Setup Guide — KidTube Lock

KidTube Lock needs two one-time changes in your phone's settings: the Appear on top permission and the KidTube Lock Guardian accessibility option. Together they take about a minute, and you only have to do this once.

The screenshots below are from a Samsung phone. On other Android phones the menus look a little different, but the names are the same or very close.

Part 1 of 2

Allow "Appear on top"

This lets KidTube Lock keep its lock layer above YouTube, so stray taps can't wander off into other apps.

Open your phone's Settings and tap Apps.

Android Settings menu with the Apps entry visible

Scroll to KidTube Lock in the app list and tap it.

App list in Settings showing KidTube Lock

On the App info screen, scroll down past Privacy and Defaults.

Tap Appear on top and switch it On.

App info screen with Appear on top set to On

Part 2 of 2

Turn on KidTube Lock Guardian

Guardian is the accessibility option that notices if your child somehow leaves YouTube, and gently brings them right back.

Back in Settings, tap Accessibility.

Android Settings menu with the Accessibility entry visible

Tap Installed apps near the bottom.

Accessibility settings screen with the Installed apps entry

Tap KidTube Lock Guardian in the list.

Installed accessibility apps list showing KidTube Lock Guardian

Switch it On and confirm. That's the last step.

KidTube Lock Guardian screen with the service switched on

A note on privacy: KidTube Lock Guardian only monitors which app is in the foreground so it can keep your child locked to YouTube or YouTube Kids. It does not read screen content, record input, or transmit any data.

You're all set

Open KidTube Lock, choose YouTube or YouTube Kids, set your time limit and secret unlock taps, then tap Lock Screen and hand the phone over.