Parents repetitively ask us, ‘how can I see what apps my child has downloaded?’ because they are worried about the app that might not be appropriate for their children’s ages. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss how you can see your child’s recent app downloads, the apps that are currently on your child’s phone, and how to stop your child from downloading new apps using Safes parental control suite or the options which are available on your child’s phone by default. But first, let’s discuss why monitoring the apps children download is important.
Why Monitoring Children’s Apps is Important?
Some parents are reluctant to control the apps their children download from app distribution platforms such as App Store and Google Play. They believe since these platforms are official, the apps they share do not pose safety or health risks to children. But that is not true. Each app is appropriate for a particular age group. That’s why on official app distribution platforms, they are given an age restriction tag by platform moderators based on their content. There are good reasons for restricting apps because some of them, such as social media apps, risk children’s privacy and safety, while some games contain violent or sexual content.
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Despite official app distribution platforms restricting downloading apps based on users’ ages, children can fake their ages to download them. Moreover, unofficial platforms usually have no restrictions for downloading apps. Safety and health risks aside, unofficial platforms can cause security risks to children by offering harmful apps to download.
The good news is that you can prevent your child from accessing app distribution platforms and downloading inappropriate apps with Safes parental control suite. In the following paragraphs, we’ll explain in detail.
How to See Your Child’s Apps Remotely
Of course, we’re not recommending asking your child to hand over their phone or tablet to you every now and then to check what new apps they have installed. Most kids, especially teens, consider such a parental control strategy as an intrusion into their privacy. In return, we suggest installing the Safes parental control app, which enables you to see all the apps that are currently on your child’s phone and notifies you when your child installs a new app remotely. After Installing Safes Kid on your child’s phone, tablet, or computer, you don’t need to touch their devices again because you can monitor and control them from your phone or computer.
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How to See What Apps Are on My Child’s Phone with Safes
To use Safes, you first need to sign up on the Safes website or download the Safes app on your phone. Then you should pair your child’s phone or tablet by Installing Safes Kid (a companion app) on your child’s devices. Afterward, log back into your Safes panel and go to the ‘App Blocker’ section. Here, in the ‘Allowed’ column, you have all the apps installed and allowed to be used on your child’s phone.
How to See Your Child’s Recent App Downloads with Safes
To see your child’s recently downloaded apps, log into Safes and go to ‘Notifications’. If your child has installed any new apps, you’d see a note with the app’s name.
How to Stop My Child from Downloading Apps
To stop your child from downloading apps, again, you can use Safes parental control suite or the default settings on your child’s iPhone or Android phone to block their access to app distribution platforms. The difference between the two methods is that by using Safes, you can block your child’s access to all app distribution platforms (official and unofficial ones) while using the default settings on your child’s iPhone or Android phone, you can only block their access to App Store and Google Play.
How to Stop My Child from Downloading Apps Using Safes
To block your child’s access to App Store on iOS or Google Play on Android phones, log into Safes and go to App Blocker. Then move App Store/Google Play from the Allowed column to the Blocked column.
You have two options to stop your child from downloading apps from other app distribution platforms, such as Microsoft Apps. You may either block the platforms’ apps after your child installs them using the procedure explained above or prevent your child from accessing them by blocking their websites. To block their websites, go to the ‘Web Filter’ section on Safes, then tap ‘Exceptions’, and then tap the + icon. In the given bar, enter the website address (URL) of the platform you want to block and check ‘Block’. Finally, tap ‘Add’.
How to Stop My Child from Downloading Apps on iPhone
If your child has an iPhone, you can prevent them from downloading apps from App Store or removing apps. To use this feature, go to ‘Settings’ on your child’s phone and tap ‘Screen Time’. Then tap ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’. If you have previously set a passcode on this section, you have to enter it. You should then tap ‘iTunes & App Store Purchases’. In this panel, you have three items:
- Installing Apps
- Deleting Apps
- In-app Purchases
Choose ‘Don’t Allow’ for each item to stop your child from installing/deleting apps and making in-app purchases.
How to Stop My Child from Downloading Apps on Android
If you and your child have Android phones, you can use Google Play settings to stop your child from downloading apps or making in-app purchases. First, you need to open Google Play app on your phone and tap your profile picture on the top right corner of the screen. Then tap ‘Settings’ and after that ‘Manage family members’. Tap your child’s name if you have already added their account as your family member. Otherwise, tap ‘Invite family members’ and follow the steps to add your child as your family member. In the new panel that appears, tap ‘Purchase approvals’ to access the options below:
- All content
- Only paid content
- Only in-app purchases
- No approval required
Choose ‘All content’ so that you receive a purchase approval email whenever your child wants to install a new app.
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How Can I See What Apps My Child Has Downloaded? —Summary
Using Safes, you can:
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If you find the features that Safes offers to protect your child from inappropriate apps useful and wish to learn more about them, check the features and pricing plans pages on our website. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve compiled a list of questions and answers to help provide more information on the topic we discussed. If you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d be happy to help!
Can Parents See What Apps You Download?
Yes. Parents can see what app you have downloaded and installed on your phone, tablet, or computer by installing parental control apps such as Safes on your devices.
How can I see what apps are on my child’s iPhone?
You can see what apps are on your child’s iPhone by installing parental control apps such as Safes on their device.
Is it possible to see the apps on my child’s phone without them knowing?
Yes. By installing a parental control app such as Safes on your child’s phone, you can see what apps they have installed on their phone using your computer or phone. Your child might know you have installed a parental control app on their devices but wouldn’t realise when you’re checking them.
