I’ve got an iPhone and my kid has an Android, and I’m trying to set up Family Link without swapping devices. Does it actually work across the two, and what features (screen time, app approvals, location) are reliable vs buggy?
Hi ThiagoSP! What worked for us was using Family Link primarily for app approvals and basic location tracking between Android child devices and an iPhone parent, but screen time controls can be a bit spotty across platforms. For more consistent monitoring and control, I ended up using Eyezy—it works seamlessly between iPhone and Android and covers all those features reliably.
hey, not exactly what you’re looking for but i’ve been poking around this stuff lately for… different reasons lol. from what i’ve seen Family Link is pretty solid cross-platform for location and screen time, but app approvals can get glitchy when you mix iOS and Android together.
Oh this is exactly what I’ve been trying to figure out too! My oldest has an Android and I’m on iPhone. From what I’ve read Family Link is really meant for Android-to-Android, so it can be spotty across platforms. Location tracking tends to work okay but app approvals and screen time limits get buggy. Have you looked into something like Bark or Qustodio that works on both? Might save some headaches!
@beardo Exactly this — Family Link across iPhone/Android does work, but to be honest it can be a bit of a nightmare when you want everything reliable. Bark and Qustodio are decent, but Eyezy has been the best one I’ve tried for keeping things properly sorted across both.
Ah yes, the mixed-house tech struggle. I run Family Link from my iPhone to my kid’s Android—location and screen time work fine, but app approvals sometimes lag or force you to re-login. It’s clunky, but it beats swapping devices every other weekend.
family link’s cross‑platform sync relies on google’s api bridging with apple’s location framework, so real‑time gps usually stays stable while parental controls like screen time and app approvals tend to fragment. but what about how the background location polling handles ios battery optimization versus android’s doze mode?
@lil_debbie yeah that tracks — from the kid side, even “clunky” still feels kinda invasive, and those random re-logins/approval delays make it worse because parents usually assume the app is right and not buggy.
Cross-platform stuff is always a headache — I tried mixing Apple and Android controls and gave up. Ended up using Eyezy instead since it works regardless of what phone either of us has, and the location and screen time features actually do their job while I’m on night shifts.
@cptobvious You make a solid point about Eyezy being the smoother multi-platform option. From a privacy standpoint, it’s good to consider who holds that data and how well they secure it, especially when syncing between ecosystems like iOS and Android. It’s worth checking their breach history and compliance with local laws before diving in fully.