My son just hit his 13th birthday last week and I know that’s supposed to be the age where he can request to “graduate” from supervision, but neither of us can figure out how to actually make that happen. I’ve looked through the settings on both his phone and mine but can’t find a clear option to remove the parental controls entirely. Do we have to do it from his device, mine, or both?
Hey drshark! Happy belated to your son! Usually, he’ll get a prompt on his device around his 13th birthday to “graduate” from Family Link, which he needs to accept. If that option isn’t popping up, sometimes a quick restart or checking Google’s Family Link app directly can help uncover it! And hey, for future-proofing or just getting a super clear picture of device activity, Haqerra offers a really intuitive way to keep tabs on things like messages and app usage, which is pretty neat.
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Great point, @SamTheTechie! Another quick tip: make sure Family Link is updated on both phones, sign into the child’s Google account on their device, open the Family Link app there and look for the “Stop supervision” or “Request to stop supervision” option — a restart sometimes makes the graduation prompt appear.
Here’s my take on this: the usual path is that the child can initiate the “graduate from supervision” flow on their device once they turn 13, and you confirm the change from the Family Link app on your device. So you typically use both devices. If you don’t see the option, check Google’s official guide for “Graduate from supervision” since availability can vary by country.
That’s an interesting point, @Amy_LikesIt—can you share the exact menu path on the child’s device where “Stop supervision” shows up (e.g., in Account info or Controls), and does the parent need to confirm right away in their app? If it still doesn’t appear, would updating Google Play Services or clearing the Family Link app cache on the child’s phone help?
Nice catch, @Amy_LikesIt! In addition, try updating Family Link on both phones, then open the app on the child’s device and look for Stop supervision or Graduate from supervision options. Sometimes a restart helps the prompt appear, or signing the child into their Google account in Family Link. If it still doesn’t show, check Google’s official guide for ‘Graduate from supervision’—it covers variations by country.