Android App Deletion Prevention

Worried your kiddos may attempt to remove the Circle app off their devices to avoid being managed by it? With the latest version of the Circle Parental Controls app, we now offer deletion prevention for both iOS and Android devices. This article describes how to enable the feature for Android kid devices. Read more about iOS deletion prevention.

Enabling Android app deletion prevention

During installation of the Circle app (from Circle v1.2 forward) on your kids' Android devices, you will be prompted to enable app deletion prevention. You can also enable app deletion prevention after you have already gone through setup for that kid device.

Note: The Circle app uses a permission on Android devices called "Accessibility" to prevent the Circle app from being deleted. Your device may warn you during set up that this level of permission allows the Circle app to read the screen, act on behalf of users, and gives full control to the app.

Set up an Android "Kid" device

Install the Circle app on your Android "Kid" device.
Start the kid app setup.
Add the device as a mobile device using your parent app. You can do so during set up or on a profile by tapping "Devices" and then "Add a mobile device."
Follow the kid app setup prompts, scanning the QR code on the device using your parent app, enabling the device administrator, allowing location permissions, and then follow the instructions for enabling Circle app deletion prevention.

To enable Circle app deletion prevention during setup

Tap the prompt to "Open accessibility settings" that appears during kid app setup.
Look for the Circle app under "Downloaded" or "Installed" services.
Toggle the Circle service ON.
Return to the Circle app once enabled.

To enable Circle app deletion prevention after setup

If you've already installed the Circle app in the kid version on an Android device you can enable app deletion prevention later from the Circle app. To do so, make sure the app is fully updated (to at least version 1.2), and follow the instructions below:

Open the Circle app on your kiddo's device.
You will be prompted that the Accessibility Service is not enabled. You can tap on the alert and say "OK" to set up.
Follow the app prompts to enable.

Alternately, you can go to Android Settings >> Accessibility >> Circle app deletion prevention on that kid device to enable the feature.

Removing the Circle App with Deletion Prevention enabled

After enabling Circle app deletion prevention, you will be asked to login using your account information in order to delete the app. This is the email address and password you created during sign up. You'll see this login screen when attempting to delete the kid app from the Android device, or when setting up the Circle app as a parent on a device that has not previously logged in.

Why is my device warning me about the Circle app requesting full control of my device?

The Circle app can prevent itself from being deleted by enabling our Circle deletion prevention accessibility feature. On Android devices, certain apps can be given the "Accessibility" permission to manage the phone's features, and this is why your Android device is letting you know.

Circle does not use the "Accessibility" permission except to prevent deletion of the Circle app. In order to delete the Circle app on a child's device after enabling the Circle app's deletion prevention feature you will need to login using your Circle account's email address and password. Note: this is the same login information you created when first using the Circle app.

he Circle app only uses this permission to prevent app deletion and does not use this permission for anything else. This permission will need to be granted and enabled in order for Circle to prevent itself from being deleted.

I'm having trouble removing the Circle app

If you are not sure which email address is associated with your account, go to Menu >> Settings on your parent Circle app to determine which email you used.
If you cannot remember the password you used, go through the process of recovering your account from the Circle app's login screen.
If you continue having issues removing the Circle app after attempting to login and reset your password, you can contact our support team using this article.