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First, identify which controls are active
Check where the restriction appears and who manages it. A child-friendly Samsung Kids screen points to Samsung Kids; restrictions tied to a child’s Samsung account may be in Samsung Account Family; a PIN-protected Android Settings feature is device-level control; and supervision managed in the Family Link app is Google Family Link. These are separate systems, so changing one does not necessarily remove the others.
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| Control system | Where it is managed | Credential or approval | What changing it affects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Account Family | Parent or guardian’s Galaxy device, in Samsung account Family settings | Parent or guardian’s Samsung account | Selected settings for the child profile, such as web content, apps and games, downloads and purchases, Samsung apps, and parental-control PIN |
| Samsung Kids | Samsung Kids home screen | Kids PIN or configured screen lock; registered email for documented PIN recovery | Samsung Kids settings or exit from the Kids environment |
| Android on-device controls | Android Settings | Controls PIN and, for recovery, the account configured during setup | The specific device-level controls, not Family Link supervision |
| Google Family Link | Parent’s Family Link app and Google account | Parent account and, for a child under 18, parent approval to stop supervision | The supervision relationship; removing an account from a family group or deleting it is a separate, more consequential action |
Menu labels and feature availability depend on the Galaxy model, software version, carrier, and region. If a path below is missing, check the device’s software version and the relevant official support page rather than trying to bypass the restriction.
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Turn off Samsung Account Family controls
Samsung Account Family controls are managed by the parent or guardian from their Samsung account. Samsung’s US guide says child-account controls apply on Galaxy devices running One UI 5.1 or later; availability and menu wording may differ elsewhere or on other software releases. See Samsung’s Family groups and parental controls guide.
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- On the parent or guardian’s Galaxy device, open Settings.
- Tap the Samsung account name at the top of Settings.
- Tap Family, then select the child profile.
- Open the relevant control and change or disable the restriction you are authorized to manage. Available categories can include web content, apps and games, downloads and purchases, Samsung apps, and the parental-control PIN.
This changes the selected Samsung account settings; it does not automatically exit Samsung Kids or stop Google Family Link supervision.
Exit Samsung Kids or change its parental settings
Samsung Kids is a separate child-friendly environment. Its parental controls and exit require the Kids PIN or the configured screen lock. Samsung describes Kids for Galaxy phones and tablets running Android 9.0 and later, with availability varying by carrier. Follow Samsung’s Samsung Kids instructions for the device’s current interface.
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- From the Samsung Kids home screen, tap More options (three dots), then Parental controls.
- Enter the Kids PIN or use the configured screen lock when prompted.
- Use the available settings to adjust restrictions, or choose the exit option if the goal is to leave Samsung Kids.
If the Samsung Kids PIN is forgotten
Samsung documents a recovery process: enter the PIN incorrectly five consecutive times, then use the registered email address to request a temporary password. Use that official recovery route; do not try to defeat the PIN or remove device management.
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Android’s on-device parental controls are distinct from Family Link supervision. Google’s guidance for this specific feature lists Android 17 or later as a requirement, so the same menu should not be expected on every Samsung device or release. The feature is managed in Android Settings and protected by a PIN; setup includes adding a recovery account. See Google’s Android device parental-controls guide.
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Use the PIN and recovery account configured for those controls to change or turn them off in Settings. If the feature or recovery option is not present, confirm the Android version and follow the current Google instructions. Changing this device-level setting does not stop Family Link supervision on the Google account.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Stop Google Family Link supervision
Family Link supervision is managed from the parent’s Google account, not from Samsung’s parental-control settings. In the Family Link app, the parent can select the child profile, then go to Controls > Account Settings > About supervision, follow the prompts, and choose Stop supervision. Google says a child under 18 needs parent approval to stop supervision. See Google’s instructions for managing supervision on a current Google Account.
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Understand the family-group and account consequences
Stopping supervision and removing a child from a family group are not interchangeable. Under Google’s family-group guidance, a child below 13—or the applicable age in their country—cannot simply be removed: supervision must be transferred to another parent or the supervised account deleted. For a supervised user above that applicable age, supervision must be stopped before removal. Check Google’s family-management guidance for Android and follow the current on-screen steps for the account’s country and age eligibility.
Samsung’s Galaxy-specific Family Link guidance also describes account deletion as an option for children who cannot have an unsupervised Google account. Deleting an account is not the same as turning off a screen-time or app restriction: confirm what account access and data will be affected before choosing deletion. See Samsung’s Family Link guidance for Galaxy devices.
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If the listed setting does not appear
- Check whether the restriction is managed by Samsung Account Family, Samsung Kids, Android Settings, or Family Link; one system’s controls will not necessarily appear in another.
- Confirm the Galaxy model and installed software version. Samsung Account Family’s cited child-account controls require One UI 5.1 or later, while Google’s cited on-device controls require Android 17 or later.
- Use the responsible parent or guardian’s account, the configured PIN or screen lock, or the documented recovery route. If a feature is unavailable in your region or on your device, consult its official support instructions.
- Do not use a factory reset or attempt to remove management software to get around a guardian’s restrictions; use the system’s documented credential and approval process.
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