To add parental permissions to a family member's Google account, you will do so through the Family Link service. This does not directly add a "parent account in Gmail" but rather manages parental controls for a Google account (which includes Gmail). Here's how:
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Go to Google Family Link: Navigate to g.co/YourFamily. This is the central hub for managing your Google family.
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Select the Family Member: Choose the Google account of the child or family member for whom you want to give parental permissions or manage existing permissions.
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Manage Parental Permissions:
- You should see options to "Give parental permissions" or "Remove parental permissions." The text will depend on the existing status. Select the appropriate option.
- Confirm your selection. You may need to re-enter your password for security verification.
Important Considerations:
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Family Link App: Using the Family Link app (available for Android and iOS) can offer a more streamlined experience for managing parental controls.
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Age Restrictions: Parental controls and permissions are typically intended for children under a specific age (often 13 or 16, depending on the region). Once the child reaches the age of digital consent in their region, they can choose to manage their account independently.
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Supervision Features: Family Link allows you to manage various aspects of a child's Google account, including:
- Screen time limits
- App approvals
- Location tracking
- Website restrictions
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Existing Google Account: You are assigning permissions to an existing Google account, not creating a new "parent account" specifically in Gmail. The parent manages the child's account through Family Link.
In summary, while you don't directly add a "parent account in Gmail," you use Google's Family Link service to grant parental permissions and manage a child's Google account, which includes access to Gmail and other Google services.
