Samsung Parental Controls will lock apps on a child’s Galaxy phone until a parent approves them. Locked apps appear grayed out and won’t open. The change covers apps that came with the phone and apps the child has already downloaded. Samsung’s US support page says it applies to phones already in use, not only new ones.
What changes with Samsung Parental Controls
After the update, nearly every app on the child’s phone gets locked by default. Samsung’s US support article puts it this way:
If your child is already using a phone that updates to the latest One UI 9.0 or later software version, all apps other than designated exceptions will turn gray after the update.
A grayed-out app is waiting for approval. The child can’t open it but can still uninstall it with a long press. A hidden app is one the parent has blocked. Its icon disappears, but the app isn’t deleted. The parent must approve it again before the child can see or uninstall it.
To request access, the child opens a grayed-out app and picks Ask in message or Ask in person. A parent can approve on the child’s screen with the parent PIN. They can also approve remotely from a notification on their own device. If the child isn’t in a Samsung family group, the app prompts them to join one first.
When it arrives: Samsung’s two pages differ
Samsung’s two US pages point in different directions on timing. A Samsung US Community post from October 27 says the changes will launch in 2027 with the next One UI update. The support article instead ties the lock to One UI 9.0 or later and the latest One UI update. One UI 9 is already reaching Galaxy phones in India, but that doesn’t show the app lock is switched on. As of October 28, neither page gives a date or a device list. Both are Samsung US pages, so timing in other regions is unconfirmed.
What parents should do before the update
- Create or join a Samsung family group. Kids 13 and older get an invite, while under-13s need a Samsung Child Account.
- Turn on Samsung Parental Controls.
- After the update, approve or block apps from your own Galaxy device.
On the parent’s phone, go to Settings > [your Samsung account name] > Family > your child’s profile. Look for Allowed apps on One UI 9.0 or later, or Allowed Samsung apps on One UI 8.5 or earlier. The parent’s phone needs only One UI 5.1 or later, while the child’s phone needs One UI 9.0 or later. Parents without a Galaxy phone can use a Windows PC with the Samsung Account and Samsung Parental Controls apps. Samsung’s family group setup guide covers the account side.
The tradeoffs for families
Approval by default gives parents a clean starting point, and that is a real safety benefit. The catch is that the default is locked, even on phones kids already use. Apps a child relied on before the update may stop opening until a parent acts. Families on Google Family Link face a second step. Samsung’s FAQ says an app restricted in either system must be approved in both.
The setup also runs through Samsung’s own account system. The Child Account screen in Samsung’s image says a credit card is used to verify you’re a parent, and that it won’t be charged. Neither Samsung page names the apps that stay unlocked, so parents can’t plan around that list yet.
Source: Samsung US Community, Samsung US Support
