Parental controls are turned off by the parent. On Android with Family Link, open the app on the parent’s phone, select the child’s account and tap “Settings” → “Account settings” → “About parental controls” → “Turn off parental controls”; this is available once the child is 13 years old (or another minimum age in your country). On iPhone, open Settings → Screen Time, and for the child: Settings → Family → the child’s name → Screen Time.
Below are step-by-step instructions based on Google’s and Apple’s help pages as of October 18, 2026, separately for Android and iPhone, plus what to do if the control is turned on on your phone and you are not the parent. We do not cover workaround apps or “loopholes”: Google’s and Apple’s rules are designed so that a child cannot turn off the control without a parent, and that is normal. If you need to soften the restrictions rather than turn them off, see how to set up parental controls on a phone and PC.
How to turn off Family Link parental controls on Android
Family Link lets you turn off the control from the parent’s device or from the child’s device. The first method is more convenient for parents.
Turn off the control from the parent’s phone
This is possible when the child is 13 years old or the minimum age in your country. If an error appears, the child may need to update their Google Account.
- Open the Family Link app on your device.
- Select the child’s account.
- Tap “Settings” → “Account settings” → “About parental controls.”
- Follow the on-screen instructions and tap “Turn off parental controls.”
Once the control is turned off, both you and the child will receive a notification. After that, the child manages the account independently.
Result: The control is removed, and Family Link restrictions no longer apply to the account.
Turn off the control on the child’s device
If the child is not yet 18, they can do this only with a parent’s permission. Android 7.0 or later is required.
- Open “Settings” on the child’s device.
- On Android 8.1 and later, tap “Digital Wellbeing and parental controls.” In other versions, select “Google” → “All services,” then, in the “Kids & family” section, tap “Parental controls.”
- In the upper right corner, tap the “More” icon → “Turn off parental controls.”
- Confirm that you are the parent: sign in to your account or enter the parental access code.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
On a website or on a device not running Android, open the “Turn off parental controls” page and tap “Turn off parental controls” at the bottom of the screen.
Result: The control is removed on the child’s own device, and the parent has confirmed the decision.
If the child is under 13, delete the account
For children below the minimum age, parental controls cannot be turned off: Google offers to delete the child’s account completely or only from their device. This is possible only if you created the account.
- Only from the device: in Family Link, select the child → “Settings” → “Devices signed in to the account” → the device → “Reset settings and erase data.” The parental control settings on this device will stop working, but they will continue for the account itself. If this option is not there, delete the child’s account in Android settings on their device.
- Entirely: in Family Link, tap the child’s name → “Settings” → “Account settings” → “Delete account.” Emails, files, calendars and photos will be deleted, and the child will lose access to Google services and to purchases made in Google Play.
Before deleting the account completely, first remove the child’s account from the Android devices and Chromebooks where they are signed in: otherwise, the device may be locked and will have to be reset to factory settings.
Result: The child’s account has been removed from the device or deleted entirely.
How to turn off parental controls on iPhone
On iPhone, Screen Time handles the control; for children, it works through Family Sharing. The steps are described in Apple’s help for iOS 27 (more about this version: what’s new in iOS 27).
Turn off Screen Time on your iPhone
- Open Settings.
- Tap Screen Time.
- Select “Manage Screen Time” and tap “Turn Off App & Website Activity.”
- Scheduling is turned off separately: “Downtime” → turn off the schedule. Limits: “App Limits” → “Categories” → select the category → “Delete Category.”
If a passcode is set, you will need to enter it. To remove the passcode itself: Screen Time → “Change Screen Time Passcode” → “Turn Off Screen Time Passcode,” then enter the current code.
Result: Screen Time restrictions are turned off on your iPhone.
Open the child’s settings on the parent’s device
Apple recommends managing a child’s Screen Time from the device of the family organizer or parent, not from the child’s device.
- Open Settings → Family.
- Tap the child’s name.
- Tap “Screen Time” and change or turn off the restrictions you need.
Result: The parent has opened the child’s settings on their iPhone.
If you forgot the passcode, reset it
The Screen Time passcode is not the same as the iPhone unlock code. If you are the parent and have forgotten your child’s code, open Settings → Screen Time, scroll down and select the child’s name in the “Family” section. Then tap “Manage Screen Time,” tap “Change Screen Time Passcode” twice and enter a new code. For your own device, the reset is done via Screen Time → Manage Screen Time → Change Screen Time Passcode (twice); when prompted, enter the Apple Account you used to set up the passcode.
If the reset does not work, check whether you are entering the right Apple Account: it may differ from the account you signed in to on the device, and in a family group it may be a family member’s or the child’s account.
Result: The Screen Time passcode has been reset, and you can manage it again.
If you are a child or teenager
If parental controls are turned on on your phone, you cannot turn them off yourself, and this is by design. Google writes that a child cannot turn off parental controls until they reach the age for independent account management, and a teenager under 18 can do so only with a parent’s permission. Apple states that if you are 13 to 17 years old and your parent has set up Screen Time, leaving the family group requires the organizer’s permission. When you turn 18, you will be able to leave the group and manage your screen time settings yourself; in some countries, Apple may require you to confirm your age.
There is one legitimate path: talk to your parent and explain which restrictions get in the way and why. Parents can change limits, schedules, and allowed apps and websites in Family Link or Screen Time without turning off the control entirely. Apple has a feature called “Request an exception” for this: if the age rating of the app you need is above the allowed level, the child can send a request to their parent.
What can be done in each case
| Situation | What you can do | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| Android, child is 13 or older | Turn off Family Link parental controls | Parent, or a teenager with the parent’s permission |
| Android, child is under 13 | Delete the child’s account or remove it from the device | Parent (if they created the account) |
| iPhone, own Screen Time | Turn off activity reporting and the passcode | iPhone owner |
| iPhone, child in Family Sharing | Change or turn off restrictions in “Family” | Family organizer or parent |
| Teenager wants to leave the Apple family (13–17 years old) | Requires the organizer’s permission | Family organizer |
If it didn’t work
- There is no “Turn off parental controls” button in Family Link. Check the child’s age: turning it off is available from 13 or the minimum age in the country. If the child is younger, deleting the account is the only option left.
- An error appears when turning it off. The child may need to update their Google Account (Google mentions this in its help).
- Restrictions remain on the child’s device. If you deleted the account only from the device, the settings continue to apply to the account itself and will appear on any other device where the child signs in. To make sure the app data is deleted, Google suggests restoring the device to factory settings.
- Screen Time does not turn off. In some countries and regions, it cannot be turned off for children under 18 by law.
- You forgot the Screen Time passcode. Reset it using the instructions above from the parent’s device, or through the Apple Account used during setup.
Sources and methodology
Analysis of public sourcesChecked 18 October 2026
- Google — How to turn on and set up parental controls for an existing Google Account (including turning them off) support.google.com
- Google — How to delete or restore a child’s Google Account support.google.com
- Apple — Set up Screen Time on iPhone for yourself (iOS 27) support.apple.com
- Apple — Change the Screen Time passcode on iPhone or iPad support.apple.com
- Apple — Family Sharing and parental controls for children and teens support.apple.com
Frequently asked questions
Can a child turn off parental controls themselves?
No. According to Google’s help, a child cannot turn off parental controls until they reach the age for independent account management, and a teenager under 18 can do so only with a parent’s permission. On iPhone, a teenager aged 13 to 17 needs the organizer’s permission to leave the family group if the parent has set up Screen Time.
From what age can Family Link be turned off?
From 13 or the minimum age set in your country. Ukraine is not listed in Google’s table, and for countries not on the list, the age is 13. Parents can turn off the control at any time once the child has reached this age.
What happens to the account after parental controls are turned off?
The child gets the right to manage the account independently, and both you and the child receive a notification about the turn-off. If the account is deleted, all of its data, including emails, photos and purchases in Google Play, will be lost.
How do I turn off parental controls on iPhone if I forgot the passcode?
The parent resets the child’s Screen Time passcode on their own device: Settings → Screen Time → the child’s name under “Family” → Manage Screen Time → Change Screen Time Passcode. For yourself, you can reset the passcode using your Apple Account.
Can I turn off the control without deleting the account?
Yes, if the child is 13 or the country’s minimum age. If the child is younger, Google allows only deleting the child’s account (entirely or from the device).
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