three common ways. On the child's phone, the built-in Digital Wellbeing screen shows today's screen time and the time on each app, but you need the phone in your hand. Google Family Link shows the child's activity in an app on the parent's phone and can also set limits. KidScreen Report sends the parent one WhatsApp message every Sunday with the week's total, the top 5 apps, unlocks and late-night use, without taking the child's phone.
1. On the child's phone: Digital Wellbeing
Most Android phones have a built-in screen time page. It is free and needs nothing installed. Its name changes a little between brands.
- 1.On the child's phone, open Settings.
- 2.Tap “Digital Wellbeing & parental controls” (on some phones it is under “Screen time” or “Digital Wellbeing”).
- 3.The dashboard shows today's screen time and the time on each app. Tap the chart to see earlier days.
2. From your own phone: Google Family Link
Family Link is Google's free parental control app. The parent installs it on their own phone and supervises the child's Google account. It can show app activity and also set daily limits, a bedtime and app approvals.
It suits parents who want to control the phone, not only see how it is used. It needs a Google account for the child, set up under the parent's supervision.
3. On WhatsApp every week: KidScreen Report
KidScreen Report is installed once on the child's phone. After that the parent does not need to touch the phone or open an app: every Sunday at 7 PM India time, one WhatsApp message arrives with the week's screen time, the daily average and the change from last week, the most-used day, unlocks per day, late-night use between 10 pm and 6 am, and the top 5 apps.
It only reports. It does not block apps or set limits, and it never reads messages, calls, photos, browsing history or location. The child's phone shows a notice saying the app is on.
Which one to use
| Digital Wellbeing | Google Family Link | KidScreen Report | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you see it | On the child's phone | In the Family Link app on the parent's phone | On the parent's WhatsApp |
| Needs the child's phone in hand | Yes | No | No (only once, to set up) |
| Weekly summary | Daily view per day | Activity view in the app | One message every Sunday |
| Blocks apps or sets limits | Timers and Bedtime mode on the phone | Yes | No, it only reports |
| Cost | Free, built in | Free | 7 days free, then ₹149 a month or ₹1,199 a year |
Questions
Can I check my child's screen time without them knowing?
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We do not recommend it, and KidScreen Report does not work that way. Its icon stays on the child's phone, a notice says it is on, and it can be uninstalled at any time. Screen time works best as a shared conversation, not as secret monitoring.
Does Digital Wellbeing show screen time for the past week?
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Yes, on the child's phone. Its chart shows each recent day, and you can tap a day to see the apps used. It does not send the numbers anywhere, so you need the phone to look.
Does it work on iPhone?
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The Android methods above do not. On iPhone, Apple's Screen Time in Settings does the same job. KidScreen Report works only on Android 9 and newer.