General Questions about KidShield

Q1: How do I create a KidShield profile?

To use the KidShield feature, a Deco/Tether App and KidShield App are required to be installed on parents' and kids' smartphones separately.

For the configuration of a KidShield profile, please refer to this FAQ.

Q2: What is the difference between KidShield and Parental Control (HomeShield)?

For the normal HomeShield Parental Control, the controls will only work when the clients are connected to your home Wi-Fi. While away from your Home Network, the parental controls would not take effect and devices could circumvent controls by enabling “Randomized MACs” or “Private Addressing.”

The controls offered by KidShield will maintain control over your devices in these situations and provide additional safeguards over tampering with the controls.

Q3: Is KidShield Free for Users?

Currently, KidShield is in the beta test phase and provided at no additional cost to beta testers.

After KidShield is launched officially, you need to subscribe to the Total Parental Controls Package to use the features. For more information about HomeShield subscription, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/homeshield/

Q4: What TP-Link products support KidShield?

Theoretically, all the models that support HomeShield will have the KidShield feature added in future updates. Deco will be the first to support KidShield, with other devices following later. Please note that KidShield is only available for a limited number of users and models while in the Beta Testing phase.

Q5: What features does KidShield support?

The following table lists the functions of KidShield:

For the detailed feature introduction to KidShield, please refer to this FAQ.

Q6: Why does the KidShield App require a large number of system permissions?

To properly monitor and manage your kid's devices and online behavior, it is necessary to enable those system permissions on the device, or the KidShield can’t take effect.

Q7: How do I enable the Mobile Accessibility Permission for KidShield app?

Enabling the Mobile Accessibility Permission may vary from device to device. You may click the "learn more" button in the system prompt or long-press the accessibility option to enable the permission for the device.

Q8: How do I prevent Kids from uninstalling the KidShield app?

Please enable “Device Settings” on the System management page to prevent your child from deleting the KidShield App and other Apps on the device.

Q9: How do I prevent Kids from downloading new Apps?

Please enable “App Installment” in the System Management page to prevent your child from installing new apps to the device.

Q10: How do I uninstall the KidShield app and stop managing the device?

1) First, enter the KidShield profile on Deco APP, go to System Management, and disable both Device Settings and APP Removal.

2) Uninstall the KidShield App from your child’s phone.

3) After the KidShield App is successfully removed, delete the KidShield profile from within the Deco APP.

Q11: How many KidShield profiles can I create？

You can create 16 KidShield profiles with a TP-Link ID. Please note that one device corresponds to one KidShield profile.

Q12: How does the KidShield App monitor and manage the Kid’s devices?

When you create a KidShield profile for a child device, KidShield will build a VPN tunnel and use the VPN to monitor and manage the device's online traffic according to the profile configuration. At the same time, a VPN tunnel icon will be displayed on the device.

Q13: What apps will be displayed in the App Blocking / App Limit list?

The app catalog in APP block/APP limit is based on the installed apps on the child's device.

Q14: Which setting would take effect if adding the same app to the APP block and always allowing the app?

The settings of the Always Allowed App will have a higher priority.

In other words, if you add app categories or specific apps to the Always Allowed App profile, they can be accessed at all times, even if they were previously added to Blocked Apps or App Time Limits.