Step 1 — Download the Parent App

The parent app is where you’ll manage settings, review activity, and stay informed. Install it on the device you carry every day.

For Android parents: Click button above to  download the parent version of the app or visit download.myparental.app.

Open the app once it finishes installing.

Step 2 — Create Your Parent Account

Tap “Sign Up” and create your account using an email address you check regularly. A few small choices here matter for the long run:

• Use a strong, unique password. Your parent account holds sensitive information about your family. Treat it with the same care you’d give an online banking login.
• Enable two-factor authentication if offered. A second layer of protection is worth the small extra friction.
• Use an email address only you access. Avoid shared family inboxes for this account.

After creating the account, you’ll be guided through a short onboarding flow that asks about the number of children in your family, their approximate ages, and the kinds of features you’re most interested in. The answers are used to suggest sensible default settings — none of them are permanent and all can be adjusted later.

Step 3 — Install the Companion App on Your Child’s Device

The child companion app runs on the device you want to monitor. It’s a separate app from the parent app, designed to gather the information that flows into your dashboard.

On an Android device: Open the Google Play Store on your child’s phone or tablet and download the MyParental child app. Open it once installed.

On an iPad or iPhone used by a child: Visit myparental.app/ios-setup on the device for iOS-specific guidance. Apple’s operating system handles some parental control features differently from Android, and the iOS setup uses a combination of the MyParental child app and Apple’s built-in Screen Time and Family Sharing features to deliver the full experience.

Step 4 — Grant the Required Permissions

The companion app will request several permissions during setup. Each one is required for a specific feature, and the app explains what each permission does as it asks.

• Usage access — so the app can measure screen time and which apps are being used.
• Location — for place-based alerts and real-time location when needed.
• Notification access — for awareness of incoming messages on supported apps.
• Accessibility services — for content filtering and certain awareness features.
• Device administrator — to protect the app from being uninstalled without your password.

These permissions can be reviewed and adjusted at any time later from the child device’s settings, and you can choose to skip permissions tied to features you don’t plan to use.

Step 5 — Pair the Two Devices

Pairing connects your parent account to your child’s device so data starts flowing into your dashboard.

In the parent app, tap “Add a Child.” You’ll see two options:

• Scan a QR code. A code appears on your parent app screen. Open the child app on your child’s device and use it to scan the code.
• Enter a pairing code. A short code appears in your parent app. Type it into the child app on your child’s device.

Either method takes seconds. Once paired, you’ll see your child’s profile appear in the parent dashboard, and the first activity data will arrive within a few minutes.

For families with more than one child, repeat this step for each child’s device. There’s no limit on how many children can be added to a single parent account.

Step 6 — Configure Your First Settings Together

This is the step most parents are tempted to skip and most parents later wish they hadn’t. Sit down with your child and walk through the main settings together.

Screen time limits. What feels like a reasonable daily cap? Many families start with an honest look at the current numbers from the first day’s report before setting any limit.

App rules. Which apps need stricter limits? Which can be unlimited? Which need to be blocked entirely for now?

Schedules. What times of day should the device be quiet — homework hours, family dinner, bedtime, school hours? Schedules tend to cause less daily friction than overall caps because they’re predictable.

Web filtering. Which categories of content should be blocked? Most families enable adult content filtering for younger children and revisit the question as kids get older.

Location sharing. Which places should generate alerts — home, school, grandparents’ house, the soccer field?

Children who help set their own rules are far more likely to respect them. Even a brief “what do you think is fair?” goes a long way.

Step 7 — Wait a Week, Then Review

The most valuable conversation about screen time isn’t the one before you install the app. It’s the one a week later, when you have actual data to look at together.

Schedule a quick check-in for about seven days after setup. Open the first weekly report together. Ask what surprised your child about the numbers. Ask what surprised you. Adjust limits that turned out to be unrealistic, and remove restrictions that didn’t seem necessary.

This first review is when the system stops being “the thing Mom installed” and starts being how your family handles phones. It’s also when you’ll catch any setup steps you missed — a permission that wasn’t granted, a schedule that’s off, a feature you didn’t realize you wanted.

Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues

Most installations go smoothly. A few situations come up often enough to be worth covering directly.

The pairing code doesn’t work. Double-check that both devices are connected to the internet and that the code is being entered exactly as shown. Codes expire after a few minutes — if it’s been a while, generate a new one in the parent app.

Activity data isn’t appearing. Confirm that all required permissions were granted on the child device. The most common cause of missing data is a permission that was tapped past during setup. The companion app’s settings screen shows the current status of each permission.

The child app keeps closing. Some Android manufacturers aggressively close background apps to save battery. The MyParental help center has device-specific guides for Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, OnePlus, and other brands that explain how to allow the app to run continuously.

My child uninstalled the app. Reinstall the child app and pair the device again. The parent account also notifies you when the child app is removed, so you’ll know if it happens.

I need to switch from one phone to another. Reinstall the child app on the new device and pair it to the existing child profile. Settings carry over; historical activity remains attached to the original device profile in your dashboard.

For anything not covered here, the MyParental help center has detailed guides, and the support team can be reached by email.

After You’re Set Up

Once MyParental is running, the day-to-day demands on you are small. Most parents settle into a rhythm of:

• A quick glance at the dashboard a few times a week — not constant checking, which tends to create anxiety on both sides.
• A review of the weekly report on a quiet morning, often with the child for older kids.
• Occasional adjustment of limits and rules as your child grows, the seasons change, or new apps come into their life.

The app is designed to recede into the background once it’s set up. The real work — the conversations, the trust-building, the modeling of healthy phone habits — happens off-screen.

Ready to Get Started?

Download for Android

If you’d like to learn more before installing, visit the features page or browse frequently asked questions. Our team is happy to answer specific questions through the contact page.