Useful mode for children and their parents. "Children's mode" in Xiaomi: how to get out of it "Children" mode from Samsung

Modern children are drawn to digital gadgets almost from the cradle. The most popular devices for them today are smartphones and tablets. Parents have to think about how to protect their child from bad content on the Internet, keep their data safe and protect the gadget from accidental formatting. We will talk about ways to limit and control the actions of a child on a mobile device in this article.

Restricting a child's access to the device with built-in Android tools

It is worth starting with operating system Android doesn't provide much in this regard. The first thing we can do on a child's smartphone or tablet is to activate the "Parental Control" option in the settings of the Google Play app. This will allow you to filter the content in the store depending on the age limit. Here you can choose to set the maximum allowable rating for games and applications.

In theory, the function is very useful, but in practice it is not very effective, since most of the Google Play content is rated 3+. If games are still tolerable, then applications are a complete mess. Even with the minimum age rating, a child can download and install banking clients, online stores, utilities for setting up the system and getting ROOT and much more. By the way, we also recommend checking if it is linked to a Google account. bank card Otherwise, you risk losing all your money.

Starting with Android 4.2, a multi-user mode for tablets appeared in the mobile OS. This feature has proved to be extremely popular for families who are forced to use a shared device. For smartphones, this feature was added in Android 5.0 Lollipop. Multi-user mode allows you to create several users on the device with their own accounts or a guest profile.

What does it give? Firstly, each user has his own desktop, his own set of applications with certain settings that do not affect the other user in any way. However, in this case, the child, on an equal basis with an adult, receives the same rights. He can only be banned from calling and sending SMS.

We control the actions of the child on Android with third-party applications

The easiest solution to prevent a child from messing up on a smartphone or tablet is to install a child launcher.

The Kid's Shell children's launcher looks like hello from the past. The application's interface, despite its target audience, resembles the first versions of Android - it looks outdated and very strict. Obviously, the developers paid more attention to the functional component of the program than to its appearance. Kid's Shell is a kind of sandbox within which a child can carry out any actions that you allow him on a smartphone or tablet. This will not affect the basic data and system settings of the device.

The full version of the application unlocks additional features. Among them - the ability to change the desktop wallpaper, set a time limit on the tablet, block Internet access, allow incoming calls, and more.

Unlike Kid's Shell, this launcher's interface looks really childish: fun backgrounds, funny icons and an appropriate font. The launcher's desktop includes four categories: "Games", "Development", "Learning" and "Other". Create or change program shortcuts, you can not add new categories to the desktop.By default, all installed applications are in the fifth category, inaccessible to children.To open access to them, just drag the shortcut to one of the required categories.

The paid version of the launcher allows you to set time limits for both individual applications and the whole category. As soon as the time comes to an end, a notification is displayed to the child, then the program or game is closed. "Parental Control" also allows you to view statistics of running applications for the week. At the moment, developers have another program with a similar name that can work as an addition to the launcher, allowing you to track the location of the child and manage settings remotely.

The advantage of "Parental Control" in comparison with the previous application is that in free version the launcher allows the child to receive and make calls, which is a very important point for some parents.

The Kidix launcher attracts attention at first sight thanks to a simple and well-thought-out interface with colorful characters and unobtrusive interactive prompts when setting up the application. And the most important advantage of the program is that it is completely free. The basic features of Kidix are the same as other kids launchers. The main screen of the application contains three categories of programs into which you distribute applications available to the child. Kidix automatically blocks access to device settings and the notification panel.

The main focus of the developers is on the time limit. Here you can set the time of access to a certain category of programs, set several time intervals at once, and even specify the allowed hours separately for weekdays and weekends. If this is not enough, you can set a daily time limit for each of the categories with applications.

A separate function implemented the ability to receive and make calls. The launcher has a convenient, and most importantly, a simple built-in dialer, in which you can add only your favorite phone numbers and emergency services. The child will be able to call only them. In the future, Kidix developers plan to add to the launcher remote control and development challenges.

In addition to children's launchers, there are a number of simple utilities that prohibit access to certain applications. This solution can be useful if the child uses a mobile device of his parents.

Bear Lock is an application blocker in the form of a friendly Jasper bear cub that will tell the child in a playful way which programs they are denied access to. With Bear Lock, you can easily put a password on any installed application and even system settings. Thus, your mail, instant messengers, SMS messages, calls and other applications will be blocked.

After activating the protective functions, the utility turns on application blocking instantly. To prevent a resourceful child from deleting Bear Lock or any other application on the device, the program provides a password protection function.

Bear Lock is free, but offers additional paid features such as notification protection, taking a photo on failed attempts to bypass the lock, a false lock message, and the ability to pause Bear Lock. But, in principle, free options will be enough to protect applications.

Similarly, it also touch app lock. Only, unlike Bear Lock, this program is designed for very young children who do not yet fully understand how to manage a smartphone and tablet, but are already trying to do it to the fullest. Touch Lock keeps your mobile device safe from children by locking the buttons. The app offers two lock modes:

all mechanical buttons;
all mechanical buttons and screen.

In the first case, the child can actively control the device using gestures, that is, play educational games, or simply draw on the screen. In the second case, absolutely everything is blocked, except for the shutdown button. This method is suitable, for example, for watching cartoons, when buttons or pressing the screen are not required. Activating Touch Lock is very simple. It is enough to click on one of the two modes in the curtain.

The most serious applications that limit the actions of a child on a smartphone or tablet are specialized services that offer a comprehensive solution for parental controls. Often this is one of the options for remote control of a children's device.

The Family Link app by Google is designed for parents who want to control their children's activities on smartphones and tablets under Android control. The utility allows you to create a Google account for a child under 13 and set certain rules for it.

With Family Link, you can remotely control your child's actions on a mobile device, allow or block the launch of applications. Downloading content from the Google Play store, including purchases, will be pre-approved by adults. Parents can view weekly and monthly reports of children's activity, see how much time their child spends on each installed apps, as well as set a daily limit on the use of a smartphone and "night hours" for rest. In this case, absolutely everything will be forbidden to the child, except for calls. In addition, you can remotely lock the child's device manually at any other time when you need to take a break. Parents have the opportunity to even change the password for locking a smartphone or tablet.

Family Link restricts the child's access to the Internet, more precisely, the child will be able to open only those sites that are on the allowed list, or you can allow the program to automatically block sites with "adult" content. In addition, there is a Google SafeSearch filter. As an additional option, the program can determine the location of the child's smartphone. Naturally, parents can perform all these actions remotely, provided that the Internet is working on the children's device and a Google account is logged in.

The Family Link app is currently only available in the US. Even if you download the program, you must request an invitation to use it. In addition, Family Link only works on devices with Android 7.0 Nougat and above. Unfortunately, there are no free analogues, there are similar ones, but already paid ones.

The Safe Kids application from the anti-virus company Kaspersky Lab is a cross-platform security service with the function remote monitoring and parental controls. Like Family Link, the program works on a client-server basis. Safe Kids is installed on the device of a child and an adult and is activated under a common account. Parents can add an unlimited number of devices and child profiles within one account.

The principle of operation of Safe Kids is based more on covert monitoring than on outright prohibition. Moreover, children can see what prohibitions and restrictions are set for them. Parents have at their disposal almost every opportunity to block certain applications and web content. This allows you to restrict the child not only from individual unwanted web pages and programs, but also from entire categories of applications and sites that fall under age restrictions or parental filters. A distinctive feature of Safe Kids is the “Request Permissions” feature, which allows a child to ask an adult to grant access to a prohibited application or site.

Monitoring children's activity in mobile version applications and personal account website varies greatly. So, for example, on the site you can view detailed statistics on the use of a mobile device by a child for a day, week and month. Here you can also see which sites the child visits most often, what search queries he enters, which programs he launches and how much time he spends in them. Another feature that can only be configured on the site is controlling the time children use devices. It is possible to set a daily limit for each day of the week.

Advanced Safe Kids functionality is available with a subscription. In the paid version, the service offers additional detailed reports and notifications for calls and SMS messages, the ability to receive information about the location of the child, plan a flexible weekly schedule for the time when it is allowed to use the device, and even set the allowed territorial zones on the map. In addition, Safe Kids can track the activities of the child in in social networks"VKontakte" and Facebook, make a copy of publications, notify about changes in friends.

Eventually:

Obviously, there is no single solution for parents in this matter. There are actually a lot of applications that can help adults prepare a children's tablet or smartphone, as well as protect their own devices from the actions of a child. We tried to select the best of them, having previously divided the applications according to the complexity and the availability of available options. In the future, the choice will depend on the goals that you set for yourself. If you want to protect your baby from unwanted programs and web content, then regular app blockers will do. In order to make it easier to manage your tablet / smartphone and limit the time it spends on the device - install a kids launcher. And if the task is complete remote control of all the actions of the child, you should pay attention to a comprehensive solution in the form of special services.

If your kid uses a tablet and you are worried about the safety of data, then install parental controls on the device. How to do this, our article will tell.

Navigation

With the help of modern technologies, children learn to explore the world, develop mindfulness, reaction, and just have a good time. But, before giving the tablet to the hands of the child, it must be prepared for use.

Of course, you can immediately purchase a ready-made and customized tablet. It is already completely ready for use by a child: shell, applications, settings administration and the distribution of rights between parent and child.

But there are not so many such models on the market, and their cost is an order of magnitude higher than universal ones and their characteristics are much inferior to them. Moreover, it is not a fact that a child will not throw such an interesting toy tomorrow.

If this scenario does not suit you, then you can independently configure a regular tablet. How to set parental controls on Android?

Special shells for children

This is the right solution for customizing your baby gadget. In this case, the application shell is placed on top of the main one. It does not allow you to get into the system settings, applications, correspondence, social networks and so on.

The child is shown only a bright menu with a limited number of applications. He cannot leave this environment because he needs to enter a password to do so. Each such application has its own set of parameters, but despite this, the setup is quite simple.

Kids Place

The most popular app among all is Kids Place. It's free, the interface is thoughtful, it's easy to learn, even for the most inexperienced users.

The shell completely replaces the Android launcher, which does not allow you to exit to the normal system screen.

At the first start, you create a pin-code, without which the child will not have the opportunity to change anything.

All available apps are displayed as resizable tiles . If desired, the icons can be divided into categories with small pictograms and stickers.

Among the important options, it is worth noting the possibility of autorun, forced activation of the mode "In airplane ", call barring , use timer , as well as setting the lock on the mechanical buttons .

Famigo Sandbox

If the previous application is a wrapper with restrictions configured , then this is an end - to - end service . Its central module is the "sandbox", from where the child can run only allowed applications.

Adding content is very interesting. The program has its own database and indicates suitability for use by children if the program has been tested and the age is indicated in the settings.

Furthermore , Flamigo even has a special store where there are both paid and free applications. Their baby can add to "A wish list ". There are also portals for entertainment wowzer And Fun.

You can complete the list of usefulness with flexible settings and an interface for administration that help adjust application work.
By the way, despite all the advantages, there is one huge drawback for many - the application is paid and costs $ 7.99 per month. But on the other hand, it has a trial period of 7 days during which you can evaluate all the advantages of the program. Of course, the cost is not so small, but quite adequate for the constantly evolving software.

Kids Shell

This shell also replaces the main launcher and makes it possible to make a list of applications for the child, and also has a package recommended to install programs. There is also the possibility of setting restrictions for a specific situation.

Kid's shell for Android

Although, the interface is a little frustrating, as it was made in the style of the first versions of the Android system, but it is unlikely that your baby will notice this fact.

If the child can confidently work with the tablet, and your gadget runs on version Android 4.3, then you should set up user profiles.
Starting with this firmware, it became possible not only to create several users at once - with wallpapers, shortcuts, widgets, and so on, and the regulation of available programs.

Setting up Kid's Shell step 1

Setting up Kid's Shell step 2

Setting up Kid's Shell step 3

Setting up Kid's Shell step 4

Setting up Kid's Shell step 5

For example , you can make available only a reader , a player with certain cartoons , a few games and skype to communicate with grandparents .

Of course, creating "limited users" is not the best solution, but if you add useful third-party software, then it will be very even nothing.

For instance , Norton Family parental control will restrict access to certain sites on the Internet. And if you purchase a paid version , you will have control over sms and downloaded programs . At the same time, monthly reports will be received regarding activity.

Other ways to protect your tablet

Ranger Pro Safe Browser is a browser that allows you to secure navigation on the Internet.
If you want your baby to always be under control and the moral component is in the first place, then install the service Zoe Mob. So, for a small monthly fee, you can track up to five devices, set up alerts if the child leaves a certain area, view SMS and calls, and clean the device. This is very convenient, especially since control can be carried out not only from a computer, but also through ZoeMob.
And the last "harsh" method is free app lock, blocking access to programs, options, settings and content.

Basically, it is not destined to set up a tablet for a child, but it does an excellent job with this task.

How to set up Google Play correctly?

Before giving your child a tablet, set up the use of the Google Play store.

First make sure there is a mark next to the line "Password ", if it is not there, then be sure to put it. This is important, especially if you shop frequently and have already saved your credit card.

Next, put a limit on the displayed content. To do this, go to "Content Filtering". Here you can choose one of four items: "For all ","For children ",“For teenagers” And “For adults”. Among all, only the second is suitable for you, because the child should not see the extra content.

By the way , Google surprised its users with content allowed for teenagers . According to them, the apps “may include sexual content, imaginary or realistic violence, foul language and crude humor, references to drugs, alcohol and smoking, social features, and gambling simulations.”
So it's better to choose the mode "For children " and set a password.

Video: Parental control on Android

Every parent who has ever given their child a tablet in their hands has faced a situation where the child gets to unnecessary sites, deletes important documents or photos. You can get rid of such fear and the problem in general by delimiting user rights, or by using a child mode.

Modern tablets on Windows and Android (starting from version 4.3) are equipped with a special setting that allows you to differentiate access rights to data. That is, the owner of the tablet can create a separate user, allow him to use some programs, and also restrict him to visit sites.

Dividing into user groups allows you to partially restrict the actions of the child, as well as protect certain groups of files without additional software, which is a really handy feature.

Switching between users is done using a special icon, which is located in the quick access window (pops up when you slide down on the main screen), and the process itself takes a few seconds.

To create a user, you need to go to the settings, enter the "device" - "users" item, create a new user and configure according to your requirements.

Samsung Kids Mode

Some popular manufacturers, and Samsung among them, initially built a special mode into their top-end tablets, which is called “Children”. To enable it, just touch the corresponding icon, and the program will automatically load the necessary settings.

As a result, the child will receive standard tablet with a monotonous interface, but a truly childish, bright device, with fun images and tips. At the same time, parents or tablet owners can easily change the settings so that the child has access only, for example, to entertainment content or certain websites directly from the main screen.

To disable this mode, you will need to enter a four-digit PIN code that only the parent should know, otherwise there is a possibility that the child will still bypass the restrictions.

The modern digital world is completely clogged with a wide variety of garbage. Even if you think that your child will never purposefully go to an adult site, the usual pop-up ads can take him anywhere. That is why manufacturers are thinking about introducing children's modes into their devices and delimiting rights for users.

All current Xiaomi, as you know, has a special "Children's Mode", through which you can configure the access of young users to smartphone settings and all kinds of content. That is, parental control, but ... children.

The feature is practical, time-tested and really helps to protect the child from contacts, both with content that is unnecessary at his age, and with various unfamiliar and often bad citizens (in social networks, instant messengers, via SMS, etc.).

But it often happens that a smartphone in " Children's mode” was switched, and A) it got stuck in it for some reason, or B) the password from it was lost or forgotten. In the end, you need to somehow get around it so that Xiaomi does not remain childish forever.

Of course, the situation is not very simple. Let's say right away that the method presented below is simple and at the same time radical. If you remember the password, then we will tell you how to disable the "Children's Mode" with a password. Or, if you don’t remember, then you will have to solve the problem by hard reset, i.e. complete reset of the device settings. With the loss of all data, if they were not previously saved in the form backups in the Mi Cloud online storage, on a PC and / or on a memory card.

Therefore, without a password, it is still better to use this method on new Xiaomi, which were bought recently and inexpensively (by the way, we look at the current prices for them at https://vseceni.ua/), and in which there is still nothing to lose.

The method works equally well (so to speak) on any Xiaomi. There are only two conditions for its successful application:

first (we repeat once again) - this is a preliminary backup of important data or their initial absence;

second - availability in Xiaomi of access to any application related to Gmail mail.

So, how to disable "Children's Mode" in a Xiaomi smartphone or tablet with and without a password:

open " Gallery «;
choose any photo and just send it via gmail ;
the Gmail app will launch automatically and open a new message;
now let's go to Gmail app settings (three dots - upper right corner of the screen);
in the menu that appears, tap " Settings «:

Tap again on the next screen three dots and in the new menu click " Account Management «:

then such a window with a warning will appear, in it we tap " Proceed «:

and get into the system settings section, from where you can disable " Children's mode«

move on:

if there is no password, then we are preparing for the procedure for a complete reset of all settings of the device, during which backup all important and even not very important files, as well as user settings on a computer or in Mi Cloud;
after completing the backup, open again " Settings ", go to the section" Additionally ", click" Recovery and reset " and then - " Reset «.

After the reboot, Xiaomi opens in its original form, that is, with the inactive "Children's Mode" and other passwords. Now you can return all data and system settings.

Own smartphone or tablet, which almost every child has, is a window into a huge, attractive and inviting, but far from harmless virtual world. Parental controls will help protect a minor from harmful information, as well as limit the time he spends on the Internet and playing games. Today they are being developed not only for desktop computers, but also for mobile devices based on Android.

I suggest getting acquainted with several programs that allow you to filter and block unwanted content, as well as have other useful features for parents.

Features of Google Play

The simplest parental control is present in Android by default - this is one of the Google features play. With it, you can prevent the installation of applications that are not suitable for the child by age.

For this:

There are 3 sections in the "Content filtering settings" list: "Apps and games", "Movies" and "Music". As for music with explicit content, access to it can either be completely allowed or denied.

In the other two sections there is a gradation by age (rating) - from 0 to 18 years. Choose the one that suits your child's age.

Unfortunately, the Russian version of Google Play parental control does not filter all the content that is in the store. For example, it will not prevent a child from downloading a comic book or a book that contains non-childish information. In addition, this option is ineffective if the child knows how to use a browser, so it is better for parents of children older than 7-8 years to install a separate protective application - one of those that I will discuss later.

Parental control from antivirus vendors

Parental control on Android can be organized using antivirus software, which may already be installed on your child's phone or tablet. Such products include, for example, F-Secure SAFE and Quick Heal Total Security.

There are also separate programs of this class from antivirus manufacturers. They can be used both as an addition to the main product, and on their own. Let's take a closer look at some of them.

Safe Kids comes in paid and free versions.

Among its functions:

Web content filtering.
Search filtering (allows you to exclude from search results sites with inappropriate content).
Blocking the device at a set time (excluding calls).
Determining the geographical location (the parent can find out where the child is).
Monitor device usage and send reports to your phone or email parent.

The app is easy to set up and easy to use. All the main ways to protect children's safety are present in it. It is suitable for both adolescent and young child control. But you can use it only by mutual agreement, since there is no protection against uninstallation in it: if the child objects to the restrictions, it will remove the program without any problems.

Norton Family parental control (Symantec)

Norton Family has almost the same set of features as the Kaspersky product. It is also available in paid and free versions.

Available in the free version:

The function of monitoring visits to websites (logging).
Web content filtering.
Immediate warning of parents about undesirable actions of the child.

The paid additionally contains the ability to selectively manage access to applications, create a report on the use of the device for 90 days, receive weekly or monthly summaries of the time spent by the child on the device and the actions on it by e-mail.

Unlike SafeKids, Norton Family has deletion protection, but some particularly cunning teenagers still manage to turn it off.

The range of possibilities is somewhat wider. Available in the free version:

Additional functionality more suitable for parents of younger students who are away from home for a long time.

Offline Parental Control Apps

Perhaps one of the most functional and flexible parental control tools, but paid (from $5.95 per quarter).

Among its features:

Safe search in all popular browsers.
Individual site blocking settings (black and white lists).
Web surfing time limit (you can create a schedule for each day of the week).
Remote control settings and rules (from an adult's smartphone).
Limiting the time of using the device.
Reports on the child's online activity (time and content of visited sites, search queries).
The ability to allow or deny a child access to certain content in real time.
Hiding applications not intended for use by children (customizable).
Blocking applications by working time.

Despite the abundance of features, using SafeKiddo is quite simple. In addition, it can be used to control several children, using separate rules for each.

Kids Zone Parental Controls

Kids Zone Parental Controls is useful for creating separate profiles for children on a device used by an adult. The program is intended mainly for kids. Available in free and paid versions.

With Kids Zone you can:

Create an individual profile for each child on your phone or tablet, set their personal desktop wallpaper. Children's profiles will only show apps that you allow.
Protect program settings from changes using a pin code.
Limit the time you use the device.
Block outgoing calls and SMS.
Deny Internet access.
Prohibit downloading and installing programs from Google Play and other sources.
Block access to device settings and personal data of the parent account.
Monitor the use of the device by children.
Remove the blocking by pressing one button (when you need to answer the call).

The disadvantage of Kids Zone is that it is not translated into Russian. But everything else is pretty good.