Setting up a Kid Device for Mobile Management

Need to manage your family's iOS, Android, or Chromebook devices when they leave the home? Want to make sure those devices are filtered even while on data?

With Circle, you can manage those devices anywhere they go by adding them as mobile devices using the Circle Parental Controls (iOS or Android) app. This article will show you how to do this for both iOS and Android devices. For Chromebook devices, see our article here.

Watch the video below to get started adding your mobile devices. If you need a bit more help, we've written out more detailed instructions and FAQs further down with the steps to follow if you're running into trouble.

To manage devices other than iOS, Android, and Chromebook devices at home, make sure you've set up your Circle Home Plus on the home network and assigned those devices to your profiles.

What should I know about Circle and mobile device management?

What kind of devices can Circle manage? Circle can manage iOS, Android, and Chromebook devices anywhere they go with the Circle app. You can purchase Circle Home Plus to manage all of your Internet-connected devices like laptops, gaming consoles, smart TVs, etc. at home. See more info here.
What's the benefit of installing the Circle app on my devices? Installing the Circle app on your kid's devices allows you to track their time online, filter traffic, identify the device more accurately, and ping their location anywhere they go.
Does Circle turn off data usage? Circle manages your mobile devices using a VPN. It can limit a device from connecting to the Internet using a Pause, Off Time, Bedtime, etc. so that traffic never gets sent out from the device.
Can Circle manage texts or calls? Circle does not manage calls or texts that are sent through a mobile carrier network. If a mobile device makes calls or messages through an app, Circle may be able to stop them. Check out the article here for more info!
Managing Devices at Home: If you want to manage your in-home devices, like an Xbox or a laptop, you'll need to install a Circle Home Plus device on your home Wi-Fi. There is no need to install the Circle app on those Wi-Fi devices, just Circle Home Plus! Learn more about setting up Circle Home Plus.
Can I lock down the Circle app so it can't be removed? Yes! Circle let's you set up app deletion prevention on iOS, Android, and Chromebook devices. See more info on that here.
Is there any limit to the number of devices Circle can manage? We don't currently limit the number of devices you can manage using Circle or the Circle kid app. Keep in mind though that most networks max out at around 250 devices.

What kinds of mobile devices can Circle manage?

Circle is able to manage iOS, Android, and Chromebook devices away from your home network by installing the Circle Parental Controls app on them. Circle does not support managing laptops, Kindle Fire Tablets, or gaming consoles while away from home. You still can manage those at home using Circle Home Plus however.

How does Circle manage mobile devices?

When you install the kid version of the Circle Parental Controls app onto a mobile device, you add Circle's filtering capabilities, location tracking, and usage tracking when that device leaves the home. Our local VPN can keep you in the loop about where their mobile devices are and what they are up to online.

Links to the Circle app for your kid's devices:

Minimum requirements for managing mobile devices

The Circle app can only be installed on iOS, Android, and Chromebook devices and must meet the minimum system requirements noted below:

iOS devices must run iOS version 12 or greater
Android devices must run version 6.0 or greater
Chromebook device requirements

You can see our complete requirements for the Circle Parental Controls app here.

Compatibility with other VPNs/MDM

Android and iOS devices (phones or tablets) cannot run multiple VPNs at the same time.
That means the Circle app VPN cannot run at the same time as another VPN app.
It is not uncommon for compatibility issues to occur when trying to use the Circle app VPN and an MDM (mobile device manager) at the same time.
We recommend only using the Circle kid app VPN on your child's devices.

How do I add my mobile devices for management?

To manage your mobile devices you'll need to add them to Circle using the Circle Parental Controls app. You can start the mobile device setup process during your profile setup or after those profiles are created. To add a mobile device to your Circle account after your profiles are already set up:

Open your Circe Parental Controls app on your "Parent" device.
Select the family member who will be using the device you want to register and tap Devices.
At the bottom of the Device screen for that profile, tap Add mobile device.
You will see the screen below. Follow the in-app steps from here.
When you get to a screen asking you to scan a QR code, be sure to allow Camera permission if prompted. If you accidentally decline permission for the Circle app to use your Camera, go to your Parent device's settings to allow them.
The installation steps from here will depend on whether you are setting up an iOS or Android kid device. Use the correct section below to proceed.

Adding an iOS device to Circle for mobile management

Download the Circle Parental Controls app on the kid device.
Open the app and tap Get Started.
Accept the terms and conditions.
Tap Set up kid app and proceed through the prompts until the phone displays a QR Code.
In the Parent app, go to the appropriate profile, tap Devices >> Add mobile device.
Tap Continue and scan the QR code displayed on the kid device with the parent device.
In the parent app, tap Add mobile device and Finish.
In the kid app, tap Install VPN >> Allow, and enter the phone's passcode if requested.
Continue through the prompts, tapping Continue and Allow when appropriate. Be sure to allow the Circle app to send notifications and use location services to ensure that Circle features will work properly on that device.

Adding an Android device to Circle for mobile management

Download the Circle Parental Controls app on the kid device.
Open the app and tap Get Started.
Accept the terms and conditions.
Tap Set up kid app and proceed through the prompts until the phone displays a QR Code.
In the Parent app, go to the appropriate profile, tap Devices >> Add mobile device.
Tap Continue and scan the QR code displayed on the kid device with the parent device.
In the parent app, tap Add device and Finish.
In the kid app, tap Continue, Install Local VPN, and Activate.
Continue through the prompts, tapping Continue and Allow when appropriate. Be sure to allow the Circle app to send notifications and use location services to ensure that Circle features will work properly on that device.
Finish by tapping Let's Go!

And that's it! The mobile device can now be managed from your profile or assigned elsewhere.

Quick Note: If you are seeing the same device listed twice after installing the Circle app and VPN on a mobile device, there's no need to worry. Circle will combine those entries soon! Learn more about this here.

Adding a Chromebook to Circle for mobile management

Instructions for adding a Chromebook to your Circle account for mobile management are a little different than the above. For help on that see the article here.