Screen time,
in the open.
Rupix Guardian gives parents clear, honest screen-time reports and gives kids a dashboard of exactly what's shared. Everyone sees the same picture — because family trust shouldn't run on hidden software.
Awareness — not surveillance
Most "parental control" apps are built around what parents can do to a phone the child can't see. We started from the opposite question: what would this look like if the child could see everything?
What Guardian does
- Shows daily screen-time reports to the parent
- Shows the child the exact same data on their own dashboard
- Keeps a visible, ongoing notification on the child device
- Uses the child's own separate sign-in when pairing
- Works offline and syncs honestly when back online
What it deliberately doesn't
- Track location or movement
- Read messages, calls or browsing
- Hide its icon or silence its presence
- Block or restrict apps in v1
- Operate as secret “stealth” monitoring — ever
Three promises, built into the app
Their own dashboard
'My Screen Time' shows the child exactly what's being shared — totals, categories and top apps. No hidden numbers.
A visible notification
An ongoing notification states who supervises the device. It cannot be disguised or dismissed while active.
Their own sign-in
The child pairs with their own account — never a copy of the parent's login — enforced by the server, not just the UI.
How pairing works
One short code links the two phones. Full walkthrough in the setup guide.
Parent generates a code
Your dashboard creates an 8-character code that expires in 10 minutes and works only once.
Child accepts disclosure
On the child's phone, a prominent screen explains plainly what will be shared before anything happens.
Child signs in & pairs
They use their own account — not yours — then enter the code. The devices are now linked.
Reports begin syncing
Daily usage flows to your dashboard automatically; both sides always see the same picture.
What the family sees
Parent dashboard
Daily & weekly totals
Each device's total screen time for the day, with trends over 7, 14 or 30 days.
Where the time goes
A category breakdown and the top apps of the day — the same picture Digital Wellbeing shows.
Multi-device switcher
Pair more than one child device, give each a nickname, and see who's active, idle or offline.
Honest status signals
Clear banners if a device hasn't checked in recently, or has turned off Usage Access.
Child device
Their own dashboard
'My Screen Time' shows the child exactly what's being shared — totals, categories and top apps. No hidden numbers.
A visible notification
An ongoing notification states who supervises the device. It cannot be disguised or dismissed while active.
Their own sign-in
The child pairs with their own account — never a copy of the parent's login — enforced by the server, not just the UI.
Exactly what data moves
Guardian reads the same per-app usage numbers Android already shows families in Digital Wellbeing — and nothing else.
Synced to the parent report
- Which apps were used each day
- How long each app was in the foreground
- A device nickname (chosen by you)
- A last-active heartbeat + permission status
Never collected
- Location or movement history
- Messages, calls or contacts
- Browsing history or search activity
- Screen content, photos or app content
Frequently asked questions
What data does Rupix Guardian collect?
Only what it needs for screen-time reports: which apps were used and for how long each day (the same numbers Android's own Digital Wellbeing shows), a device nickname you choose, and a last-active heartbeat so parents know the connection is healthy. No location, no messages or call logs, no browsing history, no contacts, no photos, no screen content. The data lives in a dedicated, access-controlled database that only the linked parent account can read.
Why does the child always see a notification that supervision is active?
Because we refuse to build stealthware. Rupix Guardian posts a visible, ongoing notification on the child device ('This device is supervised by …'), the app icon stays fully visible in the launcher, and the child gets their own complete dashboard of exactly what is being shared. We believe monitoring software without the child's awareness crosses a line — trust is built in the open, not in hiding. This is a deliberate product stance, not a limitation.
How does unpairing work?
The parent can unpair a device from their dashboard at any time, which immediately stops all new reports from that device. There is no disguised gesture and no hidden switch — unpairing is an explicit, visible action on the parent side, and pairing again requires generating a fresh code.
Does Guardian block apps or set time limits?
Not today. Version 1 is deliberately focused on transparency and shared awareness: accurate reports, honest conversations, and full visibility for both sides. Enforcement features like limits and blocking are future ideas, and if they ever ship they will follow the same openness-first rules — never secret ones.
What permission does the child device need?
One: Android's 'Usage access' permission, which lets the app read daily per-app foreground time — nothing more. It is granted manually through Android Settings via a deep link inside the app, and it can be revoked at any time. The app also posts its supervision notification, which needs the standard Android notification permission.
How does my child's phone connect to mine?
From your parent dashboard you generate an 8-character pairing code that expires in 10 minutes. On the child's phone, after accepting a prominent disclosure screen, the child signs in with their own account and enters the code once. After that, reports sync automatically whenever the child opens the app — and queued offline if there's no network.
Can I see more than one child's device?
Yes. The parent dashboard supports multiple paired devices with a device switcher, per-device nicknames, and status indicators showing whether each device is active, idle or offline.
When can I get it?
Rupix Guardian is in final preparation and not yet on Google Play. Join the waitlist and we'll email you the moment early access opens.
Build screen-time trust, openly.
Rupix Guardian isn't on Google Play yet. Join the waitlist and be the first to try it when early access opens.