The resources below are all free and require no sign-up. They cover three things: trusted parenting guidance from government and independent experts, step-by-step parental control setup for every major device your child uses, and platform-specific controls for the apps children spend the most time in.
Quickstart steps for the two most common devices in family households - iPhone / iPad and Android are provided on the second page, so you can get a working baseline configured.
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Trusted Parent Guidance
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IMDA Digital for Life — Digital Parenting Hub
Editor's PickSG
Singapore's official national digital parenting resource — screen time, age-stage safety, AI risks.
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Singapore government's flagship digital parenting platform, updated through 2025. Covers screen time rules by age, online safety guidance for each developmental stage, and the latest national guidance on AI risks for children including chatbots, deepfakes and generative tools. Includes a library of free videos for kids on responsible online behaviour, screen-time, cyberbullying and privacy — useful to watch together with younger children. Comprehensive, accessible, and continuously refreshed — the best single starting point for any family in Singapore.
CSA Singapore — Information for Parents & Educators
SG
Cyber Security Agency of Singapore's resource hub for parents — cyber hygiene, online safety, and the SG Cyber Safe Students programme.
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The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore's official portal for parents and educators. Includes the SG Cyber Safe Students Programme (developed with MOE), age-appropriate cyber hygiene resources, the Cyber Sara video series for younger children, and tip sheets covering scams, personal information, and digital footprints. The most credible national-security-grade resource in Singapore for the cyber side of online safety.
The most trusted independent reviewer of apps, games and shows — with age-appropriate ratings and parent guides.
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Common Sense Media is the gold standard for independent age-appropriate ratings on movies, TV, books, games and apps. Their "Parents' Ultimate Guides" walk through every major platform your child might use — TikTok, Roblox, Discord, Snapchat, Instagram, Minecraft and more — with clear breakdowns of risks, settings, and conversation starters. Search any title before you say yes to it.
Plain-English, screenshot-led setup guides for parental controls across the apps and devices children actually use.
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An independent IT-parent blog with step-by-step screenshot walkthroughs for the parental control settings most parents struggle to find. Particularly strong on YouTube Kids approved-content-only mode, locking down family devices, and small fixes that close the loopholes children actually exploit. Pair with the official documentation from the device manufacturers below.
iPhone & iPad — Apple Screen Time & parental controls
iOS
Set content restrictions, app limits, downtime and communication limits on any iPhone or iPad.
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Apple's official guide to setting up Screen Time and content & privacy restrictions. Covers blocking inappropriate content, restricting purchases, setting app limits, scheduling downtime, and managing communication contacts. Should be configured the moment a child receives an Apple device.
Manage your child's Chromebook — supervise the account, restrict sites and apps.
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Google's official walkthrough for supervising a child's Chromebook using Family Link. Lets parents approve apps, restrict mature websites, see screen time activity, and set bedtime locks. Especially useful for school-issued or shared family Chromebooks.
Samsung's official guide to setting up Family Link & Galaxy parental tools.
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Samsung's official setup instructions for parental controls on Galaxy phones and tablets. Walks through linking a child's account, setting daily screen time limits, approving app installs, and filtering content. Pairs with Google Family Link on the Android side.
Manage your child's Chrome browsing — block sites, see browsing activity, require approval.
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Set up Chrome supervision through Family Link — blocks signed-out browsing, lets you block or allow specific sites, requires parental approval for new extensions, and surfaces a weekly activity report. Works in tandem with the device-level controls above.
Important: Kids Mode in Edge is no longer supported. Microsoft's recommended alternative.
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Microsoft has retired Kids Mode in Edge. If your family relied on it, this page explains the change and points to Microsoft Family Safety as the supported replacement — which provides screen time, content filtering and activity reports across Windows, Edge and Xbox. Worth reviewing if you have a Windows PC at home.
Lock profiles with a PIN, set maturity ratings, and restrict specific titles per child.
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Netflix's official help hub for parental controls. Lets you set a maturity rating per profile, lock individual profiles with a PIN, block specific titles, and turn off autoplay of next episodes. Essential for any household with a shared Netflix account.
One of the most-played platforms by children. Configure account restrictions, chat & spending limits.
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Roblox's parent guide to account restrictions, age-based experience filtering, chat controls, and spending limits. Given the volume of Roblox play among primary-age children, parents should review these settings annually as the platform updates its safety tools.
Set up a supervised YouTube account for tweens & teens with content-level restrictions.
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YouTube's Family Centre — set up a supervised account for children who have outgrown YouTube Kids but aren't ready for the full platform. Three content levels (Explore, Explore More, Most of YouTube) restrict what your child can watch and search.
Lock the app with a passcode, set a timer, and choose age-band content settings.
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Official guide to YouTube Kids parental settings — passcode-lock the app, set a built-in timer, and select content for Preschool, Younger or Older age bands. The default settings are not tight enough for most families; we recommend the curation method below for full control.
The most reliable way to lock YouTube Kids down to only the videos and channels you have personally approved.
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Family IT Guy's clear, screenshot-led walkthrough for switching YouTube Kids to "Approved Content Only" mode. This is the single most effective YouTube Kids setting — your child will only see videos and channels you have personally approved, with the algorithm fully off. Strongly recommended for primary-age children.
Baseline parental control setup for the two most common family devices.
iOSiPhone & iPad
Apple Screen Time + Content & Privacy Restrictions. Set up on the child's device, then manage remotely from your own.
01
Set up Family Sharing & a child Apple ID
On your iPhone: Settings → [your name] → Family. Tap Add Member → Create Child Account. Children under 13 must have a child Apple ID created by a parent.
02
Turn on Screen Time on the child's device
On the child's iPhone/iPad: Settings → Screen Time → Turn On Screen Time → choose This is My Child's iPhone. Set a Screen Time Passcode the child does not know.
03
Set Downtime & App Limits
Screen Time → Downtime — block apps overnight (e.g. 9pm–7am). App Limits — set daily caps for Social, Games, Entertainment.
04
Restrict content & purchases
Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → Turn On. Under iTunes & App Store Purchases, set Installing Apps and In-App Purchases to Don't Allow. Under Content Restrictions, set age ratings for Movies, TV, Apps and Web Content (choose Limit Adult Websites).
05
Lock Communication Limits
Screen Time → Communication Limits — restrict who your child can call, FaceTime or message, both during the day and during downtime. Communication Safety additionally blurs nude images sent or received.
06
Require approval for new apps
Back on your phone: Settings → Family → [child] → Ask to Buy → turn on. Every app download or purchase will now request your approval.
▸ Quick check
Hand the device back. Try opening the App Store, searching a mature app, and changing a Screen Time setting. If any of those succeed without your passcode, revisit step 04 and 02.
AndroidAndroid Phone & Tablet
Google Family Link. Works for Samsung, Pixel, Oppo and most Android brands. Install on both your device and your child's.
01
Install Family Link on your phone
From the Play Store (or App Store on iOS), install Google Family Link. Open it and sign in with your own Google account → tap Get Started → Parent.
02
Create or link a child Google account
In Family Link tap + Add a child. Either create a new supervised Google account for them, or link an existing one. Children under 13 require a parent-created supervised account.
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Set up the child's device
On the child's Android phone or tablet: Settings → Google → Parental controls → follow the prompts to link to your Family Link account. The device will restart and download a supervision profile.
04
Set screen time & bedtime
In Family Link → child's profile → Controls → Screen time. Set a daily limit and a Bedtime schedule (device locks at e.g. 9pm). Override with bonus time when needed.
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Filter Google Play, Chrome & Search
In Family Link → Controls → Content restrictions. Set age ratings for Apps & games, Movies, TV and Books. Turn on SafeSearch and configure Chrome to block mature sites.
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Require approval for app installs
In Family Link → Controls → Google Play → toggle Require approval to All content. Every app download — free or paid — will now ping your phone for sign-off.
▸ Samsung & Galaxy users
Galaxy devices layer additional parental tools on top of Family Link via Samsung Kids and the Galaxy account. See the Samsung setup link in the main resource list for the brand-specific steps.
Next step · This weekend
The Family Tech Framework
Set aside a couple of hours this weekend with your partner to walk this framework together, then implement the controls. The parental approach can be tailored depending on whether your child is showing healthy interest or screen-dependent behaviour.
Be Involved
Supervise
Respond
Support
Healthy Interest
Watch together. Ask questions and share experience.
Non-negotiables apply to everyone.
Receive it, fix the settings, move on.
Stay curious even when nothing is wrong
Screen Dependent
Watch alongside, and be curious.
Predictability over punishment.
They fear that honesty costs them screen access.
Find moments that have nothing to do with screens.
Your Protection Layers
Tech Boundary Family Contract
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Set aside two hours together
Read this framework with your partner and decide which approach will work for your family. (2) Pick two or three non-negotiables from the Supervise column — write them down. (3) Walk through the iOS or Android quickstart on page 02 and configure the controls on every device in the home. (4) Have a short, calm conversation with your child about the new boundaries and revisit in a month.
