How To Lock Google Play Store On Your Android Smartphones?

I’m not sure about your children, but mine enjoy browsing the Google Play Store for new apps to download and install. It irritates me greatly. They have a lot of apps and games on their phones and tablets, but they still want to see what else is out there to play.

Many of the apps available in the Google Play Store are not suitable for children of all ages. So I like to do some research on an app before allowing my kids to download and use it.

That’s why I appreciate the ability to ensure that your children can only use apps after you manually approve them. There are a few different approaches you can take to accomplish this. I like to use more than one, so I double-check that it’s okay before putting it on their device.

Google’s Android operating system has surpassed Apple’s iOS as the most popular smartphone operating system. Other major tech companies, in addition to Apple, have chosen Android as the operating system for their smartphones.

Google has been adding new features to its mobile operating system. Dark Mode, gesture-based navigation, and Digital Wellbeing are just a few of the useful features that have recently been added to the Android OS.

Below are the two methods to block kids from installing apps from Google Play Store.

How to Lock Google Play Store On Your Android Phone?

Google has also integrated the Play Store app, which acts as an app store for Android devices. You must go to the Google Play Store in order to install any app on your smartphone. The user interface is well-designed, and you can see app details like download size, ratings, and user reviews. This aids you in determining the legitimacy of a newly launched app.

The Google Play Store is a one-stop-shop for all kinds of apps. There are numerous options to choose from, ranging from social media to lifestyle and gaming. There are also some 18+ apps that are not appropriate for children. Despite the 18+ warning, anyone can download any app by default.

If this is one of your main concerns about your child having access to a smartphone, you should know that you can set a lock to prevent these apps from being accessed or installed. All you have to do now is put parental controls in place. How are you going to do it? Take a look at the following:

How Do I Enable Parental Controls On The Google Play Store?

Step 1: On the smartphone where you want to set the parental controls, open the Google Play Store application.

Step 2: From the top-left corner, select the Menu option.

Step 3: Select the Settings option from the drop-down menu.

Step 4: Toggle on “Parental Control” option.

Step 5: After clicking the toggle tab, you’ll be prompted to create a security pin. Enter the numeric digits that you believe will be difficult for your child to guess.

Step 6: You can apply filters to unrated apps, as well as movies and games.

Use the Google Play Family Link feature.

You can also use Google’s Family Link if your child is under the age of 13. When you set up your child’s device through FamilyLink, you get some parental controls, such as time limits, content filters, and access to Google Play.

However, setting up FamilyLink is a little more complicated, and it does necessitate creating a Google account for your child. Because children under the age of 13 aren’t allowed to have regular Google accounts, this is a great way to give them their own space while they’re still learning.

When you install FamilyLink on your child’s device, it will guide you through the process of getting it set up. You’ll be able to control your child’s and your own installs from your phone once it’s installed on their devices. If you enable this setting, your child will be unable to install any apps until you approve them from your own phone, or until you enter your Google password to unlock their device immediately.

Final Words

I cringe every time I hear about parents who had no idea their child was using a specific app like Snapchat! Activating these options is a very simple way to keep your children safe! Check more Android-related articles on our site.