SkieSkie for Parents
The basics
What Skie for parents is and how it works on a phone or tablet. 22 questions answered.
- What is a parental control app?A parental control app lets a parent decide what a child can do on a phone or tablet: which apps open, which websites load, when the device can be used and, in some products, where it is....
- What is Skie for parents?Skie for Parents is software that turns the phone or tablet your family already owns into a managed device. The parent chooses the apps, the websites, the hours and sees the location from a...
- What is the best parental control app for Android?There is no single best one, because families need different things. The useful test is whether the child can remove or get around it. Skie is built for families who want controls that...
- Do parental control apps actually work?They work well when the child cannot remove or get around them, and poorly when they can. A control that can be switched off by a determined ten year old is a suggestion. Skie runs as the...
- Is a parental control app safe to use?A well-built one is safe, but ask what it collects and who can see it. Skie does not read your child's messages or call logs, does not record audio or video, and has no hidden mode. The...
- Is there a free parental control app?Yes, some products have a free tier, including Google Family Link. Skie is a paid product, with pricing on request, and it does not have a free plan. The trade is that Skie runs as the...
- How do I set parental controls on Android?You have two routes. Android's own settings and the Google Play Store have basic content filters that your child can change. For controls the child cannot undo, use device management...
- Where is parental control on Android?Android has no single Parental Control switch in Settings. The nearest things are Parental controls inside the Google Play Store settings and the Family Link app. Skie works differently...
- How do I control my child's phone on Android?Decide four things: which apps are allowed, which websites can open, when the phone can be used, and whether you want location. Skie sets all four from a web dashboard, and enforces them as...
- What can Android parental controls do?Typically they can limit apps by age rating, filter websites, set times, show location and lock the device. How firmly depends on the product. With Skie the parent chooses apps, blocks...
- Skie or Google Family Link: what is the difference?Family Link is a free Google app that works through a child's Google account. Skie is paid software that runs as the Android device owner. The main difference is where the control sits...
- Can you delete a parental control app?With most apps, yes: a child can often uninstall it, force stop it or clear its data. With Skie, no. Uninstall is blocked, force stop and clear data are blocked, and the app cannot be...
- How do I turn off parental controls on Android without a password?A child cannot, and that is the point. With Skie there is no password on the phone to guess. The parent releases the controls from the dashboard, using Remove Skie for everything or by...
- What can my child do on a phone or tablet managed by Skie?Quite a lot. They can call, message, use the apps you allowed, browse in Chrome with safe search locked if you allow it, take photos unless you turn the camera off, and press SOS. They...
- Does Skie spy on my child, and can I read their messages?No. Skie does not read messages or call logs, and it does not record audio or video. It has no hidden mode: the phone shows it is managed, so your child knows. What a parent sees is rules...
- Can my child call and text anyone on a Skie-managed phone?Yes, by default. Calls and SMS work like on any phone. You can switch off outgoing calls or SMS for a device, for example for a young child. Blocking unknown numbers and allowing family...
- Can my child take photos, and can I disable the camera?Yes to both. The camera works by default, so your child can take photos and scan homework. If you would rather not have it, switch the camera off for that device in the dashboard. It is a...
- Is there an emergency or SOS button on my child's phone?Yes. Skie has an SOS button for the child. When it is pressed, the phone calls the number you saved and shares its location. It is meant for a moment when a child is scared or lost and...
- My child is 6. Is Skie too much?No. For a six year old you would set very little: calls to family, a few learning apps and a bedtime lock. Skie lets you start with a small list and grow it. The controls are there so the...
- My child is 16. Will they accept Skie?More likely if you loosen the rules and explain them. A sixteen year old needs a larger app list, a later bedtime and some privacy. Skie lets you widen the list as they earn trust, does not...
- Can the phone take calls while locked, and what if the battery dies?Yes to calls: allowed calls and emergency calls still come through when you lock the phone or a bedtime window is active. If the battery dies nothing is lost. When the phone starts again...
- How do I set up a child's phone safely?Start with a reset device on Android 12 or newer, set it up with Skie, then choose a small list of apps, lock the adult-site filter, hide the Play Store, add a bedtime window and set a safe...