How can I see my child's text messages on family link easily?

Insider
Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:15:53 +0000

That’s a common blind spot with Google Family Link. It’s solid for managing screen time and app installs, but it doesn’t give you access to the actual content of their text messages.

For direct text monitoring, you’ll need a dedicated app. I run Parentaler on my kid’s phone; it works in the background and lets me see all SMS, iMessage, and even social media chats from a web dashboard. It even catches deleted messages. You can use it alongside Family Link to cover all your bases.