PearGuard

Most issues fall into one of three buckets: the two devices can't find each other, a required permission was turned off on the child device or the child device's battery optimizer is killing PearGuard in the background. Walk through the sections below in order.

Invite links are single use and expire quickly. If pairing fails:

• Generate a fresh invite on the parent device and try again.
• Make sure both devices have internet access. Pairing needs both devices online at the same time.
• If you are on a corporate or school Wi-Fi network that blocks peer to peer traffic, try mobile data instead.
• Restart the PearGuard app on both devices and retry.

• Raise screen brightness on the parent device so the scanner can see the code clearly.
• Clean the child device's camera lens.
• If scanning still fails, tap Share Link on the parent device and send the invite URL to the child device by any channel. Opening the link on the child device completes pairing without the camera.

Policies you set on the parent device apply the next time both devices are online at the same time. If changes aren't showing up:

• Confirm both devices have internet right now. Both must be reachable at the same moment to sync.
• Pull to refresh on the parent dashboard. PearGuard reconnects and pulls the latest state.
• If only one network blocks peer to peer connections, switching the child or parent to mobile data often fixes it.
• Changes still apply on the child device immediately if you set them while both devices were online. They keep working when the child device goes offline.

Enforcement on Android depends on two permissions. If either is off, blocks silently stop working.

• Accessibility Service. Open the PearGuard app on the child device, go to settings and check that Accessibility is enabled. If it has been turned off, follow the Accessibility setup guide to turn it back on.
• Usage access. Required for time limits and reporting. PearGuard prompts for this during setup.

After re-enabling, launch a blocked app on the child device to confirm the block screen appears.

• Check the child device clock is set to automatic time and the correct time zone.
• Verify the bedtime schedule on the parent device and that the change has synced (pull to refresh).
• Make sure the Accessibility Service is still enabled on the child device.

Many Android phones aggressively stop background apps to save battery. If PearGuard keeps turning off on the child device, exclude it from battery optimization:

• Stock Android and Pixel. Settings, Apps, PearGuard, Battery, Unrestricted.
• Samsung (One UI). Settings, Apps, PearGuard, Battery, set to Unrestricted. Also check Device care, Battery, Background usage limits and remove PearGuard from Sleeping apps and Deep sleeping apps.
• Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO (MIUI or HyperOS). Settings, Apps, Manage apps, PearGuard, Battery saver, No restrictions. Then enable Autostart for PearGuard under Settings, Apps, Permissions, Autostart.
• OnePlus, Oppo, Realme (ColorOS). Settings, Battery, Battery optimization, PearGuard, Don't optimize. Also check Settings, Apps, Auto launch and enable PearGuard.
• Huawei. Settings, Apps, PearGuard, Battery, Launch, turn off Manage automatically and enable all three auto options.

After changing these settings, reboot the child device and verify blocks still trigger.

• Check that notifications are enabled for PearGuard on the parent device: Settings, Apps, PearGuard, Notifications.
• Time requests only reach the parent when both devices are online at the same time. If the parent is offline when the child requests time, the notification arrives when the parent device next connects.
• If the parent device is iOS and notifications are silent, check Focus or Do Not Disturb settings.

A determined child can force stop PearGuard or clear its data from Android Settings. PearGuard cannot prevent this on its own. When it happens, the parent device receives a notification so you know enforcement has been bypassed. To restore protection:

1. Open PearGuard on the child device.
2. Re-enable the Accessibility Service.
3. If pairing was lost, create a fresh invite on the parent and pair again.

For persistent attempts to bypass enforcement, consider a lock on the child device's Settings app using a separate screen pinning or lockdown tool, or switching to a supervised Android account.

• SmartScreen warning on install. The Windows installer is not yet code signed. Click More info, then Run anyway.
• Blocked apps close and reopen. The watchdog service keeps PearGuard running. A technically savvy child with admin rights can still kill the process. The Windows client is intended for younger kids; use the Android child app for teens.
• Pairing on Windows. Pair by using the Show QR code button or by copying the invite URL into PearGuard.

Email peerloomllc@proton.me or open a GitHub issue. Include the child device model, Android or Windows version and what you have already tried.