PearGuard

Android's Accessibility Service is the system feature that lets an app react to what is happening on screen. It was built for assistive tools like screen readers, and it is the same surface every Android parental control, focus app and digital wellbeing tool relies on to block or time limit apps. PearGuard uses it to close blocked apps on the child device and to show the time limit screen when a budget runs out.

Accessibility runs only on the child device. The parent device never needs it.

PearGuard asks for three things during setup. All three are needed for full enforcement on Android.

1. Accessibility Service. Lets PearGuard detect which app is in the foreground and close blocked ones.
2. Usage access. Needed for time limits and daily reports.
3. Notifications. Used for time request status and block alerts on the child device.

PearGuard will walk you through each prompt during initial setup. The sections below cover where to find each setting if you skip a prompt or need to re-enable one later.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Accessibility.
3. Under Installed apps or Downloaded apps, tap PearGuard.
4. Toggle Use PearGuard on.
5. Confirm on the permission dialog.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Accessibility, then Installed apps.
3. Tap PearGuard.
4. Turn on Allow access to do this and confirm.

Samsung phones aggressively sleep background apps. While you are in Settings, also go to Device care, Battery, Background usage limits and remove PearGuard from both Sleeping apps and Deep sleeping apps.

1. Open Settings, then Additional settings, then Accessibility.
2. Tap Downloaded apps or Installed services.
3. Tap PearGuard and toggle the service on.

MIUI and HyperOS also require autostart permission:

1. Open Settings, Apps, Permissions, Autostart.
2. Find PearGuard and enable autostart.
3. Then go to Settings, Apps, Manage apps, PearGuard, Battery saver and choose No restrictions.

1. Open Settings, then Additional settings, then Accessibility.
2. Tap Installed services, then PearGuard.
3. Toggle the service on.

Also enable auto launch and disable battery optimization:

1. Settings, Apps, Auto launch, enable PearGuard.
2. Settings, Battery, Battery optimization, PearGuard, Don't optimize.

1. Open Settings, Accessibility features, Accessibility.
2. Tap Installed services, then PearGuard and toggle on.
3. Open Settings, Apps, PearGuard, Battery, Launch.
4. Turn off Manage automatically and enable all three auto options.

1. Open Settings.
2. Search for Usage access or go to Apps, Special app access, Usage access.
3. Tap PearGuard and turn on Permit usage access.

1. On the parent device, block one app on the child device.
2. Wait for the change to sync. Pull to refresh on the parent dashboard if needed.
3. On the child device, try to open the blocked app.
4. You should see the PearGuard block screen within a second or two.

If the app opens normally, the Accessibility Service has been turned off or killed by battery optimization. See below.

Android will silently disable the Accessibility Service if the system or a battery optimizer decides the app is misbehaving. To keep it on:

• Exclude PearGuard from battery optimization. Instructions per manufacturer are on the Troubleshooting page.
• On Samsung, remove PearGuard from Sleeping apps and Deep sleeping apps.
• On MIUI and HyperOS, enable autostart.
• Pin PearGuard in the recent apps tray by long pressing its card and tapping the lock icon. This reduces how aggressively the OS evicts it from memory.

Reboot the child device after making these changes and rerun the verification steps.

Email peerloomllc@proton.me with the child device model and Android version. We keep a list of per device quirks and will update this guide.