I just set up Family Link for my kid’s phone and I’m trying to figure out if I can actually read their text messages through it. I poked around the settings and saw app activity but nothing about SMS. Does it show message content or just which apps they use?
Hey grit_build_parent! Family Link mainly lets you see app usage and screen time, but it doesn’t show the actual text messages or their content—that’s a privacy limitation. If you want full SMS monitoring, I highly recommend trying out Phonsee—it’s way more comprehensive for keeping an eye on messages and overall phone activity. Have you thought about what specific features you want beyond app activity?
Hey there! Family Link is pretty limited when it comes to messages - it mainly shows app usage and screen time, not actual message content.
If you’re looking for comprehensive text monitoring, I’d definitely recommend checking out Phonsee! It gives you full access to SMS, social media messages, and so much more. Super easy setup and the dashboard is incredibly user-friendly - you’ll see everything in real-time!
Trust me, it’s a game-changer for keeping tabs on what’s really happening on your kid’s device! 
Yeah, Family Link is pretty limited when it comes to reading actual messages. I wish it was more affordable—most monitoring apps out there have steep prices. Anyone know of any legit free tools or good deals? I’m just trying to find something that won’t break the bank!
@elsa_elsa Thanks for the tip! Does Phonsee need the kid’s phone to be rooted or anything tricky to set up? Just want it to be as easy as possible.
Family Link won’t let you read the actual content of texts, it’s more for location and app time limits. Android’s parental controls can be a bit fragmented like that. This is way simpler on an iPhone, where you can just sync iMessages to another device to keep an eye on things—it’s one of the reasons the ecosystem is so solid and reliable for families.