How to use Android Device Manager for tracking your kids

Android Device Manager — now called Google Find Hub (formerly Find My Device) — remains one of the easiest ways to keep tabs on your child’s Android phone. Google has overhauled its tracking tools significantly since the original Android Device Manager days, and as of 2026 the best approach combines Google Family Link for parental supervision with Find Hub for real-time location tracking. Here’s exactly how to set it all up, plus the best alternatives if you need more features.

Android Device Manager Is Now Google Find Hub

Google renamed Android Device Manager to “Find My Device” back in 2017, then rebranded it again to Find Hub in May 2025. The core function is the same — locate, ring, lock, or erase an Android device remotely — but Find Hub now includes a dedicated Family Devices tab and a People tab for tracking family members directly, without needing a separate app.

If you search for “Android Device Manager” in the Play Store, you won’t find it. Download Google’s Find Hub instead. It’s free, preinstalled on most Android phones, and works on any device running Android 6.0 or later.

Method 1: Google Family Link (Best Free Option for Parents)

Google Family Link is the recommended way to track your child’s location on Android in 2026. It’s completely free, built by Google, and gives you parental controls beyond just location tracking.

What Family Link Does

• Real-time location tracking on a map
• Location alerts when your child arrives at or leaves specific places (school, home, a friend’s house)
• App approval controls — approve or block app downloads from Google Play
• Screen time limits — set daily limits and a bedtime schedule
• Device lock — remotely lock your child’s phone during homework or dinner
• Battery level monitoring — see your child’s battery percentage so you can remind them to charge

How to Set Up Family Link

What you need:

• Your own Android phone, iPhone, or Chromebook
• Your child’s Android phone (running Android 6.0+)
• A Google account for your child (you can create one during setup if they’re under 13)

On your phone:

1. Download Google Family Link from the Play Store (or App Store on iPhone)
2. Open the app and sign in with your Google account
3. Tap Add child and either select your child’s existing Google account or create a new supervised account
4. Follow the prompts to add them to your Family Group

On your child’s phone:

1. Sign in with your child’s Google account (it must be the only Google account on the device during initial setup)
2. When prompted, confirm parental supervision by signing in with your parent account
3. Accept the supervision terms

Turn on location sharing:

1. Open Family Link on your phone
2. Tap Location in the bottom menu
3. Select Set up location and choose your child
4. Toggle on See your child’s location
5. Tap Turn on

Set up location alerts (optional but recommended):

1. In Family Link, tap Location
2. Select your child, then tap a saved place (like Home or School)
3. Toggle Arrives and/or Leaves on for each place
4. You’ll get a notification whenever your child enters or leaves that zone

Tips for Accurate Tracking

• Your child’s phone needs an active mobile data plan or Wi-Fi connection for location to work
• Make sure Location services are turned on: Settings → Location → toggle on
• If the location seems off, restart the child’s phone — this forces a fresh GPS lock
• Keep the Family Link app updated on both devices

Important as of 2026: Teens now need parental approval to remove supervision from their account. This closes a previous loophole where older kids could simply opt out of tracking on their own.

Method 2: Google Find Hub (Family Devices Tab)

If you’ve already set up Family Link, Find Hub integrates directly with it. This means you can track your child’s device from the same app you use to find your own phone, keys, or wallet.

How to Use Find Hub for Family Tracking

1. Open Find Hub on your phone (preinstalled on most Android devices, or download from the Play Store)
2. Tap the Family Devices tab — this shows all devices linked through Family Link
3. Select your child’s device to see its current location on the map
4. From here you can also ring the device (useful when your kid can’t find their phone), lock it, or erase it if it’s lost or stolen

Find Hub also supports a People tab where family members can voluntarily share their location with each other — useful for older teens who’ve outgrown supervised accounts but still want to share their whereabouts.

Find Hub vs. Family Link

Feature	Google Family Link	Google Find Hub
Real-time location	Yes	Yes
Location alerts (geofencing)	Yes	No
App controls	Yes	No
Screen time limits	Yes	No
Remote lock/erase	No	Yes
Ring device	No	Yes
Family devices view	No	Yes
Price	Free	Free

Bottom line: Use both. Family Link handles parental controls and geofence alerts. Find Hub handles device-finding features like ringing, locking, and erasing. They sync with each other automatically.

Method 3: Third-Party Tracking Apps

Google’s free tools cover the basics well, but if you need more advanced features like driving reports, SOS alerts, or detailed location history, a third-party app may be worth the investment.

Life360

Life360 is the most popular family tracking app on Android with over 50 million downloads. Every family member joins a “Circle” and can see each other’s real-time location on a shared map.

Key features:

• Real-time location sharing for the whole family
• Place alerts (school, work, home)
• Crash detection and roadside assistance (paid plans)
• Driving reports with speed tracking (paid plans)
• SOS button for emergencies

Pricing (as of 2026):

• Free plan: 2 days of location history, 2 place alerts, SOS alerts
• Silver: $7.99/month or $49.99/year
• Gold: $14.99/month or $99.99/year — adds 30 days of location history, unlimited place alerts, driving reports
• Platinum: Premium tier with disaster response and travel support services

Life360 works on both Android and iOS, which makes it ideal if your family has a mix of devices.

Findmykids

Findmykids is designed specifically for parents monitoring younger children. It includes GPS tracking plus ambient sound monitoring — you can briefly listen to your child’s surroundings if they don’t answer a call, which is a feature not found in most other trackers.

FamiSafe (by Wondershare)

FamiSafe combines location tracking with robust content filtering and screen time management. It’s a good option if you want an all-in-one parental control app with more granular controls than Family Link offers.

GPS Tracker Watches for Younger Kids

For children too young for a smartphone, a GPS tracker watch is a practical alternative. These devices let your child make calls and send SOS alerts while giving you real-time location tracking.

Popular options in 2026:

• JrTrack 5 by Cosmo — Real-time GPS tracking, calling, texting, Spotify, parental controls, and SOS alerts. Uses HaloGPS for pinpoint accuracy. Best for ages 6+. Buy on Amazon
• Phyulls 4G Kids Smart Watch — Video calling, voice chat, GPS tracking, waterproof, pedometer. Budget-friendly option with solid features. Buy on Amazon
• TEZILON Kids 4G GPS Smart Watch — 4G connectivity (important since 2G networks are shut down in the US), 90-day location history playback, video calls, geofencing. Buy on Amazon

What About Sharing a Google Account? (Don’t Do This)

Older guides suggested creating a shared Google account and logging into it on each family member’s device to track locations through Android Device Manager. This method is outdated and insecure. Sharing a Google account exposes your email, contacts, payment methods, saved passwords, and personal data to anyone logged into that account. Google Family Link replaced this approach entirely and is both safer and more functional.

Our Recommendation

For most families, the Google Family Link + Find Hub combo is everything you need — and it’s completely free. Family Link gives you location tracking, geofence alerts, app controls, and screen time limits. Find Hub adds the ability to ring, lock, or erase a lost device.

If you need features beyond what Google offers — like cross-platform family tracking (Android and iPhone together), driving reports, or crash detection — Life360’s free plan is a solid starting point, with paid tiers available if you want more history and alerts.

For younger kids without smartphones, a GPS tracker watch like the JrTrack 5 gives you location tracking and calling in a kid-friendly form factor that’s harder to lose than a phone.