Qustodio is a versatile parental control application that helps parents monitor and manage their children’s digital activities across multiple devices and platforms. The software offers comprehensive features including screen time management, content filtering, app blocking, location tracking, and detailed activity reports. Available for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac.

In this how-to we’ll walk through setting up Qustodio for Kids on Android.

How-to Video

Download Slides

SSF - Qustodio.pdf

How to Add a Child

You’ll want to visit https://family.qustodio.com/parents-app and if you haven’t already created an account, go ahead and sign up first.

1. Click on My family
2. Add a Child
3. Enter child’s name
4. Select the kind of device, in our tutorial we are using Android
5. Install the Kids App Qustodio app on the child’s device

Setup the Kids App

1. Open the Qustodio Kids app on the child’s phone
2. Allow all the requested permissions. See video above for more detailed instructions.
3. Check on the Parents app or web site that the device is showing as Active

Daily Downtime

1. Open My Family > [child’s name] > Rules > Routines
2. Click Add routine and select Bedtime
3. Select the From time which is when the device will be blocked, and a To time which is when the device will be unblocked
4. Select which days of the week you’d like this schedule to apply. Usually you’d select every day.
5. Click Save routine

Daily Time Limits

Unlike daily downtime, time limits control how much of the day screen time is allowed. You’d normally combine this with daily downtime.

1. Open My Family > [child’s name] > Rules > Daily time limits
2. Tap on each day of the week, and adjust how much time you’d like to allow.
3. Under Settings enable Lock navigation and Lock device to prevent the child from using the device when time limits have been reached.

Prevent Child from Changing Settings

1. Open Devices > [device name]
2. Enable Protect Android settings which is important to prevent the child from changing things like the passcode.
3. Enable Protect Qustodio settings

Block and Allow Apps

1. Open My Family > [child’s name] > Rules > Games & apps
2. All apps on the phone will appear in the list
3. For apps you’d like to allow, select Allowed
4. For apps you’d like to block, select Blocked
5. You may want to have a specific time restriction for an app, in which case select Set limits which looks very similar to setting daily time limits. Again for each day select how much time is allowed on the selected app

Web Site filtering

1. Open My Family > [child’s name] > Rules > Web filtering
2. Enable Apply filters
3. For each category, select either Allow, Alert me or Block based on how you’d like it to be treated. For devices used by young children you may want to block all categories and allow specific web sites from the Websites tab.
4. Ensure that Block unknown websites is enabled under Settings
5. Ensure that Enforce Safe Search is enabled
6. Enable Block unsupported browsers if you are not otherwise controlling what apps are allowed on the device

Summary

Qustodio requires parent involvment especially to pay attention to the installation of new apps. Remember to have ongoing conversations with your children about healthy technology use.