Your TV, your rules.

Not at all. Install the TVCP app on your TV, download the Guardian app on your phone, and scan the QR code to pair. Standard setup takes a couple of minutes — no developer tools or special settings. If your child is the type to tinker, there's an optional stronger-protection setup for extra peace of mind, but it's not required.

When the TV is locked, it's protected by a 4-digit PIN that only you know — kids can't dismiss the lock screen or change settings without it. Keep the TV locked when you're not around for maximum protection.

TVCP runs on TVs and boxes that use Google TV or Android TV. That includes Google TV and Android TV models from Sony, TCL, Hisense, Xiaomi and Philips, boxes like the Nvidia Shield, Xiaomi Mi Box and Google TV Streamer, Chromecast with Google TV, and many TV-provider boxes that run Android TV.

To check yours, open the Play Store on your TV and search for TV Control for Parents. If it shows up, your TV works. Having the Play Store isn't enough on its own, because some cheap boxes run regular Android, made for phones and tablets, and TVCP doesn't show up there. And some brands, like TCL and Hisense, also sell TVs with Roku or Fire TV, so check your model, not the brand.

It does not work on LG (webOS) or Samsung (Tizen) TVs, on Roku or Amazon Fire TV devices, or on Vizio.

Yes. You can block any app installed on the TV — YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, Twitch, games, browsers, or anything else. Changes apply instantly.

Yes. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. We never sell or share your information with third parties. You can request full data deletion at any time. For full details, see our Privacy Policy.

To enable the App Blocking feature, the TV app collects the list of installed applications (app names and package identifiers) on the paired TV device. This data is securely transmitted to our servers and shared only with the parent or guardian account linked to that device. It is used exclusively for parental control — never for advertising, profiling, or sold to third parties.

Just sign in to your Guardian account from another phone. Your settings and paired devices carry over — nothing is stored only on your phone.

Two ways. Start a countdown timer from your phone and the TV locks automatically when time runs out — you can always unlock it early if needed. Or set a schedule: choose the hours your child is allowed to watch, and the TV stays locked the rest of the time.

TVCP starts with a 7-day free trial for eligible new subscribers. When the trial ends, an active subscription is required to keep using the TV controls — scheduling, screen time limits, app blocking, TV lock, volume cap and sleep timer. Plans start at $3.99/month or $33.99/year, and prices vary by country: the final local price is always shown by the App Store or Google Play before you subscribe. You can cancel the trial or the subscription anytime in your App Store or Google Play account settings.

Yes. A family can now pair up to 5 TVs. There are plans for 1 to 5 TVs, and you choose yours in the Guardian app, where you can see the price of each plan.