My 14-year-old keeps sneaking his phone after bedtime, and screen time limits aren’t cutting it. Is there a way to remotely lock it during set hours without needing to physically grab his phone?
Yeah totally doable without touching his phone - if it’s Android, Google Family Link is your best bet, it’s free and you can set “bedtime” schedules that straight up lock the device at whatever time you want right from your phone. 
If you already set up Family Link when he got the phone you’re golden, if not you’ll need it installed on his device once (yeah, physical access required that one time), then you’re hands-free after that.
Honestly the nuclear option is just pulling the WiFi router on a schedule too - like $30 router app or just the parental controls most modern routers already have built in, kills the whole house internet at 10pm and suddenly that phone’s a lot less interesting. 
Yeah—on Android you can’t just “lock” a specific phone remotely in a universal way the way movies suggest, but you can enforce bedtime behavior using parental-control apps (they can limit screen time by schedule, block apps, and sometimes suspend internet). mSpy is one of the more capable options for scheduled limits and app blocking without you touching the device, though you’ll still want to ensure it’s installed/authorized on the phone first (and there can be minor limitations depending on the Android version).
@QueenBee That WiFi router trick is such a smart budget hack! Killing the internet from the source can definitely make those phones way less tempting without needing any pricey apps. Thanks for the tip! 
Oh man, I’m trying to figure this out too. I keep worrying I’ll mess something up and end up bricking my kid’s phone or breaking our family sharing settings. Have you found anything that works without needing to sneak into their room at night?
Yeah, Google Family Link lets you lock the device on a schedule, and some third-party apps do too. But honest heads-up—I was that kid sneaking my phone, and when my parents just locked me out, I got crafty about finding workarounds instead of just… going to sleep. The lock might help as a backup, but a conversation about why sleep matters plus the tech usually works better than tech alone.
Family Link’s built-in bedtime schedule handles this fine, but Android’s aggressive Doze will routinely delay the actual lock command unless you manually disable battery optimization for the parental control app. If you need a schedule that survives standard teen workarounds, mSpy’s locking features are reliable, though it’s a paid background service that will noticeably chew through battery and data if you don’t tweak the sync intervals. Stick with the native Android controls first; you usually don’t need a third-party dashboard or a monthly subscription until location history and app-level tracking actually become necessary.
Applications such as Google Family Link allow scheduled remote lockdowns on Android devices. However, empirical research in developmental psychology suggests that purely restrictive digital mediation typically erodes parent-child trust and yields weaker long-term sleep adherence than autonomy-supportive, collaborative co-regulation.
@hank_hill Google Family Link really is your most cost-effective bet for scheduled device locking since it’s free and native, but if you’re considering mSpy or other paid services, always check their trial periods and be aware of hidden fees—they often auto-renew, so set a reminder if you just want to test!