How to reach the SteadyBounds team, quick fixes for common problems, and what to include when you write.
Effective October 14, 2026 · Last updated October 14, 2026
Connecting your child’s iPhone or iPad? Follow the steps. Setting daily time, bedtime, requests, learning or chores? See how. Screen Time request not sending or not coming through? See the fixes.
1. How to reach us
Email:hello@steadybounds.com is the best way to reach us about anything: setup, devices, learning, billing, privacy, safety or ideas. We handle support by email.
In the app: on your phone, tap your profile picture on Home to open Settings, then tap Help & feedback. Choose Email support for help or Suggest a feature for ideas. If your device has no email app set up, write to us from any email service.
Phone:(307) 393-5609. For help with the app, email works best, because it gives us the details in writing.
Mail: Vantaryn Labs LLC, 30 N Gould St #69108, Sheridan, WY 82801, United States.
SteadyBounds is a product of Vantaryn Labs LLC. We are a small team. Our inboxes are not monitored around the clock, and we can’t promise a response time or a particular outcome, so please don’t use email, phone or in-app reports for anything urgent (see Section 9). Privacy requests are handled as our Privacy Policy describes.
2. What to include in a support request
A few details help us understand what happened:
Your iPhone or iPad model and its iOS or iPadOS version, and the SteadyBounds version.
Whether it happened on a parent’s device or a child’s device.
What you were trying to do, the steps you took and the exact message or status you saw.
For time questions: the day, your family’s time zone and which devices were involved.
A screenshot if it helps. Please cover or crop out anything private first.
Please never send us
Passwords, including your SteadyBounds or Apple Account password.
Your parent PIN, pairing or family codes, or the codes we email you.
Photos of your child or your child’s precise location.
Private family conversations, unless you are reporting a specific message (see Section 8).
A full family export, or card or bank details.
We don’t ask for any of these. If someone claiming to be from SteadyBounds asks for them, don’t reply, and let us know at hello@steadybounds.com.
3. Troubleshooting
Start here if something doesn’t look right. Find what you see on your screen, then follow the steps.
Good to know: your child’s limits keep working on their iPhone or iPad even when the numbers on your phone are behind. Your phone shows the latest time your child’s device sent. It isn’t a live stopwatch.
Still stuck after trying the steps? Email us from your own phone: in SteadyBounds, open Settings > Help & feedback > Email support. Tell us which device had the problem, yours or your child’s.
Your phone says “Time not yet reported”
What you see: your child’s card on Home, or the Today card on their Controls page, says Time not yet reported.
Why: each day starts fresh. Your phone shows your child’s time after their iPhone or iPad sends its first time of the day. Early in the morning, or before your child has used the device, there’s nothing to show yet. Their limits still work.
What to do:
Wait until your child has used their device for a little while. The time usually shows up on its own.
To ask for it now, tap the small refresh arrow on your child’s card. You can do this once every 10 minutes for each child. When the arrow is gray, wait a few minutes and try again.
Still nothing after your child has used the device? Pick up their device. Make sure it’s on Wi-Fi or cellular data, then open SteadyBounds on it for a moment.
Time left isn’t going down while your child uses apps
What you see: your phone shows the same time left for a long time, or “Reported” shows an old time with “may have changed,” even though your child is using apps.
Why: Apple decides when your child’s iPhone or iPad can send its time to SteadyBounds, and sometimes it waits. Your child’s device still keeps count and still locks apps on time. Only the number on your phone is behind.
What to do:
Tap the small refresh arrow next to “Reported” on your child’s card. You can do this once every 10 minutes for each child.
No change after a few minutes? Open SteadyBounds on your child’s device for a moment while it’s on Wi-Fi or cellular data. Your phone catches up soon after.
If your child’s device is turned off, out of battery or offline (for example, in the car with no Wi-Fi), your phone can’t get new numbers until the device is back online. The limits on the device keep working in the meantime.
Please don’t: reset today’s time, or disconnect and reconnect your child’s device, to fix the number. That changes your child’s time for the day and can make things worse.
A change says it’s waiting for the device
What you see: after you change a limit or give extra time, the Today card on your child’s Controls page says “Your change is saved. Waiting for the child device to receive and apply it.” Or a screen says it’s waiting for the device.
Why: your change is saved. Your child’s iPhone or iPad just hasn’t picked it up yet. This happens when the device is off or offline, or when Apple holds back changes while the device is locked.
What to do:
Make sure your child’s device is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Open SteadyBounds on your child’s device and leave it open for a moment.
On your phone, open your child’s Controls page and tap the ••• button.
Tap Check child’s devices for updates.
Give it a few minutes. The status changes once your child’s device confirms it.
Still waiting? On your child’s device, open Settings > Screen Time > Apps with Screen Time Access and check that SteadyBounds is turned on.
If it’s still waiting after all of this, email us the words you see on your phone.
Please don’t: disconnect and reconnect a device that is otherwise working, or reset today’s time, just to clear it.
Your child says they’re locked out
What you see: your child says an app won’t open, or they see a SteadyBounds screen on top of an app.
Why: the screen on the blocked app says what is holding it. Most of the time, it’s working the way you set it.
What to do: ask your child to read you the big words on the blocked screen, then find them here.
Today’s app time is used up or No app time today: your child can tap Ask or earn time to ask you for more time or to earn some by learning. In SteadyBounds, it’s Ask for more time on the Rewards page. You approve requests on your phone (see Answer a request for more time).
You can also tap Add time on your child’s Controls page (see Give extra time or pause apps).
It’s bedtime, It’s app-free time, Time for a break or Paused by your parent: these follow the schedule or pause you set. You can change them on your child’s Controls page.
Do a lesson first! Your child needs to finish a lesson in SteadyBounds to unlock their apps for the day.
Updating your settings: wait a minute. If it doesn’t go away, open SteadyBounds on your child’s device while it’s online so it can finish.
Apps are paused: read the line under it, then open SteadyBounds on your child’s device while it’s online and follow what it says.
This website is blocked or This app is paused: your family’s settings block it right now. You can change this on your child’s Controls page.
An app your child always needs, like Phone or a school app, is locked? If their time is used up, tap Add time on your child’s Controls page so they can use it now. To keep it open next time, see Your child’s school app locks when their time is up.
Need the limits off right away? See “Removing SteadyBounds from a child’s device” in Section 4.
Your child’s school app locks when their time is up
What you see: your child’s time is used up, or it’s bedtime or app-free time, and an app they need for school won’t open.
Why: every app on your child’s iPhone or iPad counts toward their daily limit, so when time is up, every app locks. That includes school apps. You can choose apps that stay open.
What to do: do this on your child’s iPhone or iPad, not on your phone.
Open SteadyBounds on your child’s device.
Tap the gear at the top of the screen.
Enter your parent PIN and tap Unlock. Our pictures don’t show the dots.
Tap Apps that stay open.
Tap Apps that stay open again to see the list of apps.
Choose the school apps.
Tap Save Selection.
Good to know:
Keep chosen apps open turns on by itself once you choose apps.
The apps you choose stay open when other apps lock.
Their minutes still count toward the daily limit.
Please don’t: share your parent PIN with your child.
Apps locked a few minutes after time ran out
What you see: your child kept using an app for a few minutes after their time was up.
Why: Apple checks your child’s time in small steps. Sometimes it runs those checks late or all at once, so the lock can come a few minutes late. SteadyBounds checks more often near the end of the day’s time to keep this short.
What to do:
A few minutes now and then is expected. You don’t need to do anything.
If it happens often, or by more than 10 minutes, email us the day, the time and which device it was.
Please don’t: lower the limit to make up for it, or reset today’s time.
Your child has an iPhone and an iPad, and the time looks different
What you see: time left on your child’s iPhone and iPad doesn’t match. Or the time seems to stop going down for a while after your child switches from one device to the other.
Why: your child gets one daily allowance shared by all of their devices, not one for each device. Each device sends its time when Apple lets it, so one can show an older number for a little while. After your child switches devices, it can take up to about half an hour to catch up.
What to do:
Give it a little time.
Open SteadyBounds on each of your child’s devices while they’re online. This helps them catch up.
Want to give more time today? Tap Add time on your child’s Controls page (see Give extra time). It counts for all of their devices.
If the numbers still don’t match later in the day, email us the day, your time zone and which devices were involved.
Please don’t: reset today’s time just to test it.
Your child got more time than their limit after using SteadyBounds
What you see: your child seems to get more time than their daily limit. Or you see “in SteadyBounds, not counted” under their time left.
Why: time your child spends in SteadyBounds never counts toward their daily limit. That’s every screen: lessons, Fresh Math, rewards, chat, requests and the rest. There’s no daily cap. Time in SteadyBounds shouldn’t use up play time. Your child never gets extra time in other apps from it: only the minutes SteadyBounds was really open are left out.
Good to know:
On your child’s first device it starts as soon as the device is connected. On another device you add later, it can take a few minutes to start on the first day.
It works when your child has one iPhone or iPad connected. If your child has more than one device connected, time in SteadyBounds counts like any other time.
SteadyBounds needs to fill the screen. Time in Split View, or while another app plays music, counts like any other time.
On a day you use Reset today’s time, time in SteadyBounds still doesn’t count.
Reports says “No activity yet” for your child
What you see: in Reports > Screen time, your child’s page says No activity yet or “Apple hasn’t sent your child’s activity for this period yet,” even though they used their device. Their time left for today may still show.
Why: the app-by-app list in Reports comes from Apple. Apple sends it from your child’s device to your phone on its own schedule, and sometimes it’s late or stops. This list is separate from your child’s time left and limits. Those keep working.
What to do (try these in order):
Make sure Share Across Devices is on. You change it on your child’s device, not on yours: on your child’s iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Screen Time and turn on Share Across Devices. When it’s off, your child’s activity can stay on their device and never reach your phone. If it’s already on, leave it on.
Update every iPhone and iPad in your family, including yours. Go to Settings > General > Software Update. A device that is behind can keep its activity from reaching your phone. See Which iPhone and iPad software you need.
On your child’s device, open Settings. If there’s a message at the top asking you to agree to new terms or to sign in to their Apple Account, tap it and finish.
Restart your child’s device. Turn it off, wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on.
Open SteadyBounds on your child’s device once.
Check Reports again in a few hours. Apple can take a while.
Is it Apple or SteadyBounds? On your iPhone, open Settings > Screen Time and tap your child’s name. If Apple shows no recent activity there either, Apple hasn’t sent it yet. SteadyBounds can only show what Apple sends. If Apple’s screen says your child’s activity hasn’t been sent in days, see the next steps.
An empty report doesn’t mean your child used nothing.
Please don’t: turn Screen Time or App & Website Activity off and on, turn Share Across Devices off, sign your child out of their Apple Account, or remove them from Family Sharing. These common tips can take away SteadyBounds’ permission and your child’s limits. See Fixes to avoid.
Reports shows more screen time than your child’s limit
What you see: Reports > Screen time shows a total that’s bigger than your child’s daily limit, or it doesn’t match the time left on their card.
Why: Reports shows everything Apple counted on your child’s devices. It can go past the daily limit when you added time, approved a request or your child earned time. It can also go past when your child used apps that stay open after time ran out, like Phone or a school app, or spent time in SteadyBounds, which doesn’t count. The time left on your child’s card shows only what’s left of today’s time. Apple also updates Reports on its own schedule, so it isn’t a live countdown.
What to do:
To see how much your child has left today, use the time left on their card.
To see which apps they used, use Reports.
Good to know:
You’ll see a device menu in Reports only when Apple has sent activity from two or more of your child’s devices. “All devices” adds them together.
A gap on the chart means Apple didn’t send that time. It doesn’t mean your child used nothing.
Apple’s Screen Time says your child’s activity hasn’t been sent in days
What you see: on your iPhone, Settings > Screen Time > your child’s name says their activity hasn’t been sent for several days, for example 7 days.
Why: Apple shows one of your child’s devices at a time. It may be showing an old iPhone or iPad your child doesn’t use anymore.
What to do:
On your iPhone, open Settings > Screen Time and tap your child’s name.
Tap See All App & Website Activity.
Tap Devices at the top and choose the iPhone or iPad your child uses now.
Please don’t: turn Screen Time off and on for your child to make it send. See Fixes to avoid.
Traveling to another time zone
What happens: your child’s daily limit keeps working on a trip. It follows your family’s home time zone, so a new day of app time starts at midnight at home, not midnight where you are. If home is New York and you’re in Los Angeles, the new day starts at 9:00 PM in Los Angeles. In London, it starts at 5:00 AM.
Time your child already used today still counts. When today’s time is used up, the blocked screen says so, and your child can still ask you for more time or earn it in SteadyBounds.
Your home time zone: on your child’s Controls page, tap App-free times. The Time zone row under Family time zone shows it.
Bedtime and app-free time: these follow home time too, and the times in Controls are home time. For a 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM bedtime in Los Angeles when home is New York, set bedtime to 12:00 AM to 10:00 AM for the trip, and change it back when you’re home.
Changing the time zone: changing the device’s time zone doesn’t start a new day early.
Coming home: there’s nothing to do.
Which iPhone and iPad software you need
What you see: another answer here told you to update, or you’re not sure your child’s device can run SteadyBounds.
The short answer: SteadyBounds works on iPhone and iPad with iOS or iPadOS 17.4 or later. Apple asks families to keep every device up to date so Screen Time works the same on all of them. That includes your phone, not just your child’s. To see which version a device has, open Settings > General > About.
How to update:
Plug the device in and connect it to Wi-Fi.
Open Settings > General > Software Update.
Tap Update Now if you see it, and follow the steps. If Apple also offers an upgrade to a newer iOS or iPadOS, put every device in your family on the same one.
Do the same on every iPhone and iPad in your family, around the same time.
After your child’s device updates, open SteadyBounds on it once.
Good to know: when today’s time is used up, your child sees an Ask or earn time button on the blocked app. With iOS or iPadOS 26.5 or later, it opens SteadyBounds right away. On older versions, it leaves a notification your child taps to open SteadyBounds. If nothing happens when your child taps it, turn on notifications for SteadyBounds on their device (Settings > Notifications > SteadyBounds). Or your child can open SteadyBounds and tap Rewards.
Fixes to avoid, and safe ones to try first
What you see: tips online for Screen Time problems tell you to turn things off and on again.
Why this matters: some of those tips take away SteadyBounds’ Screen Time permission or your child’s limits. Then you’d need to set things up again on your child’s device.
Safe to try:
Turn on Share Across Devices if it’s off. Do it on your child’s device: Settings > Screen Time. Turning it on is safe.
Update every iPhone and iPad in your family (Settings > General > Software Update).
If Settings shows a message at the top asking you to agree to new terms or to sign in, tap it and finish.
Restart the device. Turn it off, wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on.
Open SteadyBounds on your child’s device once while it’s online.
Please don’t:
Turn Screen Time off and on for your child.
Turn App & Website Activity off and on.
Turn Share Across Devices off, even to turn it back on.
Sign your child’s device out of their Apple Account.
Remove your child from Family Sharing, even to add them back.
Turn off SteadyBounds under Settings > Screen Time > Apps with Screen Time Access on your child’s device.
Delete and reinstall SteadyBounds, or disconnect and reconnect a device that is working.
Still stuck? Email us. We’ll look for a fix that keeps your child’s limits in place.
Tapping Email support doesn’t open your email
What you see: you tap Email support in SteadyBounds and Apple’s Mail app asks you to sign in, or SteadyBounds says an email app isn’t available.
Why:Email support opens your phone’s main email app, which is often Apple’s Mail app. If you read your email in a different app, like Gmail, Mail may not be set up.
What to do:
In SteadyBounds, tap your profile picture on Home to open Settings, then tap Help & feedback. Note the version number shown there.
Setting up SteadyBounds for the first time? Your phone shows the code during setup. Go straight to step 5.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
On your phone
Tap Family and device management.
On your phone
Under your child’s name, tap Connect a Device.
Adding another device for a child who already has one? Tap Add Device instead. In step 9, tap Approve & Use [your child’s name]’s Settings. Setup then finishes by itself. On your phone, tap Done, then skip to step 14.
On your phone
A six-digit code appears. Leave this screen open.
The code works for 10 minutes.
Your phone says You’re ready to go instead? Tap NOT CONNECTED next to your child’s name. The code appears.
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds. Tap This is my child’s device at the bottom of the screen.
Don’t tap Let’s start. That button sets up a parent account.
On your child’s device
Type the six-digit code from your phone.
The device connects as soon as you type the last digit. Your phone then says Device connected. If nothing happens, tap Join Family.
On your child’s device
Tap Approve with Apple.
Apple asks for a password. Enter your Apple Account password, not your child’s. Apple uses it to confirm you’re the parent.
On your phone
Tap Approve [your child’s name]’s setup on this phone.
It appears on the code screen after Apple approves.
On your phone
Create your parent PIN, then tap Approve & Send Setup.
Use 6 to 12 digits, with at least two different digits. Type it twice. Keep this PIN secret from your kids.
Your child’s device already has a parent PIN? It stays the same, and there’s nothing to type.
Your phone goes back to You’re ready to go? Skip to step 13.
On your phone
On Choose what’s on, tap Continue.
Not sure? Tap Skip, keep the recommended settings instead.
On your phone
On How much screen time each day?, set the time with − and +. Then tap Continue.
On your phone
On When is bedtime?, set bedtime with − and +. Then tap Finish setup.
To change Wake-up, tap it. Pick a time, then tap Done.
You can change all of this later in Settings.
On your phone
Your phone says You’re ready to go. Tap Go to Home.
A Premium screen may open first. Tap Continue with Free to go on.
On your child’s device
Keep SteadyBounds open while it says Finishing automatically.
Home then opens by itself and says Setup successful. Setup is done.
If Go to Home appears instead, tap it.
A second device for the same child uses that child’s settings and shares the same daily time.
Code expired? Get a new one
On your phone, tap Get a new code on the code screen.
Closed that screen? On Home, tap your profile picture, tap Family and device management, then tap Connect a Device (or Add Device) under your child.
On your child’s device, type the new code. If it says it’s connecting to your family, tap Enter a New Code first.
Stuck?
Your child’s device asks you to create an account or sign in. You tapped Let’s start or I already have an account. Tap Back at the top left, then tap This is my child’s device.
Your child’s device shows your parent Home. Someone signed in with your parent account on that device. On your child’s device, tap the profile picture, tap Sign out, then tap Sign out again to confirm. On the first screen, tap This is my child’s device.
Nothing happens after you type the code. Keep the code screen open on your phone and make sure both devices are online. Then tap Join Family on your child’s device, or Try Again if it says it can’t reach the internet.
Apple’s Screen Time screen doesn’t appear or won’t approve. Your child needs their own Apple Account in your Family Sharing group. On your phone, open Settings and tap Family. Your child’s name must be listed there.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Didn’t get your sign-up code?
Check your spam or junk folder, then tap Resend code in the app. Each code works for 1 hour. The email with your code also has our notice to parents about children’s information, so please keep it. You give consent later, on the consent card, before you add a child.
Place alerts not arriving?
Place alerts (Premium) work only while location sharing is on for your child’s device and that device allows location access Always. On your child’s device, open Settings, find SteadyBounds (under Apps in newer versions of iOS), tap Location and choose Always, and turn on Background App Refresh for SteadyBounds (Settings > General > Background App Refresh). iOS notices an arrival or departure only after the device moves across the edge of the circle, so alerts can be late or missed, and a bigger circle works better. From time to time iOS may remind your child that SteadyBounds has used location in the background; that is expected while place alerts are on.
Replacing a device
Connect the new device the same way (see Connect your child’s iPhone or iPad), then disconnect the old one (see below). Your child’s learning history, rewards and Time Bank balance belong to your child, not the device, so they carry over.
Removing SteadyBounds from a child’s device
You can remove SteadyBounds from your child’s device at any time, with or without a Premium subscription.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
On your phone
Tap Remove a child or device.
On your phone
Under your child, tap Devices & Removal.
On your phone
Under the device, tap Disconnect Device.
On your phone
Tap Disconnect Device again to confirm.
This can’t be canceled. Your child’s profile and history stay.
On your phone
Under the device, your phone shows Disconnecting.
You can leave this screen. The list updates when the device confirms.
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds and keep it online. It says Disconnecting This Device, then Device Disconnected.
SteadyBounds has then removed the limits it set on this device. Check that the apps your child needs open normally.
A Done button shows at the bottom. You don’t have to tap it. It goes back to the welcome screen.
On your phone
Your phone says No devices connected. The device is disconnected.
Still says Disconnecting? Tap Check Again.
On your child’s device
To delete the app too, touch and hold SteadyBounds on the Home Screen. Tap Remove App.
On your child’s device
Tap Delete App. If the device asks again, tap Delete.
Or keep the app to connect the device again later.
If your child’s device can’t finish disconnecting, for example because it can’t get online, tap Parent Help on that device’s disconnecting screen and enter your parent PIN to remove SteadyBounds’s limits there directly. If you’ve forgotten your parent PIN, a parent or guardian in your Apple Family Sharing group can turn off SteadyBounds’s access in Apple’s Screen Time settings for your child. You can also email us.
Delete your child’s profile
Disconnecting keeps your child’s profile and history. To delete your child’s profile and learning records too:
On your phone
Open Devices & Removal for your child, as in steps 1 to 3. Tap Remove Child.
On your phone
Tap Remove [your child’s name] from SteadyBounds.
On your phone
Tap Remove [your child’s name] to confirm.
This can’t be canceled once started.
On your phone
The page says Removing [your child’s name].
The deletion finishes after all of your child’s devices have disconnected.
If one of your child’s devices is lost or can’t get online, the app can’t finish removing that one child; email us from the address on your parent account to ask us to delete your child’s information, or delete your whole family as described below. Restrictions set in Apple’s own Screen Time settings, or by a school or another app, are separate and may still apply.
5. Using SteadyBounds
Step-by-step help for everyday screen time, learning and rewards, and setting up your family. Most of it is free. Articles marked (Premium) need SteadyBounds Premium. Each step says which device to use.
Each child gets one daily allowance, shared by all of their devices. School days are Monday to Thursday. Weekends are Friday to Sunday.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your child’s card.
Their Controls page opens.
On your phone
Under Daily screen time, tap − or + next to School days.
Each tap changes the time by 15 minutes.
On your phone
Tap − or + next to Weekends.
Pause apps turns grey until you save. That’s expected.
On your phone
Scroll down and tap Save changes.
On your phone
Tap OK.
Your phone says “Saved. Waiting for your child’s device to update.” When the device has the change, the Today card at the top says Device confirmed these rules.
Set a different time for each day
On your child’s Controls page, turn on Customize each day.
Tap a day, like Monday. Its settings open under it.
Next to Daily time, tap − or +. Each tap changes it by 5 minutes.
Extra-time limit below it sets the most extra time for that day.
Scroll down and tap Save changes.
Tap OK.
To go back to School days and Weekends:
Turn off Customize each day.
If a box asks “Use school-day and weekend times?”, tap Use Monday and Friday’s times. Monday’s time then counts for Monday to Thursday, and Friday’s for Friday to Sunday.
Scroll down and tap Save changes.
Tap OK.
Change the most extra time in a day
Learning, approved requests and time you add share one daily limit, Extra time allowed.
On your child’s Controls page, tap the words School days. Don’t tap − or +: those change daily time.
Next to School days or Weekends, tap − or +. Each tap changes it by 5 minutes.
Apps lock at bedtime and open again in the morning. School nights are Sunday to Thursday. Weekend nights are Friday and Saturday.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your child’s card.
On your phone
Under Bedtime, tap School nights.
Weekend nights opens the same page.
On your phone
Under School nights, tap the time next to Bedtime starts. Pick a time.
On your phone
Tap the time next to Available again. Pick when apps come back in the morning.
Set Weekend nights the same way, lower on the page.
On your phone
Tap Done at the top right.
On your phone
Tap Save changes.
On your phone
Tap OK.
Your phone says “Saved. Waiting for your child’s device to update.” When the device has the change, the Today card at the top says Device confirmed these rules.
Good to know:
School nights or Weekend nights says Off on Controls? On the Bedtime page, turn on the switch next to it. Then set the times as in steps 3 and 4.
To turn bedtime off for those nights, turn off the switch next to School nights or Weekend nights. Tap Done, then Save changes, then OK.
The day circles choose which nights bedtime starts. A Friday bedtime can end on Saturday morning.
Extra time, earned time and approved requests never move bedtime.
Apps you chose to stay open, like Phone, still open at bedtime.
App-free times pause apps at set hours, like school or dinner. Breaks pause apps for a few minutes after a while on them.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your child’s card.
On your phone
Scroll down to More. Tap App-free times.
On your phone
Tap Add app-free time.
On your phone
Tap the name box and type a name, like School.
The name is optional.
On your phone
Tap the days it’s on. Monday is already picked. For school, also tap T, W, T and F.
On your phone
Tap the time next to Starts, then the time next to Ends. Pick each time.
A new app-free time starts at 9:00 AM and ends at 3:00 PM.
On your phone
Tap the back arrow at the top left.
On your phone
Tap Save changes.
App-free times now shows your new time, like School 9:00 AM–3:00 PM.
On your phone
Tap OK.
Your phone says “Saved. Waiting for your child’s device to update.” When the device has the change, the Today card at the top says Device confirmed these rules.
Add regular breaks
On the App-free times page (Controls > More > App-free times, as in step 2 above), turn on Take regular breaks.
Set Take a break after and Break lasts with − and +. They start at 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Tap the back arrow at the top left.
Tap Save changes.
Tap OK.
During a break: with Allow requests to finish first on, your child can tap Ask to finish first and ask for 5 or 10 minutes. On your phone, the Rewards tab shows Asks to finish first. Tap Allow 5 min (or 10) or Keep break. It uses time your child already has. It doesn’t add minutes.
Good to know:
To delete an app-free time, tap Remove this period under it. Then go back and tap Save changes.
Apps you chose to stay open stay open during app-free times and breaks.
App-free times and breaks follow your family’s home time zone, shown under Family time zone on the same page. See Traveling to another time zone.
Answer a request for more time
Your child asks on their device, and you answer on your phone. Each request asks for 15 minutes. You can approve it, decline it or give a different amount.
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds. Tap Rewards at the bottom.
Daily time used up? Your child can also tap Ask or earn time on the locked app. It opens SteadyBounds. On iOS older than 26.5, it closes the app and leaves a notification to tap instead.
On your child’s device
Tap Ask for more time.
On your child’s device
Tap a reason.
I want to finish my game is picked at first. Your child can add a note too.
On your child’s device
Tap Send Request.
On your child’s device
Tap Back to Home.
The screen says Waiting for your parent. Your child’s apps stay the same until you answer.
On your phone
On Home, tap 1 request needs your review.
With notifications on, you also get an alert. Every request waits on the Rewards tab too.
On your phone
Tap Approve. To say no, tap Decline.
On your phone
If a box with Confirm approval opens, tap Confirm approval.
The box shows how much time is added. Daily limit applies means less than 15 minutes fits today. Review this approval means Time Bank is on and some time is saved there.
On your phone
Your phone confirms the decision. Tap OK.
Your child sees Your parent said yes! or Your parent said not this time.
Give a different amount
On Rewards, tap ••• next to Decline.
Tap Add a different amount.
Tap − or + to set the minutes, from 1 to 30.
Tap Review approval.
If a box with Confirm approval opens, tap Confirm approval.
Your phone confirms the decision. Tap OK.
Turn requests off
On your child’s Controls page, tap •••.
Tap App setup & websites.
Turn off Ask for more time.
Tap the back arrow at the top left.
Tap Save changes.
Tap OK. Your child’s screen then says Extra-time requests are off.
Get an alert for each request
On Home, tap your profile picture at the top right.
Your child’s screen says Waiting to send. Their device hasn’t sent it yet. Make sure it’s on Wi-Fi or cellular data, and keep SteadyBounds open there for a moment.
Your child’s screen says “Extra-time requests are off.” Turn Ask for more time back on, as in Turn requests off. Then tap Save changes and OK.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Give extra time or pause apps
Extra time is for today only. Bedtime, app-free times and pauses still apply.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your child’s card.
On your phone
Tap Add time.
On your phone
Under How much extra time?, tap an amount, like 15 minutes.
5 minutes is picked at first. Custom lets you type hours and minutes.
More than one device that doesn’t share one allowance? Next to Device, tap Choose a device and pick one first.
On your phone
Tap Confirm extra time.
Want to send a note? Type it under Message for your child (optional) first.
On your phone
Tap Done.
Your phone says Extra time approved. Under it you see “Waiting for the device to confirm the added time.” Once your child’s device has it, this changes to “The device confirmed the added time.”
Pause apps right now
On your child’s Controls page, tap Pause apps. Apps that stay open aren’t paused.
To undo it, tap Resume apps.
Good to know:
Extra time counts toward Extra time allowed. If only part of it fits, the page tells you how much.
Pause apps is grey while you have unsaved changes. Tap Save changes first.
Using Time Bank? Turn on Save for later to save the time for another day.
Block or allow websites
Website rules work in Safari, using Apple’s website filtering. They don’t change screen time minutes.
On your phone
On your child’s Controls page, tap •••.
To open Controls, tap your child’s card on Home.
On your phone
Tap App setup & websites.
On your phone
Tap Website restrictions.
On your phone
Under Browsing, tap a choice, like Block specific websites.
Limit adult websites uses Apple’s filter. Only allow chosen websites blocks every site you don’t add.
On your phone
Under Always block, type each website on its own line, like youtube.com.
Chose Only allow chosen websites? Type them under Allowed websites. Up to 50 websites.
On your phone
Tap Save at the top right.
On your phone
Look under Device status. It says Website settings applied once your child’s device has the rules.
Your list is now sorted A to Z.
On your phone
Tap Done at the top left.
Good to know: crisis-help sites such as 988lifeline.org stay available. Other browsers may not follow these rules.
Stuck?
Device status says “No SteadyBounds website rule set” or “Extra website restrictions are off”. Nothing is wrong. No website rules are saved yet, or No extra website restrictions is picked. To add rules, start at step 4.
Device status says “Waiting for this device to receive the settings” or “Not yet confirmed. The device will try again.” Open SteadyBounds on your child’s device while it’s online. Then, on your phone, tap Refresh device status.
“Update SteadyBounds on this device to receive website settings.” Update SteadyBounds on your child’s device from the App Store. Then tap Refresh device status.
“Apple parental controls need attention on this device.” On your child’s device, open Settings > Screen Time > Apps with Screen Time Access. Check that SteadyBounds is turned on. Then tap Refresh device status.
“These settings changed on another device. Reload before saving.” Tap Reload latest settings. Make your change again, then tap Save.
“Couldn’t save website settings.” Check that your phone is online. Tap OK, then tap Save again.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Choose what learning earns
Your child earns extra minutes with short lessons on their device. You choose which subjects count and how many minutes each one earns.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap Learning & Rewards.
You can also tap Rewards at the bottom, then Learning & Rewards.
On your phone
Scroll down to More settings. Tap STEM subjects.
More than one child? Tap their name at the top first.
On your phone
Turn off any subject that shouldn’t earn time, like Trivia.
Subjects you turn off are hidden from your child’s activities.
On your phone
Tap the back arrow at the top left.
The page says “Not saved yet.” You save in step 8.
On your phone
Tap Reward types.
On your phone
Next to a subject, tap − or + to set its minutes, like 10 min for Math.
Each tap changes it by 1 minute, up to 30. A subject set to 0 min stays open for practice and adds no time.
On your phone
Tap the back arrow at the top left.
On your phone
Tap Save Changes.
On your phone
Look for Learning rules saved for your family. at the bottom.
Your child’s activities now earn the new minutes.
Change the most your child can earn in a day
Learning, approved requests and time you add share one daily limit, Extra time allowed.
On Learning & Rewards, under Today’s earning ceiling, tap the time, like 1 hour.
Your child’s Controls page opens at Extra time allowed.
Next to School days or Weekends, tap − or +. Each tap changes it by 5 minutes.
Tap Done at the top right.
Scroll down and tap Save changes.
Tap OK.
Match learning to classwork with a learning plan
A learning plan picks the math skills your child practices, so Fresh Math matches what they learn at school. It’s optional.
On Learning & Rewards, tap Learning plan.
Tap Create a learning plan.
Turn on the skills your child is learning now, like Addition within 10. Turn off any that don’t fit.
Under What earns minutes, tap Only focus activities earn or Focus first, then explore.
Tap the back arrow at the top left.
To stop using a plan later, tap Use standard learning settings at the bottom of this page.
Tap Save Changes. A green note says Learning rules saved for your family.
Stuck?
A box asks “Discard unsaved changes?” You left the page before saving. Tap Keep editing, then Save Changes.
A lesson didn’t add minutes. Each lesson earns time once a day. Repeats are practice. Check that the subject isn’t set to 0 min in Reward types, and that today’s Extra time allowed isn’t used up.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Lessons, Today’s Challenge and Fresh Math
Your child learns on their own iPhone or iPad. Starter lessons, Today’s Challenge and each day’s Fresh Math set are free. The full lesson library and extra practice are part of SteadyBounds Premium.
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds. Tap Learn at the bottom.
For the daily challenge, tap Start Learning under Today’s Challenge on Home instead.
On your child’s device
Tap Fresh Math.
Fresh Math is a new set of four questions each day. The other activities are below it.
On your child’s device
Tap the Your answer box and type the answer.
Some questions show answer buttons instead. Tap one, then go to step 5.
Need help? Tap Hint. Read the question reads it out loud.
On your child’s device
Tap Done on the keyboard.
On your child’s device
Tap Check Answer. Scroll down if you don’t see it.
It turns blue once there’s an answer.
On your child’s device
Tap Next Question.
A right answer shows how it works, like 3 + 2 = 5. Not right yet? A tip shows. Your child changes the answer and taps Check Answer again.
On your child’s device
After the fourth question, tap Open Rewards.
Set complete! shows the minutes earned.
On your child’s device
Look at the top of Rewards. It shows the minutes, like 5 min earned today.
Time left today goes up by the same amount once the device adds it.
Rewards shows Add 5 minutes? Tap it. The reward says Getting time ready until the device adds it.
Good to know:
Activities with a lock are part of Premium. Your child’s device never shows prices.
Questions, hints and answer choices can be read out loud. Read-aloud never uses the microphone.
Earned time counts toward Extra time allowed. Bedtime still applies. To choose what each subject earns, see Choose what learning earns.
Learn first: a lesson before games and videos (Premium)
Learn first is part of SteadyBounds Premium. Lessons, Today’s Challenge and Fresh Math stay free. With Learn first, your child does a lesson each day before games and videos.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your child’s card.
On your phone
Scroll down to Learn first. Tap Reminder or Lock fun apps.
Reminder shows “Do a lesson first!” on your child’s device. Lock fun apps also keeps games and videos locked each day until your child finishes a lesson.
On your phone
Tap Save changes.
On your phone
Tap OK.
Your phone says “Saved. Waiting for your child’s device to update.”
On your child’s device
Home says Do a lesson first! and “Finish a lesson to unlock your apps.” Your child taps Pick a lesson.
Games and videos unlock after the lesson. Offline devices may unlock a little later. With Reminder, Home only says Do a lesson first!
Good to know:
No Premium?Learn first shows a Premium badge. Tapping Reminder or Lock fun apps opens the Premium page.
To turn Learn first off, tap Off. Then tap Save changes and OK.
Keep at least one subject turned on in Learning & Rewards, so your child has a lesson to finish.
Chores for screen time or a real-world reward
Your child does a chore and sends it to you. Nothing is given until you approve it. One-off chores and saved chore routines are free. Repeating chores and photo proof are part of Premium: see Repeating chores and photo proof.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. Tap Rewards at the bottom.
On your phone
Under Family rewards, tap your child’s chores, like Emma’s chores.
More than one child? Tap their name under Family rewards first.
Optional: turn on Due time. Then set the day and time.
Your child sees it on the task and gets a reminder 1 hour before, unless you pick another time.
On your phone
Tap Create task.
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds. Tap Rewards at the bottom.
On your child’s device
When the chore is done, your child taps I’m done · send for review.
The chore is under Family rewards. Don’t see it? Tap Family rewards at the top. Then it says Sent to your parent · waiting for a reply.
On your phone
On Home, tap 1 request needs your review.
With notifications on, you also get an alert. Finished chores also wait on the Rewards tab.
On your phone
Next to the chore, tap Review.
On your phone
Tap Approve reward.
Not done yet? Tap Ask to try again. Your child’s chore then says Try again · ask your parent what needs another look, and they can send it again.
On your phone
The review closes, and the chore says Task completed.
Waiting for the device goes away once your child’s device adds the time.
Give a real-world reward
In the task form, under Choose a reward, keep Real-world reward. Type the reward, like Pick a family game.
When your child sends the chore, open it with Review and tap Approve reward.
The chore says Approved. Plan the reward together. It doesn’t add screen time.
Save a chore to use again
Saving a chore as a routine is free. Repeating it on set days is part of Premium.
On the chores page, tap Saved routines & repeating tasks.
Fill in the chore and choose a reward.
Leave Repeat on selected days off. Tap Save routine.
The chore is under Saved routines. To give it to your child, tap Assign once.
Create Family Task opens with the chore filled in. Check it, then tap Create task.
The chore is under Assigned tasks, marked Ready when you are. Your child finds it on Rewards, as in steps 9 and 10.
Stuck?
No chores row on Rewards. Chores are turned off for the family. On Rewards, scroll down to For the whole family. Turn on Chores and rewards.
“There is no room for this reward right now.” Today’s Extra time allowed is used up. Leave the chore waiting and review it later, or see Change the most extra time in a day.
The button says Check reward or Retry reward check. Tap it. SteadyBounds checks how much time fits today. Then tap Approve reward.
The button says Approve saved reward. Today’s Extra time allowed is full, so the reward goes to Time Bank for another day.
The review shows less time than the chore offers. Only what fits in today’s Extra time allowed is added. With Time Bank on, the rest is saved there. See Save time for another day with Time Bank.
The chore still says Waiting for the device. Open SteadyBounds on your child’s device while it’s online. Bedtime, app-free times and breaks still apply.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Repeating chores and photo proof (Premium)
Repeating chores on set days and photo proof are part of SteadyBounds Premium. One-off chores and saved routines stay free.
On your phone
On your child’s chores page, tap Saved routines & repeating tasks.
To open the chores page, tap Rewards at the bottom, then your child’s chores, like Emma’s chores.
On your phone
Fill in the chore and choose a reward, as for a one-off chore.
The chore is under Saved routines, with the days it repeats.
Your child gets the chore on each of those days. You still check each one before the reward is given.
Photo proof
Your child can add a photo of a finished chore. A photo is never required. Only parents in your family can see it, and it’s deleted automatically 7 days after you review it.
On your child’s device
On the chore, tap Choose a photo.
On a device with a camera, Take a photo is next to it.
On your child’s device
Pick the photo of the finished chore.
On your child’s device
Tap I’m done · send for review.
The chore says Photo added before it’s sent, and Photo sent after.
On your phone
On Home, tap 1 request needs your review.
On your phone
Next to the chore, tap Review.
On your phone
Look at the photo under Photo from Emma. Tap it to zoom in.
On your phone
Tap Approve reward. The chore then says Task completed, and the reward says Approved.
Not done yet? Tap Ask to try again.
Good to know:
No Premium?Repeat this task shows a Premium badge. You can still save the routine with repeat off.
No Premium? On your child’s device, Add a photo (optional) is grey.
If Premium ends, repeats pause. Chores already given can still be finished and reviewed, and you can tap Assign once anytime.
Save time for another day with Time Bank
Time Bank saves extra time for another day. When today’s Extra time allowed is full, rewards from lessons, chores and time you add go to the bank instead. Your child asks to use it later. Time Bank is free.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. Tap Rewards at the bottom.
On your phone
Under Family rewards, tap Time Bank.
More than one child? Tap their name under Family rewards first.
On your phone
Turn on Use Time Bank.
Already on? Go to step 4.
On your phone
Tap − or + to set Maximum saved balance and Extra time from the bank each day.
Leave Ask a parent before using saved time on to approve each use.
On your phone
Tap Save Bank Settings.
On your phone
The top of the page shows how much is saved, like 0 min saved.
Time goes in when a reward doesn’t fit in today’s Extra time allowed.
Your child uses saved time
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds. Tap Rewards at the bottom.
On your child’s device
Tap Time Bank.
It shows how much is saved, like 30 min saved for later. Don’t see it? Tap Screen time at the top. Still not there? Time Bank is off. See step 3 of Save time for another day with Time Bank.
On your child’s device
Tap 5 min. Pick how much to use, like 15 min.
The amounts go up in 5-minute steps, up to 30 minutes at a time.
On your child’s device
Tap Ask to use saved time.
The request says Waiting for your parent.
On your phone
On Home, tap 1 request needs your review.
On your phone
Next to Use 15 min from Time Bank, tap Review.
On your phone
Scroll down to Bank requests. Tap Approve 15 min.
If you see Check this request, tap it first. To say no, tap Not this time.
On your child’s device
On Time Bank, tap Use 15 min now.
Left the page? Open Rewards, then Time Bank again. The time is added for today. Your child can use approved time any time that day. Don’t see Use 15 min now? Tap Refresh saved time.
Good to know: with Ask a parent before using saved time off, your child taps Use saved time and gets the time without asking. Bedtime, app-free times, breaks and pauses still apply. To save time you give, turn on Save for later when you add time or approve a chore.
Stuck?
“There’s no time available to use yet.” The bank is empty. Time goes in when a reward doesn’t fit today, or when you turn on Save for later.
“Your bank limit for today has been reached.” Your child has used the most for today, set by Extra time from the bank each day. They can ask again tomorrow.
“Time Bank is turned off.” Turn on Use Time Bank, as in step 3. Time already saved stays in the bank.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Add another parent
The other parent gets their own SteadyBounds account. They see and manage the same children, rules and requests. Adding a parent is free.
Before you start
Invite only another parent or legal guardian of your children.
Only the parent who set up SteadyBounds can send an invitation.
Have your SteadyBounds password and the other parent’s email address ready.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
On your phone
Tap Family and device management.
On your phone
Scroll down. Tap Invite another parent.
On your phone
Under Confirm your password, type your SteadyBounds password.
Your password shows as dots. Our pictures don’t show the dots.
On your phone
Under Other parent’s email, type their email address.
On your phone
Tap Send Invitation.
On your phone
A green box says Invitation sent. The other parent is listed under Invitations waiting.
We email them a Join the family button and a code. The invitation works for 3 days.
The other parent joins
The other parent does these steps on their own iPhone or iPad.
On the other parent’s phone
Install SteadyBounds from the App Store and open it. Tap Let’s start.
Already have a SteadyBounds account? Tap I already have an account and sign in with the email address the invitation was sent to. Then go to step 6.
On the other parent’s phone
Under Your email, type the email address the invitation was sent to.
On the other parent’s phone
Under Password, type a new password. Use at least 12 characters.
Your password shows as dots. Our pictures don’t show the dots. Your iPhone may offer a strong password. You can use it, or close it and type your own.
On the other parent’s phone
Tap Create Parent Account.
Keyboard in the way? Swipe down on the page to close it.
On the other parent’s phone
On Enter your code, type the 6-digit code we email you.
Resend or cancel an invitation. Open Invite another parent again and type your password under Confirm your password. Then, under Invitations waiting, tap Resend or Cancel invitation. A resent invitation has a new code. The old code stops working.
The other parent already has their own family in SteadyBounds? On their Your Family page, they open Invite another parent, then Have an invitation code from another parent?, and fill in the same form as steps 7 to 11.
Remove a parent. The parent who set up SteadyBounds opens Invite another parent, taps Manage parent access, then Remove next to that parent, and confirms with their password.
Stuck?
Accept Parent Invitation stays grey. Type your password, type the code and turn on the switch. All three are needed.
You don’t see Confirm your password or Other parent’s email. Only the parent who set up SteadyBounds can send invitations. Ask them to send it.
The invitation email didn’t arrive. Check the spam or junk folder. Then ask the parent who sent it to tap Resend.
The code doesn’t work. It works once, only for the email address it was sent to, for 3 days. Sign in with that address, or ask for a new invitation.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Add another child
Each child gets their own rules, time and devices. Adding a child is free.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
On your phone
Tap Family and device management.
On your phone
Scroll down. Tap Add a Child.
On your phone
Under Who are you setting up?, type your child’s first name or nickname.
On your phone
Tap Age.
Keyboard in the way? Tap the return key (↵) on the keyboard first.
On your phone
Pick your child’s age, like 6 years.
On your phone
Tap Continue.
To change the age, tap − or +. Their age sets where lessons start.
Those steps also set your child’s daily time and bedtime.
Good to know:
Adding more than one child? Tap Add another child before you tap Continue.
See Review the family terms on Your Family? We need your consent again. Read the card, turn on its switch and tap Agree. If a code box appears, type the code from our email. Then tap Add a Child.
Not ready to connect the device? On the code screen, tap I’ll connect devices later. You still choose what’s on, daily time and bedtime. Later, open Your Family and tap Connect a Device under your child.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Notifications and alerts
Notifications tell you about new requests, chores to check and device problems. Each parent turns them on for their own phone. Notifications are free.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
On your phone
Scroll down to Family features. Turn on Notifications.
Your iPhone asks to send you notifications. Tap Allow.
On your phone
Tap OK.
On your phone
Notifications now says On · this iPhone is registered. This phone gets alerts.
Choose which alerts you get
On your phone
Under Notifications, tap Choose alerts.
On your phone
Turn off any alert you don’t want, like Family chat.
Changes save right away. Your choices are only for you. Other parents choose their own. Places and bedtime alerts are part of Premium.
The 5-minute warning on your child’s device
Your child’s device gives a heads-up about 5 minutes before their time runs out or bedtime starts. It’s on unless you turn off 5-minute warning under Family features. For it to show, turn on notifications on your child’s device:
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds. Tap the gear at the top right.
On your child’s device
Type your parent PIN. Tap Unlock. Our pictures don’t show the dots.
On your child’s device
Tap Notifications.
On your child’s device
The device asks to send notifications. Tap Allow.
Notifications says Connecting, then On. Your child also gets your answers to their requests and new family messages.
On your child’s device
Tap Lock settings.
Stuck?
Notifications says Off in iPhone Settings. Someone tapped Don’t Allow earlier. Tap the Notifications switch. iPhone Settings opens. Turn on Allow Notifications.
Your child’s device still says Off. Someone tapped Don’t Allow on that device. In SteadyBounds settings there, tap Notifications. The device’s Settings app opens. Turn on Allow Notifications.
No alert came. Requests always wait on your Rewards tab. Check Choose which alerts you get, and check that Focus or Do Not Disturb is off on your phone.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Your parent PIN on your child’s device
Your parent PIN unlocks SteadyBounds settings on your child’s device. You created it when you connected the device. Keep it secret from your kids.
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds. Tap the gear at the top right.
On your child’s device
Type your parent PIN. Tap Unlock. Our pictures don’t show the dots.
A parent or guardian in your Apple Family Sharing group can turn off SteadyBounds in Apple’s Screen Time settings for your child. You can also email us.
Reports: screen time, requests and learning
Screen time and request reports are free. Learning reports are part of SteadyBounds Premium.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. Tap Reports at the bottom.
On your phone
Screen time opens first. Tap Today or Last 7 days, then your child’s name.
Apple’s Screen Time draws this chart, so it isn’t pictured here. Says No activity yet? See Reports says “No activity yet”.
On your phone
Tap Requests.
Waiting for you lists requests to answer. Tap Review to answer one. Earlier shows the ones you approved or declined.
On your phone
Tap Learning.
Without Premium, you see Learning progress reports and a See Premium button. Your child’s learning records are still saved.
Learning reports (Premium)
On your phone
On Learning, tap your child’s name.
Today shows activities finished, minutes earned, Fresh Math sets this week and their lesson level. This week shows the minutes earned each day.
On your phone
Scroll down to What [your child] is working on.
Each subject shows how many lessons are finished. New records appear after your child’s device syncs.
Share a family plan with your kids
Our Family Plan shows each child their rules in kid-friendly words, with a note from you. It’s free.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap Family plan.
On your phone
Tap your child’s picture to see their rules.
Our rules comes from your settings for that child.
On your phone
Under A note from Mom and Dad, tap the note. Scroll down if you don’t see it.
Every family starts with this short note from SteadyBounds. You can change it to your own words.
On your phone
Delete the old words and type your note.
Need ideas? Before you type, scroll down to Ideas to add and tap + next to one.
On your phone
Tap Save note.
Until you do, your edits stay only on this phone.
On your phone
Your family plan is saved. appears above your note. Your kids see the new note under their rules.
What your child sees
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds. Tap Profile at the bottom.
On your child’s device
Tap Our Family plan.
On your child’s device
Your child sees their rules. Your note is below them.
Chat with your family (Premium)
Family chat is part of SteadyBounds Premium. Time requests stay free. Reporting, blocking and muting stay free too. Kids can chat with parents. Kids can’t message each other.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap the chat icon at the top.
On your phone
Tap New conversation.
The first time, Messages says Start a conversation.
On your phone
Under A name for your conversation, the box says Family chat. Delete it and type a name, like Family check-in.
Or keep Family chat as the name.
On your phone
Under Children, turn on your child, like Emma.
Each conversation can have one child. Parents turned on under Parents are in it too.
On your phone
Tap Create conversation.
On your phone
Tap Message your family and type a message.
On your phone
Tap the blue arrow to send it.
Your message shows Sent. Everyone in the conversation can read it.
Your child replies
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap the chat icon at the top.
On your child’s device
Tap the conversation, like Family check-in.
It shows your message. A blue number counts new messages.
On your child’s device
Tap Message your family and type a reply.
Your child can also tap Ask for time to ask you for more time.
On your child’s device
Tap the blue arrow to send it.
Give extra time from the chat
On your phone
In the conversation, tap Give extra time.
Your child’s reply shows here too.
On your phone
Under How much time?, tap 5 min, 15 min or 30 min.
Who is the extra time for? shows your child and their device.
On your phone
Tap Give 15 minutes.
The button shows the amount you picked.
On your phone
A message in the conversation says you approved 15 min for today.
Your child’s device adds the time when it gets it. Bedtime, breaks and pauses still apply.
More choices: tap ••• at the top right for People & group settings, Safety & reporting and Message privacy.
No Premium? Messages shows Family chat and groups with a Premium badge.
To turn family chat off or on: tap your profile picture on Home. Under Family features, use the Family chat switch.
To get an alert for new messages, turn on Notifications in the same list.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Share your child’s location
Location sharing is free. You see the last place your child’s device shared. It isn’t a live map, and it’s hidden after 24 hours. Your child agrees on their device first.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
On your phone
Tap Family location.
On your phone
Under your child’s device, tap Turn on sharing.
More than one child? Tap the name under the title, like Emma, to pick another.
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap Share this device’s location with my parents.
Your child can tap Not now instead. Nothing is shared until they agree.
On your child’s device
Tap Allow While Using App.
This box comes from Apple.
On your child’s device
Home says Location sharing on.
On your phone
On Family location, the map shows where your child’s device was last.
It says Location received and when it was updated. Tap Check for updates to see whether a newer location has come in.
Good to know:
Says Permission needed? Your child hasn’t agreed on their device yet. Do steps 4 and 5.
Another way on your child’s device: tap the gear, enter your parent PIN and tap Unlock. Then turn on Share this device’s location. Your child can also use Profile > Location sharing.
Updates come mostly while SteadyBounds is open on your child’s device. How often depends on the device and Apple’s location settings.
To stop sharing, tap Turn off sharing on your phone. Your child can stop it in Profile > Location sharing.
On Family location, scroll down to Places. Tap Add place.
To open Family location, tap your profile picture on Home, then Family location.
On your phone
Under Name, tap a name, like Practice. Or type your own.
On your phone
Tap Search for an address or place and type the address.
Or tap Use Emma’s last shared location, or tap the map.
On your phone
Tap the right place in the list.
On your phone
Check the pin and the circle. To make the circle bigger, drag the slider under Size.
A bigger circle works better. An alert comes when the device crosses the edge of the circle.
On your phone
Tap Save at the top right.
On your phone
Turn on Arrival alerts for Emma.
Your place is now under Places.
On your child’s device
Home asks your child to allow place alerts. Tap Allow Always.
On your child’s device
Tap Change to Always Allow.
This box comes from Apple. Without it, alerts can’t work while SteadyBounds is closed.
On your phone
Under Arrival alerts for Emma, your child’s device says Place alerts active.
Arrivals and departures show under Recent for 7 days.
Good to know:
No Premium? Places shows Places & arrival alerts with a Premium badge, and Add place opens the Premium page.
To change or delete a place, tap ••• next to it.
Says Needs Always location? On your child’s device, open SteadyBounds and tap Allow Always. See Place alerts not arriving?
To get the alerts, turn on notifications for SteadyBounds on your phone.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Bedtime activity alerts (Premium)
Bedtime activity alerts are part of SteadyBounds Premium. Bedtime itself stays free. You see when your child’s device is first used during bedtime. It doesn’t say which app.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your child’s card.
On your phone
Scroll down to More. Tap Activity during bedtime.
On your phone
Turn on Share bedtime activity.
On your phone
Tap Save Changes.
On your phone
Lower on the page, it says “Setting saved.”
Under Device status, your child’s device shows when it has the setting.
On your phone
When your child’s device reports activity during bedtime, it shows under Recent activity on this page.
Each report shows the device, Active during bedtime and the time. An alert can come if the report reaches SteadyBounds within an hour.
Good to know:
No Premium?Activity during bedtime shows a Premium badge.
Says “Notifications are off on this phone”? Activity still shows on this page. To get alerts, tap Open notification settings and allow notifications.
You get one report per device, per bedtime. Your family can see the last 30 days.
It can include apps that stay open, or something already running when bedtime started.
On a teen’s device, it starts only after the teen agrees there.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Home Screen widget (Premium)
The SteadyBounds Today widget is part of SteadyBounds Premium. It shows each child’s time left and requests waiting, right on your Home Screen. Steps 1 to 7 happen on your iPhone’s Home Screen, outside SteadyBounds.
On your phone
On your Home Screen, touch and hold an empty spot until the apps jiggle. Tap Edit at the top left.
On your phone
Tap Add Widget.
On your phone
In the search box, type SteadyBounds.
On your phone
Tap SteadyBounds.
On your phone
Swipe left or right to pick a size: small, medium or large.
This page shows sample times, not your family’s.
On your phone
Tap Add Widget.
On your phone
Tap Done at the top right.
On your phone
The widget shows each child’s time left and any requests waiting.
“may have changed” means the last report is more than 15 minutes old. Tap the widget to open SteadyBounds.
Show one child only
On your phone
Touch and hold the widget. Tap Edit Widget.
On your phone
Tap Child.
On your phone
Tap a name, like Emma.
On your phone
Child now shows Emma. Tap outside the box to close it.
The widget now shows only Emma.
Good to know:
Show all your children again: touch and hold the widget, tap Remove Widget and confirm. Add it again, as in steps 1 to 7. A new widget shows all your children.
No Premium? The widget says “See time left and requests at a glance.”
SteadyBounds Today also comes in Lock Screen sizes.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Pictures, avatars and Home backgrounds
Pictures and avatars are free. On your child’s device, the Forest background is free. The other backgrounds are part of SteadyBounds Premium.
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
On your phone
Tap Your profile.
Once you add your name, this row shows your name.
On your phone
Under Choose an avatar, tap one, like Panda.
To use a photo instead, tap Choose a photo on the same page.
On your phone
Tap Save picture.
It says “Your photo is saved.”
Change your child’s picture
On your phone
Open SteadyBounds. On Home, tap your child’s card, like Emma.
Their Controls page opens.
On your phone
Tap ••• next to Pause apps.
On your phone
Tap Change picture.
On your phone
Tap an avatar, like Owl.
To use a photo, tap Choose a photo. Your child’s picture shows with their profile and family messages.
It’s saved on this device only. Set it on each device.
Good to know:
No Premium? Backgrounds other than Forest have a lock, and your child sees “These backgrounds aren’t turned on for your family.” No prices show on your child’s device.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
Keep apps open when time is up
Choose apps your child can still open when other apps lock, like Phone, Messages, Maps or school apps. Their time still counts. This is free. You set it on your child’s device with your parent PIN.
On your child’s device
Open SteadyBounds. Tap the gear at the top right.
On your child’s device
Tap Parent PIN and type your PIN.
On your child’s device
Tap Unlock.
On your child’s device
Tap Apps that stay open.
On your child’s device
Tap Apps that stay open again, under the switch.
On your child’s device
Pick the apps, like Phone, Messages or a school app.
This list comes from Apple. You can pick up to 50 apps.
On your child’s device
Tap Save Selection.
On your child’s device
Check that Keep chosen apps open is on.
It turns on by itself when you choose apps.
Good to know:
Says “Only the apps you picked have limits”? Your family limits only the apps you picked, so other apps already stay open. Change which apps have limits in Controls on your phone.
Chosen apps stay open after the daily limit, at bedtime, during app-free time and breaks, and when apps are paused. Their time keeps counting, so it can use up extra time added or earned later that day.
This choice is saved only on this device and doesn’t show on your phone. Set it on each device.
After a change, check that each chosen app opens while apps are locked.
Still stuck? Email hello@steadybounds.com. Tell us the step number and what the screen says.
6. Deleting your account and family data
You can delete your account and your family’s data inside the app. To keep a copy first, open Settings > Account & Family Data and tap Prepare Family Export.
On your phone, tap your profile picture on Home to open Settings, then tap Account & Family Data:
If you own the family: tap Request Family Removal and confirm with your parent account password. Open SteadyBounds on your child’s devices and keep them online so they can release SteadyBounds.
When the devices have disconnected, tap Finish Removing Family, then Delete Family Records. This permanently deletes the family’s profiles, pictures, messages, learning and requests for every parent in the family, except for the limited records our Privacy Policy describes.
If a device is lost or unavailable, tap Delete Without Unavailable Devices. SteadyBounds’s limits may stay on that device until you find it and remove them there, with your parent PIN if SteadyBounds offers Parent Help, or through Apple’s Screen Time settings, as described above.
If you were invited to someone else’s family, tap Leave Family. The family and its shared history stay with its owner.
After you have left or removed every family, tap Delete Parent Account to permanently delete your sign-in.
Deleting your account, your family or the app does not cancel a Premium subscription. Cancel it in Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions. Deleting the app alone does not delete your account or your family’s data. If you can’t finish these steps, email hello@steadybounds.com from the address on your account. Our Privacy Policy explains what we keep after deletion and why.
7. Premium and billing
About Premium
SteadyBounds is free to download, and every Screen Time control is free. SteadyBounds Premium is an optional auto-renewing subscription that adds extra learning and family features: the full lesson library and extra practice, Learn first, family chat and groups, repeating chore routines, bedtime activity alerts, places and arrival alerts, Home Screen widgets, animated Home scenes (Forest stays free), and learning progress reports. Location sharing (the latest point on the map), bedtime schedules, and each child’s time left and waiting requests in the app are free. The price and terms are shown in the app and by Apple before you confirm. The yearly plan includes a 14-day free trial for eligible new subscribers, and Apple decides who is eligible. One subscription covers the SteadyBounds family it was bought for: the other parents and your children get Premium through that family and don’t need to buy or restore it. Only the family’s owner can buy or restore Premium, and it can’t be shared through Apple’s Family Sharing.
Family chat for children
Once your family has Premium, a parent can add a child to a conversation with the family’s parents and guardians. Children can chat only with their own parents and guardians in the family: a conversation can include one child, and children can’t message each other. Any parent in the family can turn off all chat for a child at any time, in that child’s Family chat settings. Turning it off removes the child from every conversation and deletes the text of the messages the child sent.
Billing, cancelling and refunds
Apple handles all payments for SteadyBounds. We don’t receive your card details.
To cancel, go to Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions on a device signed in to the Apple Account that bought Premium, or in SteadyBounds open Settings > Purchases & subscriptions and tap Manage Subscription, which opens Apple’s subscription settings. You never have to contact us to cancel. Cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, or before a free trial ends, to avoid the next charge. Apple’s steps are here: Cancel a subscription from Apple.
We email the family owner a confirmation when Premium starts, a reminder before a free trial ends, reminders before each yearly renewal, and a receipt after each monthly renewal. See Subscriptions, Cancellation & Refunds for full details, including the free trial, automatic renewal and the emails we send.
Restoring purchases
Sign in to SteadyBounds as the parent who owns the family, on an iPhone or iPad signed in to the same Apple Account that bought Premium.
Open Settings > Purchases & subscriptions and tap Restore Purchases.
A Premium purchase stays linked to the SteadyBounds family it was bought for and doesn’t move to a different family automatically. If restoring doesn’t work, email us before buying again.
8. Reporting a chat message
To report one message: touch and hold the message, tap Report message, choose a reason, add a note if you like, and submit.
To report a whole conversation: tap the options button (three dots) in the conversation, then Safety & reporting, then Report this conversation. This shares up to the 20 most recent messages sent since you joined the conversation, including messages hidden by blocking, plus your note.
To stop messages from someone: on the same Chat safety screen, tap Block messages to block free-text messages from a person, or turn on Mute message notifications for the conversation. Time requests and parental controls keep working.
Reports go to SteadyBounds reviewers. In the app, other family members, including the person you report, can’t see your report. A parent can ask us for a copy of the information we hold about their child, which can include reports the child made. You can check the status of your reports under Your recent reports on the Chat safety screen. We keep reports for up to 90 days, unless the law requires us to keep them longer. Reports are not monitored around the clock, we can’t promise when or how a report will be reviewed, and reporting is not an emergency service. For a concern you want to describe in more detail, email us, but please don’t forward unrelated private conversations.
9. Safety and emergencies
SteadyBounds is a tool that helps parents manage screen time. It is not an emergency service or a monitoring service, and neither our support team nor the app watches over your family. We can’t contact emergency services for you, and a message to us or an in-app report is not a way to get urgent help.
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency number.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S.
Our Safety & Parent Responsibility page explains how SteadyBounds works, its limits and what parents remain responsible for.
