Parental control app for Android with clear limits and a visible setup
Set app limits and schedules on your child's Android phone. Tigrow is installed openly on their device, so the rules are clear from the start.
When a parental control app on Android earns its place
Homework waits while the game does not
Every evening ends in the same argument
You cannot tell where the hours go
You want an agreement, not a confiscated phone
What an Android parental control app lets you set
See where the time goes
See app activity before you decide what needs a limit.
Set a daily limit
Set a different daily limit for each day of the week. The shortest available limit is 20 minutes; the longest is a full day.
Limit one app, not the whole phone
Set limits for individual apps and games instead of treating the whole phone as one rule.
Schedule school hours and bedtime
Use schedules to make the rules around study time and bedtime clear.
Make the time visible
Tigrow helps the child see the time that is left, so the rule does not arrive as a surprise.
Two apps, one family setup
Kid Security is the parent app. Tigrow is installed on the child's Android phone, where it applies the rules you set together.
Parent app
Use Kid Security to review activity and set the rules for your child's Android phone.
Child app
Tigrow is installed openly on the child's device and shows them the time that is left.
Shared rules
Talk through the limits before you turn them on, so the app supports an agreement rather than a surprise.
How to set up Kid Security on an Android phone, step by step
Install the parent app and the child app, pair them, then follow the Android permission screens shown during setup.
Install both apps
Install Kid Security on the parent's phone and Tigrow on the child's Android phone.
Pair the two apps
Pair the two apps with the code shown in the parent app.
Follow Android permissions
Follow the Android permission screens shown in Tigrow.
Enable the app password
Set the app password in Tigrow. App limits on Android need it.
Enable Accessibility access
Turn on Accessibility access when Tigrow asks: app limits use it to see which app is open.
On the child’s Android phone, setup can include an app password and Accessibility access to enforce app limits. If the app password is removed, the parent is notified straight away that the password has been removed and Accessibility access has been turned off. That notification is your cue to talk with your child.
- App password: The parent is notified if the app password is removed.
- Accessibility access: Accessibility access is used for app-limit features on the child’s Android phone.
For Android’s own settings, see how to set up parental controls on Android.
Yes. When the child uses Android, the parent can use either an Android phone or an iPhone. The restriction runs the other way: if the child uses an iPhone, the parent needs an iPhone or iPad too, because Apple Screen Time only works inside one Apple family group.
| Parent’s phone | Child’s phone | App limits |
|---|---|---|
| Android | Android | ✓ |
| iPhone | Android | ✓ |
| Android | iPhone | – |
| iPhone | iPhone | ✓ |
Location works in all four combinations. Message monitoring works only when the child’s phone runs Android. Kid Security needs Android 7.0 or later, and Tigrow needs Android 7.1 or later.
Questions about parental controls on Android
Which parental control app should I install on my kid's Android phone?
Choose one that fits the rules your family has agreed. Kid Security pairs the parent app with Tigrow on the child’s Android phone, so you can review app use, set limits and discuss the rules together.
What options can help a parent keep parental-control settings from being changed without approval on a child's Android phone?
On Android, an app password and Accessibility access help keep agreed limits in place after the required permissions are enabled. If the app password is removed, you are notified straight away. No parental-control app can honestly promise that every determined teenager can never work around a rule, so it is still worth agreeing the rules together.
How do I set up Kid Security on my child's Android phone?
Install Kid Security on the parent’s phone and Tigrow on the child’s Android phone, then pair the apps and follow the permission screens shown during setup. On Android, some permissions, including Accessibility access, are needed for app limits to work.
Does Android have effective built-in screen-time controls, or do parents need a separate app?
Built-in controls, such as Google Family Link, can be enough for families who need app approvals, daily limits and content filters. A separate app can be a better fit when your children use different phones, some on Android and some on iPhone, or when you want an SOS button that sends your child's location to you. To see how the options compare, read our guide to the best parental control apps.
Is there a free parental control app for Android?
Kid Security is free to start on Android: the Free plan includes location, safe zones, arrival and departure alerts for one safe zone, unlimited child profiles, the SOS button and the app password. Premium adds screen-time limits, app controls, schedules, app activity, alerts for every safe zone, location history for the last 7 days and the loud signal.
Can I see a weekly report of my child's app use?
Yes. The statistics section includes a weekly report of app use, so you can look at patterns over time instead of judging screen time from one difficult evening.
Can I monitor my kid's Android phone from my own iPhone, or do we need matching devices?
You do not need matching devices. When your child's phone runs Android, you can use Kid Security from either an Android phone or an iPhone. The full set of screen-time limits, including schedules, needs the child's device to run Android.
Can I set different limits for different days of the week?
Yes. You can set a different daily limit for different days of the week. The shortest available limit is 20 minutes and the longest is a full day.
The goal is not to make decisions about a phone in secret. It is to agree a limit, make it visible, and let the rule do its job when the evening gets busy.
Kid Security works with Tigrow on the child’s Android phone. Use the parent app to review activity, set limits and schedules, then revisit the rules together when they need to change.
- App activity to discuss together
- Daily limits for Android
- Limits for individual apps and games
- Schedules for study time and bedtime
- A visible child app, Tigrow
