Treat a parental-control transfer as two different jobs: moving a child to a new device and changing which adult or family group supervises the child account. The procedures and risks differ. Inventory the existing setup first, use the platform's official transfer path, and keep the old setup available until the new one is verified.
Build a transfer inventory
List the child account, supervising adults, family-group owner, every enrolled device, screen-time schedules, app limits, content filters, purchase approvals, communication settings, location controls, exceptions, and recovery contacts. Note which rules are account-level and which are device-specific. Record settings without copying passwords, private messages, browsing history, or location history into the handoff notes.
For a new Android device, Google's sign-in guidance says a supervised child must sign in with the child account for parent-managed settings to apply. It also warns that removing the child's account from a device removes associated email, contacts, device settings, and supervision settings from that device. Verify the new device before removing the old account.
Move supervision only through the official flow
If a different adult or family group will become responsible, do not share the current adult's password. Google's supervision-transfer instructions provide a family-manager transfer flow with acceptance by the new manager. Google notes that supervision can be switched only once in a 12-month period and describes time limits for receiving and accepting the transfer notice. Confirm current terms in the live instructions before starting.
Apple uses a different process. Apple's Family Sharing transfer instructions say the organizer of the new family group sends an invitation and the current organizer approves it. Requirements vary by the child's age and region, and Screen Time may need specific handling. Follow the instructions displayed for the actual account rather than copying a Google workflow or an older checklist.
Test the destination before retiring the source
On the new device or under the new supervising adult, test one rule from each important category: app availability, time limits, content access, purchases, communication, and account recovery. Confirm that approved emergency or family communication remains available. Test both intended allowance and intended denial. A settings screen is configuration evidence; the child's device behavior is enforcement evidence.
Record which settings transferred automatically, which had to be recreated, and which are unsupported. If a rule cannot be reproduced, decide whether a platform-native alternative meets the need before removing the old device or adult. Avoid factory reset, account deletion, or family-group deletion until the handoff is accepted and verified.
Close the handoff
After verification, remove obsolete device sessions and adult access through the official account controls. Preserve a minimal handoff record: accounts involved, devices, transfer date, rules tested, unresolved differences, recovery owner, and next review. Explain the new request and exception process to the child and other caregivers so the technical transfer also has a usable human handoff.
Sources
- Sign your child in on an Android device — Google
- Transfer supervision of a child account — Google
- How to transfer a child to another Family Sharing group — Apple Support