How to Remove Family Link Supervision from Google Accounts?
Google Family Link is designed to help parents manage and supervise a child’s Google Account. It can provide controls for screen time, apps, Google Play purchases, content restrictions, Chrome browsing, Search settings, and other account-related features. However, there may come a time when supervision is no longer necessary, particularly when a child reaches the applicable age for independently managing their Google Account.
If you are trying to remove Family Link supervision from a Google Account, it is important to understand that simply uninstalling the Family Link app does not remove supervision. You need to use Google’s official Stop Supervision process.
There is also an important age-related restriction. Google generally allows supervision to be stopped when the child reaches 13 years old or the applicable age in their country. The exact age can vary depending on the country. For supervised teens who are under 18, parental approval may still be required when stopping supervision.
Another important distinction is between removing an account from a device, stopping supervision, and deleting the Google Account. These are three different actions. Removing an account from a phone does not necessarily end Family Link supervision, while deleting the account permanently removes its Google data.
This guide explains how to properly remove a supervised member from Family Link without accidentally deleting their Google Account.
How to Remove a Supervised Member from Family Link?
Before you begin, make sure you understand what you want to accomplish. If your goal is to allow the child or teen to manage their Google Account independently, you generally need to stop supervision.
If you only want to remove the account from a particular phone, you should remove the account from that device instead. Google treats these actions differently.
Step 1: Check the Child’s Age and Account Status
First, determine whether the supervised member is old enough to stop supervision. Google states that supervision can be stopped once the child reaches 13 or the applicable age in their country. If the child is below the applicable minimum age, you generally cannot simply stop supervision and leave the account as an independently managed Google Account.
For younger children, Google provides different options, including continuing supervision, transferring supervision where applicable, or deleting the child’s account. Deleting the account is a much more serious action because it can permanently remove information such as emails, files, calendars, photos, and other account data.
Therefore, check the child’s age before changing anything.
Step 2: Open the Family Link App
On the parent’s phone or tablet, open the Google Family Link app.
Make sure you are signed in with the parent or family manager Google Account that currently supervises the child. If multiple children are connected to Family Link, carefully select the correct child before changing any settings.
Family Link allows parents to manage different members individually, so selecting the wrong profile could cause you to modify the wrong account settings.
Step 3: Select the Supervised Member
After opening Family Link, select the child’s profile that you want to remove from supervision.
If you manage multiple children, check the name and profile carefully before continuing. The controls displayed in Family Link apply to the selected member.
Step 4: Open Account Settings
After selecting the correct profile, tap Controls.
Next, open Account settings and then select About supervision.
Google places the option to stop supervision inside this section. The exact appearance of the Family Link interface can change as Google updates the app, but the general process is to access the child’s profile, open Controls, go to Account settings, and then open About supervision.
Step 5: Select Stop Supervision
Inside About supervision, look for the option labeled Stop supervision.
Tap it and carefully read the information Google provides. Stopping supervision changes how the Google Account is managed, so it is worth reviewing the displayed information before confirming the action.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Depending on the account’s age and circumstances, Google may require additional verification or parental approval before supervision can be stopped.
Step 6: Confirm the Change
Complete the confirmation steps shown by Family Link.
Once the process is successfully completed, the Google Account will no longer be supervised through Family Link. The child or teen can then manage the account according to Google’s normal account rules.
Keep in mind that stopping supervision is not the same as deleting the Google Account. The account itself remains available unless you separately choose to delete it.
Step 7: Check the Supervised Device
After stopping supervision, check the child’s Android phone or other compatible supervised device.
Some Family Link settings may have been controlling the device, such as screen time limits, app restrictions, content filters, and other parental controls. Once supervision is stopped, these Family Link controls should no longer operate as they did while the account was supervised.
If the account still appears on the device, that does not necessarily mean supervision is still active. An account can remain signed in on a device without being supervised.
Step 8: Remove the Google Account from the Device Only If Necessary
If your actual goal is to remove the child’s Google Account from a particular Android phone, you do not necessarily need to stop Family Link supervision.
On the child’s Android device, open Settings and look for Passwords & accounts, Passwords and accounts, or Users & accounts, depending on the Android version.
Select the child’s Google Account and choose Remove account.
Google explains that removing the account from a device removes account-related information from that specific device, including items such as emails, contacts, device settings, and supervision settings on that device. However, the Google Account itself is not deleted, and supervision can still exist on the account or other devices.
This is an important distinction. If you only want to move the account to another phone, removing it from the old device may be all you need.
Step 9: Do Not Delete the Google Account Unless You Really Mean To
If your objective is simply to remove Family Link supervision, do not choose Delete account.
Deleting a supervised child’s Google Account can permanently remove account information. Google specifically warns that deleting the account can result in losing emails, files, calendars, photos, and other content associated with the account.
If the account contains important photos, documents, emails, schoolwork, or other information, make sure that data is protected before considering deletion.
Step 10: Use the Child’s Device to Stop Supervision When Appropriate
In some situations, supervision can also be stopped from the child’s device.
On a compatible Android device, open Settings and look for Digital Wellbeing & parental controls. On some Android versions, you may instead need to open Google, select All services, and then find Parental controls under the relevant family settings.
From there, select the option to Stop supervision and follow the verification instructions. Google states that Android 7.0 or higher is required for stopping supervision directly from the child’s Android device.
The process may require the parent’s Google Account credentials or a Parent Access Code. This prevents a supervised child from simply bypassing parental controls.
Step 11: Stop Supervision From the Web
If you do not want to use the Family Link mobile app, Google also provides a web-based option for managing supervision.
Sign in to the appropriate Google Account and open Google’s Family Link supervision page. From there, select Stop supervision and follow the instructions displayed on screen.
This can be particularly useful when the parent does not currently have access to the Family Link app.
Step 12: Understand What Happens After Supervision Is Removed
Once Family Link supervision has been stopped, the account is no longer managed through the same parental supervision system.
This means Family Link controls such as screen time management, app approval, certain content restrictions, and supervised device controls may no longer apply in the same way.
However, removing supervision does not automatically erase the Google Account, uninstall every application, remove the account from a phone, or delete the user’s Google data.
Think of Stop supervision as changing the management status of the account rather than deleting the account itself.
What If the Stop Supervision Option Is Missing?
If you cannot find Stop supervision, the first thing to check is the child’s age and country-specific age requirement.
If the child has not reached the applicable age, Google may not allow supervision to be stopped. In that situation, removing Family Link by uninstalling the app or deleting parental-control settings will not provide a legitimate way around the restriction.
If the child has reached the applicable age but the option still does not appear, make sure the Family Link app and the child’s Google Account are updated.
Google also notes that an account may need to be updated if an error occurs when attempting to stop supervision.
Faqs
Can I remove Family Link by uninstalling the app?
No. Uninstalling Family Link does not itself stop supervision. You need to use Google’s account supervision settings and complete the official process.
Can I remove supervision without deleting the Google Account?
Yes. Stopping supervision and deleting an account are different actions. If the account is eligible to stop supervision, you can end supervision while keeping the Google Account and its associated data.
What happens when a child turns 13?
When a child reaches 13 or the applicable age in their country, Google provides options related to managing the account independently. However, reaching that age does not necessarily mean that all supervision automatically disappears. The account may continue under supervision until the appropriate process is completed.
Can a parent stop Family Link supervision?
Yes. When the account is eligible, the parent can use the Family Link app to select the child’s profile, open Controls, choose Account settings, select About supervision, and then choose Stop supervision.
Can a child stop Family Link supervision?
In certain circumstances, yes. Google allows a child or teen to stop supervision once they reach the applicable age, but younger teens may require parental approval. If a child stops supervision without permission, where applicable, the parent can receive a notification, and the supervised Android devices may be temporarily locked.
Does removing the account from the phone remove Family Link?
No. Removing a Google Account from a device is not the same as stopping supervision. The account can remain supervised even after it has been removed from a particular phone.
Does stopping supervision delete photos and Gmail messages?
No. Stopping supervision is not the same as deleting the Google Account. Your account data remains unless you separately delete the account.
Can I delete the child’s Google Account instead?
Technically, there are circumstances where a supervised child’s account can be deleted, but this should not be confused with removing supervision. Google warns that deleting the account can permanently remove emails, files, calendars, photos, and other information.
Summary
Removing Family Link supervision is relatively straightforward when the supervised Google Account is eligible to stop supervision. The safest approach is to open the Family Link app, select the correct child’s profile, go to Controls, open Account settings, select About supervision, and choose Stop supervision.
Remember that stopping supervision, removing an account from a device, and deleting a Google Account are completely different actions. If you only want to remove the account from a phone, use the device’s account settings instead. If you want to permanently erase the Google Account, make sure you understand the consequences before choosing deletion.
Most importantly, do not try to bypass Family Link restrictions by deleting random settings or uninstalling the Family Link app.
Use Google’s official supervision controls so the account remains intact and the change is handled correctly.