This article explains how to set up Google Home filters and downtime controls.

What to Know

  • Tap Settings > Digital Wellbeing > Add device filter > Setup > select users > All Devices > choose filters.Downtime: Select New Schedule > Setup > Next > choose devices, days, and times.

How to Set Up Google Home Filters

To set up parental controls on Google Home devices, install the Google Home app. You can install the app from Google Play for Android or from iTunes for iOS devices.

Once installed, you’re ready to configure filters and set up a downtime schedule.

  • Open the Google Home app and tap Settings.
  • In the Settings menu, tap Digital wellbeing. If this is the first time you’ve used Digital wellbeing, this opens the Digital Wellbeing wizard. Otherwise, tap Add device filter. Tap Set up and then tap Next to continue.
  • In the Select people and devices screen, select whether filters apply to Everyone or Only Supervised Accounts and guests.
  • In this same screen, select All devices or choose individual devices where the filters should apply. Tap Next.
  • On the Video screen, select whether to Block all videos or only allow videos from select, restricted YouTube video services (like YouTube Kids or YouTube Restricted Mode). Tap Next to continue.
  • On the Music screen, choose to Block all music or allow only music from select, non-explicit music services (like Spotify or YouTube Music Restricted Mode). Tap Next to continue.
  • On the Additional Controls screen, configure whether to allow or block services from the Google Home devices you selected, including Calls, Assistant Answers, and Actions. Tap Next to continue and tap Next again to finish.
  • When you’re finished, the filters for the device and accounts you set up are activated.

Now that you’ve finished going through the filter, all of the filtered devices you selected follow the filter rules you set in this wizard.

Open the Google Home app and tap Settings.

In the Settings menu, tap Digital wellbeing. If this is the first time you’ve used Digital wellbeing, this opens the Digital Wellbeing wizard. Otherwise, tap Add device filter. Tap Set up and then tap Next to continue.

In the Select people and devices screen, select whether filters apply to Everyone or Only Supervised Accounts and guests.

In this same screen, select All devices or choose individual devices where the filters should apply. Tap Next.

On the Video screen, select whether to Block all videos or only allow videos from select, restricted YouTube video services (like YouTube Kids or YouTube Restricted Mode). Tap Next to continue.

On the Music screen, choose to Block all music or allow only music from select, non-explicit music services (like Spotify or YouTube Music Restricted Mode). Tap Next to continue.

On the Additional Controls screen, configure whether to allow or block services from the Google Home devices you selected, including Calls, Assistant Answers, and Actions. Tap Next to continue and tap Next again to finish.

When you’re finished, the filters for the device and accounts you set up are activated.

Set Up Downtime Controls

At the completion of setting up Filters, the Digital Wellbeing wizard lets you configure Schedule Downtime controls. These controls let you set a schedule, so your kids can’t use Google Home during certain hours every day.

  • At the end of the Filter setup part of the wizard, from the main Digital wellbeing screen, tap New schedule and tap Set up to continue into the Schedule Downtime wizard. Tap Next to bypass the informational screen.
  • Select the devices where you would like the Downtime controls to apply. When finished, tap Next to continue.
  • On the Choose days screen, select the schedule you’d like to use to block Google Home use. Available options include School Nights, Weekdays, Weekends, or Customize to set your own schedule. Tap Next to continue.
  • Configure the specific downtime range by setting a time for Downtime begins at, and Downtime ends at. Tap Next to continue. Tap Done to finish the wizard.
  • Once you’re done, the scheduled downtime is configured for each device you selected in Digital Wellbeing.

Manage Digital Wellbeing Settings

Once you’ve gone through the setup wizard once, the next time you tap Digital Wellbeing in Settings, you’ll see all the filters and downtimes you set up. Tap any filter or downtime to modify it, or click Add device filter to set up new filters.

At the end of the Filter setup part of the wizard, from the main Digital wellbeing screen, tap New schedule and tap Set up to continue into the Schedule Downtime wizard. Tap Next to bypass the informational screen.

Select the devices where you would like the Downtime controls to apply. When finished, tap Next to continue.

On the Choose days screen, select the schedule you’d like to use to block Google Home use. Available options include School Nights, Weekdays, Weekends, or Customize to set your own schedule. Tap Next to continue.

Configure the specific downtime range by setting a time for Downtime begins at, and Downtime ends at. Tap Next to continue. Tap Done to finish the wizard.

Once you’re done, the scheduled downtime is configured for each device you selected in Digital Wellbeing.

Google Home makes it easy to bring the convenience of voice control into your home. Google Home filters ensure your children are protected from inappropriate content on the internet.

Why You Need Google Home Filters

With all of the conveniences that Google Home offers, there are a few dangers. Many families place these devices in every bedroom of the home. This means children have unrestricted access to internet content at all hours of the day.

You can set filters to control what sort of access your kids have to the internet, and what hours of the day they can use the device.

The best way to avoid children from accessing inappropriate videos through Google Home is to place a Google Home mini in bedrooms and save the Google Home hub for areas of the house everyone uses. The Google Home mini doesn’t have a display screen.

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