---
title: "Setup guides | parentalcontrols.co.uk"
description: "Step-by-step guides to the free parental controls on your family's devices: Screen Time, Family Link, DNS filtering, age checks."
canonical: https://parentalcontrols.co.uk/guides
---

Setup guides

# Guides that start with the free option

Most of what parents pay for is already on the devices. These guides set it up properly, and say plainly when a paid app is worth adding.

![Outline illustration of an iPhone beside an hourglass](/illustrations/screen-time.svg)

Setup guides

## [Setting up Screen Time properly, step by step](/guides/apple-screen-time)

The settings most parents miss, and the passcode mistake to avoid.

Updated 12 June 2026

![Outline illustration of a parent and child phone linked together](/illustrations/family-link.svg)

Setup guides

## [Setting up Google Family Link properly, step by step](/guides/google-family-link)

Android’s free controls done right, including the web filtering gap to close.

Updated 30 June 2026

![Outline illustration of a wifi router with a protective shield](/illustrations/dns-router.svg)

DNS filtering

## [Filter the whole house with one router change](/guides/dns-filtering)

Free DNS filtering that covers every device on your wifi.

Updated 8 June 2026

![Outline illustration of an identity card with a tick badge](/illustrations/age-checks.svg)

The ban

## [How the under-16 age checks will work](/guides/age-checks)

The methods Ofcom is weighing up, and what each costs in privacy.

Updated 21 July 2026