As with any content-filtering solution, enterprising kids may try to find ways around Circle. We've captured some of the symptoms to watch out for if the Circle Parental Controls VPN is being tampered with or just isn't working as expected.
We have provided some technical solutions below, but we also believe that having a conversation with kids is a critical part of making Circle work for the whole family. Read our short guide on how to have the "screen time talk."
Resolving evasion issues for iOS Kid devices
- Launch the Circle Parental Controls app.
- Select a profile.
- Tap Devices.
- Select the device with the Circle VPN installed on it to see the device settings screen (see screenshot below).
- Look at the Status section to learn what the VPN status is.
In this example, the VPN is green and active, indicating the device can be reached and managed. You may see an alert that says "Check VPN Device," and you can learn about how to resolve this in the next section.
You may check the status of an iOS Kid device and see a Check VPN Device status alert (see screenshot below). This means something has gone wrong with the VPN connection on the device and it hasn't checked in for some time. You will also see an exclamation point next to the device name in the device list.
This generally means that the app has been uninstalled from the iOS device. Check the kid device for the presence of the Circle Parental Controls app. If the app is no longer present, it has been completely uninstalled and must be reinstalled.
- Tap Remove Device in the parent Circle app on the screen shown above.
- Then, take the iOS Kid device and download the Circle Parental Controls app again.
- Open the app and go to Get Started >> Set up kid app. Proceed through the prompts until the phone displays a QR Code.
- Next, take your parent device and open the Circle Parental Controls app. Tap the correct profile and go to Devices >> Add mobile device.
- Use your parent device to scan the QR code displayed on the kid device.
- Finally, in the kid app follow the prompts, allowing the permissions as you go. Continue through the prompts, tapping Continue and Allow when appropriate.
It can take some time for the VPN status to update. If the app is uninstalled, the parent device will receive an immediate notification to that effect.
Learn more about Circle notifications.
One of the best things you can do in iOS to secure Circle's mobile management is to remove the ability to delete the app. App deletion restrictions are available with iOS 12 and later.
- Unlock the Kid iOS device and open the Settings app.
- Go to Screen Time >> Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Enable the Content & Privacy Restrictions switch.
- Go to iTunes & App Store Purchases >> Deleting Apps.
- Select Don't Allow.
After this, go back to Screen Time and tap Use Screen Time Passcode to create a special passcode that will be required to change any Screen Time settings. When creating a Screen Time passcode, you may be prompted to enter an Apple ID. Enter your own parent Apple ID. This is used to recover the passcode if it is forgotten.
Due to Apple restrictions, it is not possible to keep the Circle VPN from being disabled completely. That said, the Circle app should help it from being disabled in a number of ways:
- While the Circle VPN can be turned off from Settings, it should toggle back on if Connect On Demand is toggled on.
- The "Connect-on-Demand" option should toggle back on, if disabled, after 5 minutes or so. Make sure to allow all permissions for the Circle app when setting up for this to occur.
- Any device with the Circle parent app on it should receive a notification shortly after the VPN or the "Connect-on-demand" toggle is turned off.
- After 24 hours of any communication issues we will let you know
If you're not seeing any of the above work correctly, we suggest uninstalling the Circle app completely from your child's device, and then reinstalling using the Circle kid app: Setting up a Kid Device for Mobile Management. Make sure when doing so to enable all requested app permissions including notifications and location. As well, make sure to enable app deletion prevention using the above guide.
You can change the permissions for the Circle Parental Controls app notifications on your iOS device under Settings >> Circle Parental Controls.
Resolving evasion issues for Android Kid devices
- Launch the Circle Parental Controls app.
- Select a profile.
- Tap Devices.
- Select the device with the Circle VPN installed on it to see the device settings screen (see screenshot below).
- Look at the Status section to learn what the VPN status is.
In this example, the VPN is green and active, indicating the device can be reached and managed. You may see an alert that says "Check VPN Device," and you can learn about how to resolve this in the next section.
You may check the status of an Android kid device and see a Check VPN Device status alert (see screenshot below). This means something has gone wrong with the VPN connection to the device and it hasn't checked in for some time. You will also see an exclamation point next to the device name in the device list.
To resolve the Check VPN Device alert:
- Unlock the Android Kid device and open the Settings app.
- Search for VPN options and tap it when it appears in the search results.
- Circle should be among the displayed VPNs and should be Connected.
- If Circle not listed or is not Connected, the app may not have been installed correctly or has been deleted. Follow the instructions in the next section to reinstall the Circle Parental app.
If the app is not available as a VPN or is longer present, it must be completely uninstalled and reinstalled. During reinstallation.
- Download the Circle Parental Controls app to the Kid device.
- Open the app and go to Get Started >> Set up kid app. Proceed through the prompts until the phone displays a QR Code.
- Next, take your parent device and open the Circle Parental Controls app. Tap the correct profile and go to Devices >> Add mobile device.
- Use your parent device to scan the QR code displayed on the kid device.
- Finally, in the kid app follow the prompts, allowing the permissions as you go.
It can take some time for the VPN status to update. If the app is uninstalled again, the parent device will receive an immediate notification to that effect. Check out this article for more information on the types of notifications Circle can send and what they mean.
If you are still having trouble despite the app being properly installed and Device Administration being checked, there are a couple more things to check unique to Android devices.
The first to check for is Developer Mode on the Kid device. If Developer Mode is enabled on an Android device, Circle may not be able to properly manage the kid device.
- Unlock the Android Kid device and open the Settings app.
- Scroll to the bottom of the settings list and tap Developer Options.
- Move the slider to OFF.
The next thing to check for on your kid's Android device is Guest Mode. Some Android devices offer Guest Mode as an available account type to support multiple users. With Guest Mode enabled, Circle may not be able to properly manage the kid device. To resolve:
- Unlock the Android Kid device and open the Settings app.
- Tap Users.
- Tap Remove Guest.
Learn more about resolving evasion issues on Circle Home Plus