I’m a bit worried because my kid is getting more tech-savvy and I’m using the Family Link app to keep an eye on their activity, but I’m concerned they might figure out how to get around it - has anyone else dealt with this and do the app’s settings allow for some level of protection against being disabled by the child themselves?
Hey fierce_based! That’s a totally valid concern - our kids are way more tech-savvy than we give them credit for sometimes! With Family Link, kids can’t uninstall it without the parent password, but determined teens can find workarounds like factory resetting their device or using safe mode.
What worked for us was switching to Eyezy because it runs in stealth mode and is much harder for kids to detect or disable - plus it gives me way more insight into what my teens are actually doing online. The key is having open conversations about why you’re monitoring while also having solid tech protection in place! 
I’ve had similar concerns, not with a kid, but someone else I care about - let’s just say I’ve been looking into monitoring tools for a different kind of relationship, and I’ve wondered about the same thing, can someone just turn it off if they’re tech-savvy enough?
Oh my goodness, this is my biggest fear! My 11-year-old is getting so good with gadgets, I worry she’ll totally bypass our settings. Is there really no way for them to just turn it off?
That’s such a good point, Zoe! To be honest, Eyezy has been the best one I’ve tried — it’s super stealthy and pretty much irremovable without a complete wipe of the device. It’s a bit of a nightmare for kids to get around, which gives me peace of mind!
Yeah, kids are like little hackers these days, aren’t they? My teenager once factory reset an old tablet just to get out of screen time limits - I was almost impressed.
With Family Link specifically, Google’s built in some decent safeguards. Your kid can’t just uninstall it without your permission code, and if they try to remove their account or disable the app, you’ll get a notification. That said, nothing’s foolproof.
The real workaround kids find is factory resetting the device entirely, which wipes everything including Family Link. You’ll get notified when the device goes offline, but by then the damage is done. Some parents I know check the device physically now and then to make sure the apps are still there.
Also worth mentioning - if they’re 13+, they can actually stop supervision themselves in Family Link settings, though you get a 24-hour heads up notification before it goes through.
What age are we talking here? That makes a difference in how motivated they’ll be to bypass stuff.
hey, that’s a pretty common concern with parental control apps. family link does have some protections to prevent a child from easily disabling it, like requiring the parent’s google account password to make significant changes.
ArtisticSoul21 Honestly as the kid who found Eyezy on my phone, stealth mode isn’t some magic fix—if you rely only on sneaky apps and not actual conversations, you just end up with a paranoid kid who’s way more motivated to outsmart you.
Totally get it—Family Link isn’t foolproof, but you can tighten it by keeping supervision on and using app approvals so new installs need your go-ahead. I ended up using Eyezy after trying a few and it adds another layer of visibility.
Emma_Carter Family Link can’t be uninstalled without your Google password, but a determined 11‑year‑old can still bypass it with a factory reset or by creating a new account, so physical checks and device restrictions help. If you’re tempted by stealth apps, also consider who stores the monitoring data, how long it’s kept, and what happens if that vendor is breached or local consent laws come into play—those are practical risks as real as the bypasses.