Call your boss, send a message or validate purchases via apps… If your child steals your smartphone or you allow them to occasionally watch a video, here is what you can do to avoid this type of situation.
These days, many parents find themselves caught off guard when their child takes their phone without their permission. Whether out of simple curiosity or to play, children can, without wanting to, access our applications in just a few clicks. They can even make online purchases, go live on a social network or even send messages or call a loved one, your boss. These incidents can quickly become embarrassing. But then how can you prevent your child from using your phone when he takes it without your knowledge?
There is a setting to activate on your smartphone that allows you to “Limit the use of your device to a single application, and control the features accessible in that application”we can read on the Apple website. Concretely, if your child steals your phone or you occasionally allow him to watch a video, he will only have access to one application, and will not be able to click on anything else. It works a bit like parental control.
The tweak in question is available on iOS devices, such as an iPhone and iPad, and it also exists on Android devices. On iOS, this is the “guided access” setting. To activate it, those who own an iPhone must go, as shown in the video at the top of the article, to “Settings” then to “Accessibility” and activate “Guided access” then “Accessibility shortcut”. Next, in “Passcode Settings”, you need to set an access code. Once this step is done, open the application of your choice, press the side button three times. “If you want certain parts of your screen to be unresponsive to touch, use a finger to circle those areas“, indicates the Apple company. To finish, all you have to do is touch “Guided access” and “Start”. The setting is thus active! And if you don’t have an iPhone, don’t worry…
This option is also present on Android, under the name “Kiosk mode” or “pin windows” depending on the phone model you have. Again, by default, it is not activated on Android. You must activate it yourself by going to your mobile settings. Then search for “pin” in the search bar, click “Pin windows” then activate. In the same way as for iPhone, the last step is to open the application of your choice, then click on the active page and on the icon of the application to block. A menu appears, and you must press “Pin this application”. This way, the user can no longer exit the app and do whatever they want on your phone. A good way to protect your child!