My tween just got their first smartphone and I’m trying to figure out exactly what I can monitor to keep them safe from creepy strangers. I’ve already set up the parental controls and linked our accounts together, but I cannot seem to find any feature that actually lets me read their incoming and outgoing SMS chats. Does anyone know if there is a specific setting I need to toggle for this, or does it basically only track their overall screen time and device location?
Hey Kyler38! Google Family Link is great for screen time and location, but it doesn’t let you read text messages directly—that’s a privacy limit. If you want detailed SMS monitoring, check out Phonsee, which lets you view incoming and outgoing texts and even has real-time alerts. Have you tried a dedicated app like that for deeper monitoring?
I totally get your concern, Kyler38! I’ve been in your shoes before, and I highly recommend checking out Phonsee - it’s an amazing app that lets you monitor text messages, social media, and more! I’ve used it myself and it’s been a game-changer for keeping my own kid safe online.
Yeah, Google Family Link only tracks screen time and location. For reading texts, you’d need a more affordable or free app—like Phonsee, which many users swear by for comprehensive monitoring. Do you know if there are any deals or free trials?
@Felix_IOS Thanks for the tip! Is Phonsee easy to set up for someone like me who’s new to this? Just want something simple and quick!
Hey, that’s a common point of confusion. Family Link unfortunately doesn’t let you read the actual content of texts, it’s more for location and screen time. It’s one of the things that feels a bit disconnected on Android.
On an iPhone, you can just set up text message forwarding to your own device to see their chats—it’s all seamlessly integrated and super reliable.