How to Lock Apps on Android for Kids: 3 Easy Ways

Handing your Android phone or tablet to a child can be convenient — until they accidentally open your email, change a setting, make a purchase, open YouTube, or wander into an app you never intended them to use.

Fortunately, Android parents have several options. You can lock your child into a single app, use Google’s parental controls, or create a dedicated kids mode where only parent-approved apps are available.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to lock apps on Android for kids and explain which approach works best for different situations.

Why Lock Apps on an Android Device?

Children don’t necessarily need access to everything installed on a phone or tablet.

Parents may want to prevent access to:

• Email and messaging apps
• Social media
• YouTube or unrestricted browsers
• Banking and shopping apps
• Device settings
• The Google Play Store
• Work apps and files
• Games outside designated screen-time periods

There are two basic ways to approach the problem.

Option A: Lock individual apps you don’t want your child to use.

Option B: Create a kids environment that shows only the apps your child is allowed to use.

For younger children in particular, the second approach can be much simpler.

Option 1: Use Android Screen Pinning

Android includes a built-in feature commonly called App Pinning or Screen Pinning.

Screen pinning keeps one app visible and prevents someone from simply switching to another app. You can also configure Android to require your device PIN, pattern, or password before the app can be unpinned.

How to Pin an App on Android

1. Open Settings on the Android device.
2. Search Settings for App Pinning or Screen Pinning.
3. Enable the feature.
4. Enable the option requiring authentication before unpinning.
5. Open the app you want your child to use.
6. Open Android’s Recent Apps screen.
7. Select the option to pin the app.

The exact menu names and steps may vary depending on your Android version and device manufacturer.

When Screen Pinning Works Well

Screen pinning is useful when you’re temporarily handing your phone to a child for one specific activity.

For example, you might let your child use a puzzle app while waiting at a restaurant or doctor’s office. Pin the puzzle app and your child can’t simply swipe over to your email or another app.

The Limitation of Screen Pinning

Screen pinning is primarily designed to keep the device inside one app at a time.

That’s different from giving your child access to several approved apps, such as:

• Khan Academy Kids
• A reading app
• A drawing app
• A calculator
• Selected games
• A child-safe browser

If you want to create an entire child-friendly Android environment, a kids-mode solution may be more practical.

Option 2: Use Google Family Link

Google Family Link provides parental controls for supervised Android devices and Google Accounts.

Depending on the child’s device and account configuration, Family Link allows parents to manage features such as:

• Allowing or blocking apps
• Setting app time limits
• Setting daily screen-time limits
• Scheduling downtime
• Managing Google Play content restrictions
• Managing certain app permissions

Family Link is particularly useful when a child has their own Google Account and Android device.

If you’re deciding between Family Link and a dedicated kids-mode launcher, see our detailed comparison:

Kids Place vs. Google Family Link: Which Parental Control Approach Is Right for Your Family?

Option 3: Create a Kids Mode With Kids Place

Instead of trying to password-lock every app you don’t want your child to open, Kids Place Parental Control takes a simpler approach:

Kids Place functions as a child-friendly Android launcher. It can create a dedicated environment where your child sees the apps you’ve approved instead of your normal Android home screen and complete app collection.

Here’s an Example

Imagine your Android tablet contains 40 apps.

You want your seven-year-old to access only:

• A reading app
• Two educational games
• A drawing app
• A calculator
• A kids video app

Instead of repeatedly saying:

“Don’t open Gmail. Don’t touch Settings. Don’t buy anything. Don’t open my browser.”

Kids Place lets you create a simpler home screen containing the apps you’ve approved.

How to Lock Apps for Kids Using Kids Place

1. Install Kids Place

Install Kids Place Parental Control from Google Play on the Android phone or tablet your child will use.

2. Create Your Parent PIN

Set a Parent PIN your child doesn’t know. The PIN protects parental settings and allows the parent to exit or change the Kids Place configuration.

Avoid obvious PINs such as 0000, 1234, or your child’s birthday.

3. Choose the Apps Your Child Can Use

Select the applications you want available inside Kids Place.

For example:

Learning

• Reading
• Math
• Languages

Creative

• Drawing
• Music
• Photography

Entertainment

• Selected games
• Age-appropriate video apps

Apps you don’t approve don’t need to appear in your child’s Kids Place home screen.

4. Add Screen-Time Rules

Controlling which apps children can use solves only half the problem.

You may also want to control when and for how long they can use them.

Kids Place includes options for managing screen time, including device, category, and individual app limits depending on your configuration and plan.

For example:

• Homework time: educational apps available
• After homework: selected games available
• Bedtime: device access restricted

Learn more in our

Kids Place Screen Time & Timer Guide
.

5. Give the Device to Your Child

Your child now has a simpler Android environment based around the apps you’ve approved.

Parents can use their PIN when they need to change settings or return to the regular Android environment.

What About Google Kids Space?

Google Kids Space is another type of kids mode available on compatible Android tablets.

Google describes Kids Space as a tablet experience designed around apps, books, videos, and content recommendations for children. It works with a supervised child’s Google Account and integrates with Google Family Link.

It’s important to understand that Google Kids Space isn’t available on every Android phone or tablet. It is designed for compatible Android tablets.

Kids Place can therefore be useful for families who want to create their own controlled kids environment on an Android phone or tablet rather than relying on a device that specifically supports Google Kids Space.

Learn about Google Kids Space on Google’s website

What About Samsung Kids?

Samsung Galaxy devices may also include Samsung Kids, Samsung’s child-friendly environment.

Samsung Kids allows parents to create a kids area on supported Galaxy phones and tablets, manage accessible content, and set usage limits.

If you already have a compatible Samsung device, it’s worth comparing Samsung Kids with other parental-control options.

However, families with different Android brands — or parents who want a consistent kids-mode experience across their Android devices — may prefer a third-party Android solution such as Kids Place.

Screen Pinning vs. Family Link vs. Kids Space vs. Kids Place

*Android compatibility and available features can vary by device, Android version, manufacturer restrictions, and Kids Place configuration.

Which Android App-Locking Method Should You Use?

Use Android Screen Pinning if:

You occasionally hand your phone to your child and want them to stay inside one particular app.

Use Google Family Link if:

Your child has their own Google Account and Android device and you primarily want Google account-based parental controls.

Use Google Kids Space if:

You have a compatible Android tablet and want Google’s child-focused tablet interface and recommended content ecosystem.

Use Samsung Kids if:

You use a supported Samsung Galaxy device and want Samsung’s built-in kids experience.

Use Kids Place if:

You want to turn an Android phone or tablet into a dedicated kids mode where you choose which apps your child can access, combined with parental PIN protection and optional screen-time controls.

Can I Lock Android So My Child Can Only Use Certain Apps?

Yes. In fact, for younger children this can be easier than password-locking applications individually.

Think about the difference:

The second approach can create a much simpler experience, particularly for younger children who don’t need access to a normal adult Android home screen.

Can I Turn an Old Android Phone or Tablet Into a Kids Device?

Yes. This is actually one of the most useful ways to repurpose an older Android device.

Instead of immediately buying a dedicated children’s tablet, you can take an Android phone or tablet you already own and configure it for your child.

1. Remove unnecessary personal information from the device.
2. Install available Android security updates.
3. Update installed apps.
4. Install the educational and entertainment apps you approve.
5. Install Kids Place.
6. Select the apps your child may access.
7. Configure your Parent PIN.
8. Add appropriate screen-time rules.
9. Test the setup yourself before giving the device to your child.

You can now have an Android device that’s much more focused on what your child actually needs.

How Do I Stop Kids From Opening YouTube, Chrome, or Google Play?

Parents frequently want to restrict apps that can take children beyond the content they originally intended.

YouTube

Children can quickly move from the video you selected to recommendations and other content.

Chrome and Other Browsers

An unrestricted web browser can give children access to websites beyond the apps and services you’ve approved.

Google Play

Children may discover new games and applications or attempt to install additional apps.

Android Settings

Android Settings contain controls that younger children generally don’t need access to and that may affect how their device is configured.

If your child doesn’t need direct access to one of these apps, you don’t have to include it in their Kids Place environment.

What If My Child Needs Internet Access?

App control and web filtering solve different problems.

Kids Place helps control which Android apps your child can access. If your child also needs to browse the web, parents may want a child-focused filtered browser rather than giving unrestricted access to a standard browser.

Kiddoware’s parental control suite includes Kids Safe Browser, which provides additional web-content filtering options for families who need them.

Compare Kiddoware parental control features →

Don’t Forget Screen Time

App locking helps control where children can go.

Screen-time controls help manage how long they can stay there.

For many families, the best Android parental-control setup combines both.

For example, parents might:

• Allow educational apps more freely
• Give games a daily limit
• Block entertainment during homework
• Schedule downtime around bedtime
• Keep selected essential apps available

The objective doesn’t necessarily have to be eliminating screen time. It can simply be making screen time more intentional and age-appropriate for your family.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I lock one app on Android for my child?

Android’s Screen Pinning feature can keep a single app on screen until it is unpinned. For better protection, configure Android to require your PIN, password, or pattern before unpinning.

How do I stop my child from opening other apps?

For occasional use, Android Screen Pinning may be sufficient. If your child regularly uses the device, a parental-control launcher such as Kids Place can create an environment containing only parent-approved apps.

Can I lock apps without uninstalling them?

Yes. You don’t necessarily need to remove your apps because your child uses the device. Kids Place lets you choose which installed apps appear in the child’s Kids Place environment.

Can I restrict games but allow educational apps?

Yes. With Kids Place you can select which apps are available to your child and use screen-time controls to create different limits for apps, categories, or the device depending on your configuration.

Does Android have a kids mode?

There isn’t one universal kids mode available in exactly the same way across every Android device. Some compatible tablets support Google Kids Space, Samsung offers Samsung Kids on supported Galaxy devices, and third-party parental control apps such as Kids Place can create a kids-mode style environment on Android devices.

Is Google Kids Space the same as Kids Place?

No. Google Kids Space is Google’s child-focused experience available on compatible Android tablets and works with a supervised child’s Google Account. Kids Place is an independent parental-control app that lets parents select approved apps and create a controlled child-friendly Android environment.

Can I turn my regular Android tablet into a kids tablet?

Yes. You can install the apps you want your child to use, configure parental controls, and use a child-friendly launcher such as Kids Place to create a dedicated kids environment without necessarily purchasing a separate children’s tablet.

Is Kids Place free?

Kids Place includes free parental-control functionality, with additional features available through premium Kiddoware plans. You can review the current options on our parental control plans page.

Final Thoughts

Android phones and tablets weren’t necessarily configured with young children in mind. A standard device can expose apps, notifications, settings, browsers, stores, and other features that a child simply doesn’t need.

For occasional use, Android Screen Pinning may be all you need. Google Family Link is useful for managing a child’s supervised Google Account, while Google Kids Space and Samsung Kids offer child-friendly experiences on supported devices.

But if your goal is simple — give your child an Android phone or tablet while letting them use only the apps you’ve approved — a dedicated kids launcher such as Kids Place can provide a straightforward solution.

Download Kids Place Parental Control on Google Play →

Looking for this guide in German?
Read our German guide to

Android-Kindersicherung: App-Sperre, Zeitlimit & Kindermodus
.