FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Short, honest answers, grouped by topic. Step-by-step setup guides are in the help center.
The basics
Will my child know Koby is on their phone?
Yes, always. There is no hidden mode. The Koby app on your child's device shows their rules, the time left and exactly which grown-ups can see what.
Can Koby read my child's messages?
No. Koby does not read messages, chats, emails or what your child types, never switches on the camera or microphone and never records the screen. That is a design decision, not a setting.
Which devices does Koby work on?
Your child uses the Koby app on an iPhone, iPad or Mac. Parents manage everything from the Koby app or the web panel at app.withkoby.com in any browser. An Android app is planned for later.
What does the web filter cover?
It blocks adult websites in supported browsers on your child's device, at a Standard or Strict level, plus allow and block lists you set. Koby lists which browsers are covered. It does not filter content inside apps such as games or social media.
How does the free trial work?
Family comes with a 7-day free trial that starts once your child's device is paired and Koby has checked that protection works. We remind you before it ends, and you can cancel any time before renewal.
Setup and devices
How do I connect my child's device?
Add your child in the app or web panel, then install Koby on their device and enter the short pairing code (or scan the QR code). The code works once and expires quickly. Koby then runs a test restriction to confirm protection works.
Does my child need an email address or password?
No. You create your child's profile with a first name and age. Their device is linked to your family with the pairing code.
Can two parents manage the same child?
Yes, on the Family plan. Invite the second parent from Settings; they sign in with their own account, so no passwords are shared. You can remove their access at any time.
What if my child's phone is offline?
Rules already saved on the device keep working offline as far as the system allows. New changes show as “pending” until the device is back online, and Koby only marks them “applied” after the device confirms.
Can Koby stop my child from removing it or resetting the phone?
No app can promise that. Koby uses the protections the operating system offers and tells you when it notices a permission was turned off or a device stopped reporting, so you can talk about it.
Rules and requests
What's the difference between a limit and a schedule?
A limit is a daily time budget, for example one hour of games. A schedule pauses chosen apps at set times, such as school hours or bedtime, whatever time is left.
Which rule wins when they overlap?
Always-allowed apps come first, then a pause, then an active schedule, then app limits, then the overall daily limit. Extra time adds to limits but never overrides school, bedtime or a pause.
How do extra-time requests work?
Your child picks how many minutes they want and can add a short reason. You get a notification and can approve, change the minutes or decline. Requests expire after 30 minutes, and approved extra time ends at midnight.
Will calls and messages still work during a schedule?
Yes. Phone, messages and any apps you mark as always allowed stay available during limits, schedules and pauses.
Privacy and location
How does location work?
Koby shows the last location your child's device reported, with when it was measured and how accurate it was. It is not live tracking, Koby keeps no location history, and the last location is deleted after 7 days.
Does Koby show ads or sell data?
No. There are no advertising SDKs or ad identifiers in Koby's apps, and we never sell or rent data.
Is Koby compliant with COPPA and GDPR?
Koby is designed around both: parents set up children's profiles, we ask for parental consent before a child's device is connected, collect as little as possible and let you export or delete data. Our legal documents are drafts until launch and will be reviewed by counsel; we do not claim certifications we don't hold.
How do I delete our data?
Remove a device or a child profile at any time, or delete your whole account from Settings. Deletion removes your family's data from our systems; backups are cleared on a fixed cycle described in the privacy policy.
Plans and billing
What's included in the Free plan?
One child, one parent, a daily screen time limit, one schedule, instant pause, protection status and your child's own screen. No time limit and no payment details.
What does Family add?
Up to five children and a second parent, per-app limits, school, sleep and custom schedules, always-allowed apps, extra-time requests, web filtering and last known location.
How do I cancel?
For App Store subscriptions: Settings → your name → Subscriptions on your iPhone or iPad. Cancel at least 24 hours before renewal to avoid the next charge. Family stays active until the end of the paid period, then your family moves to Free.
