Question Restricting call/texts into and from an Android cell

[eager to learn]

I've chatgpt'd and Googled re: restricting calls and texts in and out on an
Android phone and mostly get Google Family apps.

It also shared settings on your phone but I've learned that not only
depends on your phone but your phone service - At&T. Sprint, Verizon.

If one wanted to restrict call/texts into and from an Android cell how might I consider accomplishing that outside of using Google Family apps?

Thank you.

 

[Barbarian-CBX]

I'm getting spam texts on my Samsung Galaxy Watch Pro 5. However these same texts do not show on my S22 Ultra. Apparently they are being sent to the watch's number and not the phone's number. The watch shares a plan and data with my phone. If I call the watch's number, it does not connect. I use the Samsung Wear app and Samsung Messages app. Is there a setting to block spam or individual numbers for the watch? TIA

 

[VidJunky]

Welcome to Android Central forums. Help me understand your question.

Let's start with some basic stuff that will help us.
What phone do you have?

Who is your carrier?

When you say, restrict call in and out of.., do you want a DND, do not disturb, type thing that blocks calls and texts at a certain time of day, or are you wanting to have control over another device and prevent it from making or receiving calls, or something different than either?

Based on the information you've given it sound like you want to do the latter and control another device in which case a parental type app and set up is going to be your best option. Controlling a device remotely like you see in the movies is just movie stuff. Parental apps give you as much or as little control as most parents want. You can limit screen time, limit what gets installed, it doesn't stop people from calling but it can send unknown callers straight to voicemail and only allow outbound calls to contacts. If you just need to block calls for a short time or occasionally DND is a good option and it's free, already part of the phone and simple to use for most. Gemini can walk through set up on your specific device.

Provide a bit more detail and answer the questions, we'll offer more advice.

 

[eager to learn]

The goal is to effect a sort of parental control over a Samsung Tracfone where only a handful of people's emails and texts can be accessible on this phone and the phone user can only email and text certain people. Ex. Mom, dad, grandma, grandpa and Dr's emails and text can be read and the phone user cna only email and text those same people. Thanks.

 

[VidJunky]

Do you know the make and model of the phone you want to use? I know tracfone doesn't mean cheap device but you may struggle to add parental controls to budget phones. I know it sounds silly because who is passing out mid to upper range phones to people who need to be parentally managed, it's counter intuitive. Anyway, you often cannot install parental controls on budget phones. It might be better to get one that comes with parental controls. If your device already has them you can search the settings to find the on-board options. Open the phone Settings, tap the magnifying glass at the top and search for "parental" and if the device has them they will appear in the list of items it finds.

I haven't heard of a parental control that monitors or affects email but I never went that far with trying to keep mine inline and out of stuff. Everything else you mentioned sounds doable with the right app/service. Again this is where having a device with these controls already built in could be useful because most built in controls give users the options to restrict calls and text to contacts only. This would mean that if the DR office uses random numbers, like mine does, your parent won't get those calls but it shouldn't affect voicemail so they might still get the message just no direct contact.

I found this list.

https://buyersguide.org/parental-control-apps/t/best?m=e&d=c&c=731921290728&p=&oid=kwd-2066638551744&lp=9015828&li=&nw=g&nts=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqv3P-MX9kQMVTXR_AB1KRAh5EAAYASAAEgLKefD_BwE&tdid=10934436&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20147235519