How to install parental controls for Android
It’s easy with Safe Surfer to block harmful online content on an Android device. On your first protection installation, it will take around 30 minutes for the full installation, or 45 minutes for the entire guide.
We demonstrate the installation process on a Samsung device (running Android 14, released in 2023), although the steps will be very similar if you are installing on a different kind of device. This guide is designed for customers who already have a Safe Surfer account, but you can still follow along if you’re using just the Android app by itself—simply skip the parts regarding the online dashboard. Some optional features may not be available on budget devices that run Android Go edition.
Visit the Safe Surfer dashboard (https://my.safesurfer.io) on one of your personal devices and log in to your account. Click the Devices menu on the left-hand sidebar, then click the New device option.
Click the option labelled "Another mobile, laptop, or desktop device".
Click the Android option.
Click the option labelled "Get the Android app".
Inside this section, you'll see a QR code to be scanned within the Safe Surfer app. We’ll use this later on.
On the device to be protected, tap the Play Store app.
Tap the Search menu on the bottom bar.
Tap the search bar at the top of the screen.
Search for "safe surfer", then tap the search result.
Tap the Install button found next to the Safe Surfer app listing.
Once the app has finished downloading, tap the Open button.
Tap the checkbox labelled "I agree", then tap the Get started button.
Enter a friendly name for this device (so that it can be easily identified later), then tap the Next button.
Tap the Scan option.
If scanning the QR code doesn't work, tap the Sign in option to log in with your account details instead. If you do this, you'll need to tap the Person to be protected option when prompted.
Back on your personal device, once you've scanned the QR code (or signed in with your Safe Surfer account), you'll see details regarding a new listing for this device on the Safe Surfer dashboard. You can ignore any information regarding no connection, as we haven't finished the protection installation yet.
Back on the device to be protected, tap the Finish button.
Set a PIN, then tap the Confirm button.
Once you've been taken to the Protection menu, tap the Get protected button.
Tap the OK option on the prompt that appears.
If you are asked to allow Safe Surfer to send notifications, tap the Allow option.
Enter your PIN, then tap the OK button.
Under the Prevent uninstallation section, tap the Enable button.
Tap the Prevent uninstallation button.
Tap the Activate option.
Tap the Enable button.
Tap the OK option to acknowledge the presented information on the prompt that appears.
Tap the Installed apps option.
On Android devices other than Samsung, the Safe Surfer app might be listed under a section called Downloaded services (or similar).
Tap the Safe Surfer listing.
Tap the switch at the top. You can ignore the shortcut switch.
Tap the Allow option.
Great work! You've now finished the protection installation. Although, there are still a few more things we need to look at.
Verify the protection installation by visiting ExampleAdultSite.com inside a web browser app, such as Chrome. This is a safe website for testing to see if pornographic websites are being blocked. If it's not blocked, you'll need to review the previous documentation.
This step shows you how to use additional features available inside the Safe Surfer app.
The first optional feature is Social media monitoring. If you would like to use this feature, tap the Enable button.
Tap the switch found next to the Safe Surfer app listing.
Tap the Allow option.
If you would like to change the keyword detection categories and/or set custom keywords for detection, tap the Edit button.
You can change the keyword detection categories from this menu. To set custom keywords, tap the Custom menu.
You can set custom keywords for detection from this menu. If you would like to add a keyword, tap the plus icon at the upper-right corner.
If you would like to delete a keyword inside the Custom menu, simply long tap the applicable keyword, then tap the Rubbish bin icon at the upper-right corner > Delete.
The second optional feature is Nudity detection. If you would like to use this feature, tap the Download & enable button. This downloads a special file that will be used by this feature to determine whether the content being viewed on the screen is potentially inappropriate.
By default, we use a balanced frequency (that is, every several seconds) to check the screen. If you would like to make this more or less frequent, tap the drop-down option.
You can select from three options:
Battery saver mode (reduced frequency, which helps preserve battery, especially for devices more than several years old)
Normal mode (balanced frequency, being every several seconds)
Accuracy mode (increased frequency)
Tap the option that you would like to use for this device.
Play Store parental controls help hide Play Store content listings that contain sexually suggestive and/or sexually explicit content.
Apps already installed that are affected by these settings will not be hidden. These apps will also continue to receive updates from the Play Store.
Tap the Play Store app.
Tap the profile icon at the upper-right corner.
Tap the Settings menu.
Tap the Family section.
Tap the Parental controls menu.
Tap the switch to turn on the Play Store parental controls feature.
Enter a PIN, then tap the OK option.
Re-enter your PIN, then tap the OK option.
Tap the Apps & games section.
Set the age option to either 7+ or 12+, then tap the Save button. In North & South America, the equivalent for these are E10+ (Everyone 10+) and T (Teen). For reference, social media apps are typically rated 12+.
Tap the Understood option to acknowledge the presented information on the prompt that appears.
Tap the Save button.
Tap the Books section.
Tap the checkbox found next to Restrict sexually explicit books.
Tap the Understood option to acknowledge the presented information on the prompt that appears.
Tap the Save button.
Depending on your region, you might also have controls available for the following categories:
Movies
TV
Set these to an appropriate level if they are available. Once you're done, tap the back button at the upper-left corner of the screen to save the changes.
Google requires the Safe Surfer app to have a permanent notification enabled by default on the notification bar at the top of the screen. If you wish to hide this (along with the VPN connection icon), you can find out how to do so by clicking this link.
If the device user will not be using the Screentime controls feature in the Safe Surfer app, you can hide the Safe Surfer app. If you wish to do this, you can find out how to do so by clicking this link.
Android devices usually support hiding apps (such as YouTube) without uninstalling them, which can be helpful to reduce their use. If you wish to do this, you can find out how to do so by clicking this link.
Great work! This device is now fully protected. If you have any other Android devices you would like to protect, simply start again from the top of the guide. If you would like to protect a different kind of device, visit our Guides article.
Step 1: Visit the Safe Surfer dashboard
We demonstrate the installation process on a Samsung device (running Android 14, released in 2023), although the steps will be very similar if you are installing on a different kind of device. This guide is designed for customers who already have a Safe Surfer account, but you can still follow along if you’re using just the Android app by itself—simply skip the parts regarding the online dashboard. Some optional features may not be available on budget devices that run Android Go edition.
Visit the Safe Surfer dashboard (https://my.safesurfer.io) on one of your personal devices and log in to your account. Click the Devices menu on the left-hand sidebar, then click the New device option.
Click the option labelled "Another mobile, laptop, or desktop device".
Click the Android option.
Click the option labelled "Get the Android app".
Inside this section, you'll see a QR code to be scanned within the Safe Surfer app. We’ll use this later on.
Step 2: Install protection
On the device to be protected, tap the Play Store app.
Tap the Search menu on the bottom bar.
Tap the search bar at the top of the screen.
Search for "safe surfer", then tap the search result.
Tap the Install button found next to the Safe Surfer app listing.
Once the app has finished downloading, tap the Open button.
Tap the checkbox labelled "I agree", then tap the Get started button.
Enter a friendly name for this device (so that it can be easily identified later), then tap the Next button.
Tap the Scan option.
If scanning the QR code doesn't work, tap the Sign in option to log in with your account details instead. If you do this, you'll need to tap the Person to be protected option when prompted.
Back on your personal device, once you've scanned the QR code (or signed in with your Safe Surfer account), you'll see details regarding a new listing for this device on the Safe Surfer dashboard. You can ignore any information regarding no connection, as we haven't finished the protection installation yet.
Back on the device to be protected, tap the Finish button.
Set a PIN, then tap the Confirm button.
Once you've been taken to the Protection menu, tap the Get protected button.
Tap the OK option on the prompt that appears.
If you are asked to allow Safe Surfer to send notifications, tap the Allow option.
Enter your PIN, then tap the OK button.
Prevent uninstallation
Under the Prevent uninstallation section, tap the Enable button.
Tap the Prevent uninstallation button.
Tap the Activate option.
Tap the Enable button.
Tap the OK option to acknowledge the presented information on the prompt that appears.
Tap the Installed apps option.
On Android devices other than Samsung, the Safe Surfer app might be listed under a section called Downloaded services (or similar).
Tap the Safe Surfer listing.
Tap the switch at the top. You can ignore the shortcut switch.
Tap the Allow option.
Great work! You've now finished the protection installation. Although, there are still a few more things we need to look at.
Verify the protection installation by visiting ExampleAdultSite.com inside a web browser app, such as Chrome. This is a safe website for testing to see if pornographic websites are being blocked. If it's not blocked, you'll need to review the previous documentation.
Step 3: Enable additional features (optional)
This step shows you how to use additional features available inside the Safe Surfer app.
Social media monitoring
The first optional feature is Social media monitoring. If you would like to use this feature, tap the Enable button.
Tap the switch found next to the Safe Surfer app listing.
Tap the Allow option.
If you would like to change the keyword detection categories and/or set custom keywords for detection, tap the Edit button.
You can change the keyword detection categories from this menu. To set custom keywords, tap the Custom menu.
You can set custom keywords for detection from this menu. If you would like to add a keyword, tap the plus icon at the upper-right corner.
If you would like to delete a keyword inside the Custom menu, simply long tap the applicable keyword, then tap the Rubbish bin icon at the upper-right corner > Delete.
Nudity detection
The second optional feature is Nudity detection. If you would like to use this feature, tap the Download & enable button. This downloads a special file that will be used by this feature to determine whether the content being viewed on the screen is potentially inappropriate.
By default, we use a balanced frequency (that is, every several seconds) to check the screen. If you would like to make this more or less frequent, tap the drop-down option.
You can select from three options:
Battery saver mode (reduced frequency, which helps preserve battery, especially for devices more than several years old)
Normal mode (balanced frequency, being every several seconds)
Accuracy mode (increased frequency)
Tap the option that you would like to use for this device.
Step 4: Enable Play Store parental controls
Play Store parental controls help hide Play Store content listings that contain sexually suggestive and/or sexually explicit content.
Apps already installed that are affected by these settings will not be hidden. These apps will also continue to receive updates from the Play Store.
Tap the Play Store app.
Tap the profile icon at the upper-right corner.
Tap the Settings menu.
Tap the Family section.
Tap the Parental controls menu.
Tap the switch to turn on the Play Store parental controls feature.
Enter a PIN, then tap the OK option.
Re-enter your PIN, then tap the OK option.
Tap the Apps & games section.
Set the age option to either 7+ or 12+, then tap the Save button. In North & South America, the equivalent for these are E10+ (Everyone 10+) and T (Teen). For reference, social media apps are typically rated 12+.
Tap the Understood option to acknowledge the presented information on the prompt that appears.
Tap the Save button.
Tap the Books section.
Tap the checkbox found next to Restrict sexually explicit books.
Tap the Understood option to acknowledge the presented information on the prompt that appears.
Tap the Save button.
Depending on your region, you might also have controls available for the following categories:
Movies
TV
Set these to an appropriate level if they are available. Once you're done, tap the back button at the upper-left corner of the screen to save the changes.
Step 5: Hide permanent notification and VPN key icons (optional)
Google requires the Safe Surfer app to have a permanent notification enabled by default on the notification bar at the top of the screen. If you wish to hide this (along with the VPN connection icon), you can find out how to do so by clicking this link.
Step 6: Hide Safe Surfer app (optional)
If the device user will not be using the Screentime controls feature in the Safe Surfer app, you can hide the Safe Surfer app. If you wish to do this, you can find out how to do so by clicking this link.
Step 7: Hide Android apps (optional)
Android devices usually support hiding apps (such as YouTube) without uninstalling them, which can be helpful to reduce their use. If you wish to do this, you can find out how to do so by clicking this link.
Protection complete
Great work! This device is now fully protected. If you have any other Android devices you would like to protect, simply start again from the top of the guide. If you would like to protect a different kind of device, visit our Guides article.
Updated on: 24/09/2024
Thank you!