ChildTimer

Rakeshkumar Shantilal Nakrani

About this app

ChildTimer lets you hand your own phone to a child for a limited time, and get it back on time.

Tap the ChildTimer icon and a short countdown starts the timer. Your child sees their own screen with a small floating countdown on top. When time is up, the phone locks with its own lock screen, so only you can unlock it.

HOW IT WORKS
• One tap to start. Set your default time once.
• A small countdown floats over every app. Tap it to open ChildTimer.
• A buzz and a notification warn your child before time runs out. You choose how early.
• At zero the phone locks. Time counts only while the screen is on.
• Stopping a timer, adding time, or opening settings needs your PIN, pattern, or fingerprint or face.

A PROFILE FOR EACH CHILD
• Give each child a name, a picture and their own default time.
• Put each child on your Home screen. One tap on their icon starts their timer.
• Set a daily limit for each child.
• See how long each child has used, today and over the last seven days.

CHOOSE WHICH APPS
• Turn on "Only allow chosen apps" for a child and pick the apps they can use.
• Any other app shows a "not allowed" screen.
• Block the phone's Settings app during a timer, so the lock can't be switched off.
• Installing and uninstalling other apps is blocked during a timer.
• The Home screen and the phone app always work.

PRIVATE BY DESIGN
• No account. Your children's names, your PIN and the apps you allow stay on your phone.
• No ads. Only anonymous usage statistics and crash reports are sent, to help fix bugs.

PERMISSIONS, AND WHY
• Device admin: used only to lock the screen when a timer ends. ChildTimer cannot erase data or change your password. Some phone makers, such as Xiaomi, show their own warning with a longer list (for example "Erase all data"). ChildTimer asks for the lock-the-screen permission only.
• Display over other apps: shows the floating countdown and the "not allowed" screen.
• Usage access: lets ChildTimer see which app is open while a timer runs, so it can block apps you have not allowed and stop apps being installed or removed.
• Notifications: for the time warning.
ChildTimer explains each one before it asks.

GOOD TO KNOW
• Set a screen lock on your phone. Without one, locking only turns the screen off.
• Fingerprint or face unlock for ChildTimer accepts anyone whose fingerprint or face is saved on your phone. If your child's is saved, leave that option off and use the PIN or pattern.
• ChildTimer works on the phone it is installed on. It is not a remote control for another phone.
• To remove ChildTimer, open its Settings and tap "Remove ChildTimer". It asks for your PIN, turns off the lock permission and opens Android's uninstall screen. You can also turn off ChildTimer under Device admin apps in your phone's Settings and uninstall it as usual.

What’s new

First Release