Set up WhitelistVideo on your child’s device →
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Setup by Device
Android
Family Link Setup

How to set up Family Link for WhitelistVideo on Android

Configure Google Family Link on your phone to block the YouTube, YouTube Music and YouTube Kids apps, block every browser except Chrome, and block youtube.com in Chrome. Then set the parent PIN in the WhitelistVideo app.

Why is Family Link required?

🚫

Critical: WhitelistVideo filters content inside its child app. Family Link adds Android-level app and Chrome supervision. Block every browser except Chrome, because Family Link's web filter only works in Chrome. Keep Chrome itself available.

WhitelistVideo provides powerful YouTube filtering within the app, and Family Link adds OS-level protection. Together, they provide comprehensive protection:

Family Link is Google's built-in parental control system. You need it to:

  1. Block the YouTube, YouTube Music and YouTube Kids apps (App limits → Block, or delete them)
  2. Block every browser except Chrome (Samsung Internet, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Brave, DuckDuckGo and others)
  3. Block youtube.com in Chrome: Controls → Google Chrome → Manage sites → Blocked. WhitelistVideo doesn't use Chrome, so the app is unaffected
  4. Set the parent PIN in the WhitelistVideo app

Optional: in Chrome, block google.com (Google results play video snippets) and set DuckDuckGo (privacy-focused) as the default search engine.

Recommended: Keep the child signed into the supervised account and verify the installed-app list regularly. Android and Family Link menus vary; do not assume supervision alone prevents every uninstall action.

What do I need to set up Family Link?

  • Your child's Android device with WhitelistVideo installed and activated
  • Your own Android or iOS device with the Family Link parent app
  • A Google account for your child (supervised account)
  • About 10 minutes to configure settings

How to set up Family Link (if not already enabled)

If you haven't set up Family Link yet, follow these steps:

On your phone (parent device)

  1. Download the Google Family Link app from the Play Store or App Store

  2. Open the app and tap Get Started

  3. Select Parent when asked who's using this device

  4. Sign in with your Google account

  5. Follow the prompts to add your child

  6. You'll receive a code to enter on your child's device

On your child's Android device

  1. Open Settings > Google > Parental controls

  2. Tap Get started

  3. Select Child or teen

  4. Enter the code from your parent device

  5. Follow the prompts to complete setup

Already have Family Link? Skip to the next section to configure WhitelistVideo protection settings.

How to review WhitelistVideo app access in Family Link

Family Link can show and manage installed apps. The exact controls available for uninstalling or disabling an app vary by Android version and device maker.

On your phone (Family Link parent app)

  1. Open the Family Link app

  2. Select your child's account

  3. Open Controls and review App limits or the installed-app list

  4. Find WhitelistVideo and confirm that it is allowed

  5. On the child's device, test whether the app can be uninstalled or disabled; if it can, use the device maker's supported child-account or app-lock setting and test again

Why test this: Google does not expose the same uninstall controls on every Android device. A successful test on the child's actual device is the reliable confirmation.

Alternative: Approve each app individually

If you want more granular control:

  1. In Family Link > Controls > Google Play

  2. Toggle Require approval for purchases to ON

  3. Set Content restrictions to an appropriate age level

  4. Your child will need your approval for covered Google Play installs and purchases; this is not a universal prevent-uninstall control

How to block YouTube in Chrome

This prevents your child from accessing YouTube through the Chrome browser.

Block YouTube sites in Family Link

  1. Open the Family Link app

  2. Select your child's account

  3. Tap Controls > Content restrictions

  4. Tap Google Chrome

  5. Under Manage sites, tap Blocked

  6. Tap Add an exception and enter:

    • youtube.com
    • m.youtube.com
    • youtu.be
    • youtube-nocookie.com

Keep Chrome available. Don't block the Chrome app: it is the one browser Family Link's web filter works in. WhitelistVideo doesn't use Chrome, so blocking youtube.com there doesn't affect the app.

Optional: block google.com and switch to DuckDuckGo

  1. In the same Manage sites → Blocked list, add google.com. Google search results play video snippets.
  2. On the child's device, open Chrome → Settings → Search engine and choose DuckDuckGo (privacy-focused).

How to block alternative browsers

Family Link's web filter only works in Chrome. Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, Samsung Internet, DuckDuckGo and browsers inside other apps are separate access routes, so block every browser except Chrome.

  1. In Family Link, open your child's App limits or installed-app list
  2. Block every browser app except Chrome
  3. Require approval for new Google Play installs
  4. On the child's device, test every remaining browser and in-app browser that can open links

How to add WhitelistVideo to allowed apps

Ensure WhitelistVideo remains accessible even during Downtime or app limits.

On your phone (Family Link parent app)

  1. Open the Family Link app

  2. Select your child's account

  3. Tap Controls > Apps installed

  4. Find WhitelistVideo in the list

  5. Make sure Allow app is toggled ON

  6. Set No time limit or appropriate limits for video watching time

⚠️

Don't block WhitelistVideo with time limits. If you use app time limits, make sure WhitelistVideo has sufficient time (or no limit) so your child can watch approved videos during their allowed screen time.

Battery optimization settings (CRITICAL for some devices)

Some Android manufacturers aggressively kill background apps to save battery. This can interfere with WhitelistVideo's operation.

On your child's Android device

  1. Open Settings > Apps > WhitelistVideo

  2. Tap Battery or Battery optimization

  3. Select Don't optimize or Unrestricted

Manufacturer-specific settings

Different Android manufacturers have additional battery optimization settings that may need configuration:

Samsung (One UI)

  1. Settings > Apps > WhitelistVideo > Battery > Optimize battery usage
  2. Set to Don't optimize
  3. Settings > Device care > Battery > App power management > Apps that won't be put to sleep
  4. Add WhitelistVideo

Xiaomi (MIUI)

  1. Settings > Apps > Manage apps > WhitelistVideo
  2. Enable Autostart
  3. Battery saver > Choose apps
  4. Set WhitelistVideo to No restrictions

Huawei (EMUI)

  1. Settings > Apps > Apps > WhitelistVideo
  2. App launch
  3. Toggle to Manual and enable all options

Oppo/Realme (ColorOS)

  1. Settings > Apps > App management > WhitelistVideo
  2. Enable Startup Manager
  3. Settings > Battery > App battery management
  4. Set WhitelistVideo to Unrestricted

OnePlus (OxygenOS)

  1. Settings > Apps > WhitelistVideo > Battery optimization
  2. Select Don't optimize

Why this matters: If battery optimization kills WhitelistVideo, the app may not sync properly with your parent account or may fail to filter content reliably.

How to verify your Family Link settings

After configuration, test that everything works:

Test app deletion blocking

  1. On your child's device, press and hold the WhitelistVideo app icon

  2. Try to uninstall or delete the app

  3. You should see a message like "You need permission from your parent" or the option should be grayed out

  4. If the app can be deleted, go back and check your Family Link settings

Test YouTube blocking in Chrome

  1. Open Chrome on your child's device

  2. Go to youtube.com

  3. You should see a "Site blocked" message or the page should not load

  4. If YouTube loads normally, go back and check your blocked sites settings

Test WhitelistVideo works

  1. Open the WhitelistVideo app

  2. Search for a video from an approved channel

  3. The video should play normally

  4. If blocked, check your Family Link app permissions

Block the native YouTube app

⚠️

Don't forget this step. Even with youtube.com blocked in Chrome, your child can still open the native YouTube app and bypass WhitelistVideo's filtering entirely.

Block YouTube, YouTube Music and YouTube Kids:

  • Via Family Link: Open Family Link → select your child → Controls → App limits → find YouTube → tap Block. Repeat for YouTube Music and YouTube Kids
  • Or uninstall them: On the child's device, go to Settings → Apps → YouTube → Uninstall (or Disable), and the same for YouTube Music and YouTube Kids

Set the parent PIN

Open the WhitelistVideo app on your child's device and set the parent PIN when setup asks for it. The app's settings then need your PIN.

Family Link setup complete

Your Android setup is designed to close the common bypass routes when every step has been completed and tested:

  • WhitelistVideo filters YouTube within the app
  • Family Link supervises the child account and app access
  • youtube.com is blocked in Chrome; every other browser is blocked
  • The YouTube, YouTube Music and YouTube Kids apps are blocked or removed
  • The parent PIN is set in the WhitelistVideo app
  • WhitelistVideo remains the intended route for approved YouTube content
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Family Link protection levels by age

Scroll horizontally to see all columns.

Child's AgeRecommended Setup
Under 13The four required steps (YouTube apps blocked, every browser except Chrome blocked, youtube.com blocked in Chrome, parent PIN) + block app deletion + app approval required
13+The four required steps + block app deletion

Note: Google requires supervised accounts for children under 13. Family Link is designed for this age group but can also be used for older children.

Family Link troubleshooting

My child figured out how to bypass Family Link

  • Make sure you're the family manager and have a strong Google account password
  • Enable 2-factor authentication on your Google account
  • Check all Family Link settings regularly

My child removed their Google account from the device

  • This requires your password for supervised accounts under 13
  • Change your Google account password immediately
  • Re-add the supervised account to the device

Family Link says "No restrictions" but I set them up

  • Make sure you're looking at the correct child's account
  • Try force-closing and reopening the Family Link app
  • Unlink and re-link the child's device in Family Link

WhitelistVideo was deleted despite Family Link protection

  • Check that app deletion blocking is enabled in Family Link > Google Play settings
  • Verify your child's account is properly supervised
  • Make sure you approved WhitelistVideo for installation

YouTube is still accessible in Chrome

  • Verify you added all YouTube domains to the blocked list
  • Check for other browsers (Firefox, Edge, Samsung Internet) and block those too
  • Keep Chrome itself available; its blocked-sites list is the control that works

WhitelistVideo keeps getting killed by the system

  • Follow the battery optimization steps for your specific manufacturer
  • Some aggressive power management can't be fully disabled
  • This is especially common on Xiaomi and Huawei devices

I can't find Family Link settings on my child's device

  • Make sure the device is running Android 5.0 or later
  • Verify the child's Google account is properly supervised
  • Try setting up Family Link from the parent app instead

Family Link supervision ended when my child turned 13

  • This is normal Google behavior—supervision ends at 13 unless renewed
  • You can continue supervision by having your child accept the invitation
  • Without supervision, Family Link protection is significantly weaker

More Android troubleshooting

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