Android to Get Powerful New Parental Controls, Canary Build Hints

The internet is a weird and wonderful place. But it can also be a very dark, dangerous, and highly inappropriate place, especially for kids. If you’re a parent that wants to have more say over what your child does on their phone, then the latest Android Canary build has new Parental Control settings that might be worth checking out.

Android Canary testing new Parental Control settings

According to a report from Android Authority, they spotted new Parental Control settings in the latest Android Canary (the replacement for Android Developer Preview) build. This can be found in the Digital Wellbeing option in the Settings menu. The publication speculates that this could be linked to the “Supervision” tool that was spotted in the fourth Android 16 beta.

That being said, it is unclear what kind of tweaks users can make in these new settings. This is because in its current state, when Android Authority tried to tap on the setting, nothing happened. This means that Google could be introducing it at a later stage and is simply using a placeholder for now.

However, based on the description, it allows users to set “digital ground rules” and “screen time limits.” This could be ideal for parents looking to set up some limitations and restrictions on their kids’ phones. Whether it be websites or apps that can or cannot be accessed, and how long they get to spend on their phones every day.

This sounds similar to the previous “Supervision” tool that lets parents set up filters for the web. These filters can only be enabled or disabled through a PIN. It would block websites on Chrome and Google Search.

Could this come with Pixel 10?

Google is always testing and adding new features to Android. Sometimes, these new features are part of the monthly updates. Some are reserved for major annual updates. It is possible that Google could also be testing out new features they plan to launch alongside their upcoming Pixel 10 smartphones.

According to the rumors, Google is set to announce its new Pixel 10 phones on the 20th of August. The 2025 lineup will consist of the base Pixel 10, the Pixel 10 Pro, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL. We’re also expecting Google to follow up the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with a Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The new phones will be powered by Google’s new TSMC-made Tensor G5 chipset.