Yes, but the way that you install Screen Time is different depending on what type of device you’re using, read this blog article for more info:
- Tablets: If you have a tablet with Restricted Profiles then you will need to install Screen Time on the first profile and then you can enable it on the restricted profile from with Android Settings Users. For more information on how to set that up click here.
- Phones: If you have a phone with normal User Profiles then just install and setup the Screen Time app under each profile for each child. Screen Time will then monitor and manage each profile completely independently. For more information on how to set that up click here.
If you have a device with Android 5.0 installed (not sure what version you have? Then take a look at this FAQ). Then there is a known bug with that version of Android and it will not allow you to install Screen Time on a secondary profile. But this has been fixed in Android 5.1 so update your device to fix. If you’re not able to upgrade, then there is a techie way to install Screen Time, check it out here.
18 comments
Join the conversationphotogirl - 06/01/2016
I have set up Screentime on my children’s tablets, on the primary account and activated it on my children’s restricted profiles, but it is simply not working. It is not setting limits and my son’ setup isn’t even noting his usage. They are running ASUS Android tablets K013 model with v 5.0 of Android.
Oli - 11/01/2016
Thanks for that, I think the problem might be to do with an app on Asus device called Asus startup manager. This app can control what apps automatically start on devices, can you check to see if Screen Time is to auto start please in that app? If it isn’t then can you set it to.
If that doesn’t work then can you get in touch with our support team please? Through our contact page.
Margaret - 27/07/2015
Hmm mm
Wanted to follow along with explanation but couldn’t
Oliver Brushfield-Smith - 07/09/2015
Check out the video instructions on these pages for clearer instructions.
Phones
Tablets
Megan - 22/07/2015
Is there a way to disable the guest account? I just figured out that my son was hosting a late night South Park marathon by switching to the guest user on Android 5.1.
Oliver Brushfield-Smith - 23/07/2015
Hey Megan, it can very much depend on the device that you’re using as the manufacturers handle user profiles in different ways. For some devices if you set up yourself as the first user and then and your child as another user in Android Settings >> Users then they shouldn’t be able to switch to the guest profile or create another profile themselves. Or one some devices you can go into Android Settings >> Users and press the gear icon next to the Guest User and disable that profile, if that’s possible then you would need to add the Android Settings app to the blocked apps list in Screen Time to make sure that it’s not created again.
Can you let me know what device you’re using please or contact our support team through our contact page on this website.
If you want to find out more about Android User Profiles then the article below is a good read;
https://www.greenbot.com/article/2109083/getting-started-with-androids-user-profiles.html
Megan - 07/09/2015
Hi– I tried all of the above, which did the trick until my son figured out that he could circumvent the settings and change users by pulling down from the top and using the window shade. There he can add a guest user even if I have the settings blocked. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the first account created or the fifth–all accounts can add the guest, which allows him to get around screentime. I see others have encountered this issue and tried rooting the phone to turn the guest user off, but I don’t want to open that can of worms.
His phone is a Moto G running Android 5.1.
Oliver Brushfield-Smith - 07/09/2015
Hi Megan, yeah it really does depend on the manufacturer of the device. For example on a Nexus 6 if you have a secondary profile then you can’t add user profiles or switch to the guest user. There are extreme methods of removing that option by rooting the device, or there is the option of trying our Device Owner version of Screen Time which removes user profiles option from the device entirely. For more information on Device Owner version check out this page.
Megan - 21/09/2015
Thanks for the response. I’d like to try the device owner version, but the Moto G does not support NFC. Does that mean it won’t work?
Oliver Brushfield-Smith - 23/09/2015
I’m sorry but if the device doesn’t have NFC then you can’t install Device Owner version.
mmc - 09/10/2015
So, just to confirm, it sounds like we’re completely out of luck and Screentime is incompatible with Android 5.1 for the Moto G? Are there any plans to accomodate phones running this version of Android? It’s surprising that there isn’t a way to override availablity of “switch to guest user”, since this appears to be a standard Android 5.1 feature that is present on many phones.
Oli - 10/10/2015
I’m afraid so, on some devices you can set up Screen Time on the secondary profile and that prevents kids from accessing the guest account or creating a new profile. Unfortunately we can override the guest account by using Device Owner version as changing the device to that version gives Screen Time more access to the inner workings of Android.
I’m sorry but at the moment we’re not planning on working on a way to fix this for 5.1 on Moto G.
Oliver - 18/07/2015
And no, it didn’t help to install on primary account first.
Oliver Brushfield-Smith - 19/07/2015
Hey there Oliver. Would you be able to contact our support team using the contact page of the website and we might be able to help you get this set up. If you’re using a tablet you will need to install it on your profile first and then go into the restricted profile that you’ve set up for your child and enable Screen Time from that list. But it very much depends on what device you’re using so if you could contact us and let us know then that would be awesome.
Oliver - 18/07/2015
No, this doesn’t work, as it is not possible to install apps from unknown sources on non-device owner accounts 🙁 🙁
Oliver Brushfield-Smith - 07/09/2015
That is a bug with Android version 5.0, please update to version 5.1 and you can install from unknown sources on secondary accounts.
Shiva Kumar - 06/07/2015
how to install screentime on a android restricted profiles? Per steps given, it does not allow [is greyed out] any installation of third party s/w in that profile, hence can’t download screentime.
Oliver Brushfield-Smith - 07/07/2015
Hi Shiva, can you try installing on your primary profile first please? Then try installing Screen Time on the restricted profiles. Different manufacturers handle restricted profiles in different ways so sometimes it can be hard to give a one-size-fits-all guide to setting up Screen Time on restricted profiles. If that doesn’t work then can you get on contact with our support team through the contact section of the website please?
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