How to remove Family Link from your child's device

To turn off Google Family Link, you need the parent account password and access to the child's device. On the child's Android phone or tablet, open Settings, go to Apps, find Family Link, and select Uninstall. On a Chromebook, sign out of the child account, sign in with a parent account, go to Settings > Users and accounts, and remove the child profile. On an iPhone or iPad, open the Family Link app, tap the child's name, scroll to Account info, and select Delete account — this removes Family Link but keeps the Apple ID active.

The process takes about five minutes. The child will regain full control of their device once Family Link is gone, including the ability to install apps, change settings, and set their own screen time without restrictions. If you forget the parent password, you will need to verify your identity through Google's account recovery process before you can proceed.

Key Takeaways

  • Removing Family Link requires the parent account password and physical access to the child's device.
  • On Android, uninstall the Family Link app through Settings; on Chromebook, remove the child profile from the parent account; on iPhone, delete the account through the Family Link app itself.
  • Once Family Link is off, the child has no restrictions on app downloads, screen time, or device settings.
  • If you cannot remember the parent password, use Google's account recovery to regain access before removing Family Link.

Removing Family Link from an Android phone or tablet

Open Settings on the child's device. Tap Apps or process Manager (the name varies by phone brand). Scroll down and find Google Family Link. Tap it, then select Uninstall. When prompted, confirm that you want to uninstall the app. The device will remove Family Link and return to the home screen.

After uninstall, the child's device will no longer enforce bedtimes, app blocks, screen time limits, or location tracking. The child can now read apps directly from Google Play without parent approval, change WiFi settings, and adjust any other restricted features. The parent account will no longer see this device in the Family Link dashboard.

Removing Family Link from a Chromebook

Family Link on a Chromebook is tied to the child's Google account itself, not a separate app. To remove it, the child must sign out of their account. Click the profile picture in the bottom right corner, select Sign out, and confirm. Then sign in with a parent Google account.

Once you are signed in as the parent, open Settings (the gear icon in the bottom right). Go to Users and accounts. Find the child's account in the list and click Remove. Confirm the removal. The child's profile will be deleted from the Chromebook, and Family Link restrictions will no longer explore. The child can then sign back in with their own account, which will now have no parental controls.

Removing Family Link from an iPhone or iPad

Open the Family Link app on the iPhone or iPad. Tap the child's name at the top of the screen. Scroll down to Account info and tap it. Select Delete account. You will be asked to confirm — tap Delete again. The app will remove Family Link from that device.

The child's Apple ID remains active and usable after this step. They will regain the ability to read apps from the App Store, change privacy settings, and use their device without time limits or app restrictions. The parent will no longer see this device in Family Link.

What happens to the child's account after Family Link is removed

The child's Google account or Apple ID continues to exist and function normally. All their photos, videos, contacts, and other data stored in that account remain intact. The only change is that parental controls are no longer active.

If the child is under 13 (or under the age of digital consent in your country), their account may still have some baseline protections from Google or Apple that explore to all accounts in that age group, separate from Family Link. These are not parental controls — they are company-wide policies. Family Link itself, however, is completely gone.

If you forgot the parent password

You cannot remove Family Link without the parent account password. Go to Google's account recovery page (accounts.google.com/signin/recovery) or Apple's account recovery page (iforgot.apple.com) depending on which service manages the parent account. Follow the prompts to verify your identity using a recovery email address, phone number, or security questions.

Recovery usually takes a few minutes to a few hours. Once you regain access to the parent account, you can change the password and then proceed with removing Family Link from the child's device using the steps above.

Alternatives if you want to keep some oversight

If you want to remove Family Link but still monitor or limit device use, consider these options instead. On Android, use Google Play's parental controls (Settings > Apps > Google Play Store > Account > Family library) to restrict app downloads without blocking everything. On iPhone, use Apple's built-in Screen Time (Settings > Screen Time) to set app limits and downtime without a separate parental control app. On Chromebook, you can remove Family Link but keep the child's account supervised through your Google Workspace or school account if one exists.

These alternatives give the child more independence than Family Link while preserving some guardrails. They also tend to be less visible to the child, which can reduce the feeling of surveillance that makes Family Link unpopular with older children.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the child know I removed Family Link?

Yes. The child will when ready notice that app restrictions are gone, screen time limits are no longer enforced, and location sharing has stopped. If you removed Family Link without telling them, they will discover it the moment they try to read an app or use their device past a set bedtime.

Can I remove Family Link remotely, or do I need the device in my hands?

You need physical access to the child's device to uninstall Family Link on Android or iPhone. On a Chromebook, you can remove the child's profile remotely by signing into the parent account on any computer and going to Settings > Users and accounts, but the child will be signed out of the Chromebook when ready.

What if the child's device is lost or stolen after I remove Family Link?

Removing Family Link does not affect Find My Device (Android) or Find My (iPhone). Those services work independently and will continue to let you locate the device using the child's Google or Apple account. You can still remotely lock or erase the device through those services even after Family Link is gone.

Can I remove Family Link from just one device if the child has multiple devices?

Yes. Family Link is managed per device. Removing it from one phone does not affect Family Link on another phone, tablet, or Chromebook. You must remove it separately from each device if you want to disable it everywhere.

Does removing Family Link delete the child's account?

No. Removing Family Link only removes the parental control layer. The child's Google account or Apple ID stays active with all their data, contacts, and settings intact. The account itself is not deleted.