Timily Help Center: FAQs & Parent Support

1. Sign in to Timily and choose Parent.
2. Select Create a New Family during setup.
3. Complete the subscription when prompted.

If you haven't added a child yet, tap the Add Child card on the Home screen. If you already have child profiles, swipe left to the end and tap + Add Child. You can also add a child from Settings.

Steps:

1. Create your child's profile to get a pairing code.
2. Install Timily on your child's device.
3. Tap Get Started > Child, and enter the pairing code.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish setup.
5. Make sure to allow Screen Time access when prompted.

In Timily, parents choose which apps are locked by default during child device setup. Locked apps can be updated anytime in Settings, but must be selected on your child's device.

Kids unlock apps by earning Coins through Focus Timer sessions, Weekly Challenges, and Quests. 1 Coin = 1 minute of app access, unlocked in 30-minute blocks. Unused minutes are returned as Coins.

In Timily, a Weekly Challenge sets a focus goal for the week, based on total completed Focus Timer time. By default, each challenge runs from Monday to Sunday.

Parents set the goal and a weekly app unlock limit, and the challenge starts only after the child agrees. If the goal is reached, kids earn bonus Coins. Challenges repeat weekly unless replaced by a new one.

Note: To help new families experience how challenges work right away, parents can tap Start Demo Challenge to begin a challenge immediately--even if it's not Monday yet.

In Timily, kids choose a task and start a timer. Finishing the timer earns Coins.

If End Timer When Child Leaves Timily is turned on, leaving Timily for more than 30 seconds ends the session and no Coins are earned. You can change this in Settings > Focus Timer.

You can also adjust the timer length and Coins earned in Settings > Focus Timer.

In Timily, the Reward Shop lets kids use earned Coins to unlock rewards approved by parents.

Kids earn Coins through Focus Timer sessions, Weekly Challenges, and Quests. Coins can be exchanged for app unlock time or real-life rewards.

Parents stay in control. Kids can suggest custom rewards using Make a Wish, and parents choose whether to approve them.

Screen time rewards follow family rules. They are unavailable during Bedtime or when weekly app unlock limits are reached.

Timily works alongside Apple's built-in Screen Time features. Our recommended "Secure Settings" help keep things consistent — for example, preventing accidental app deletions or unexpected settings changes — so the routines you build together don't get disrupted.

These settings are optional but recommended for a smoother experience.

A Screen Time Passcode is a separate 4-digit code (different from your device lock code) that helps keep your family's settings in place. We recommend parents set this code and keep it private, so the routines you've set up aren't changed by accident.

If Apple ID Recovery is enabled, the Screen Time Passcode can be reset using the child's Apple ID — which means the settings you've set up together could be changed unintentionally. Choosing to Skip this step during setup helps keep things consistent.

You can easily manage this! Simply go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions on the child's device, enter your parental passcode, and temporarily allow Installing Apps. Once the new app is downloaded, you can toggle it back.

If you use Apple Family Sharing, you can often manage these permissions directly from your own device.

No. Your child's safety is our priority. These system-level restrictions—such as preventing the deletion of apps or signing out of iCloud—do not interfere with the device's ability to communicate. Essential features like the Phone app and Messages remain fully functional unless you explicitly choose to limit them within the Timily app.

The best approach is to set it up together. Explain that Timily isn't a punishment — it's a system that lets them earn screen time by completing focus sessions and challenges.

When kids understand the "why" and feel involved in choosing their goals, they're far more likely to engage positively. Let them pick their first Focus Timer task and explore the Reward Shop with you.

This is completely normal — especially in the beginning. Kids naturally test boundaries, and it doesn't mean something is broken.

Timily helps by detecting common workarounds and gently prompting your child to self-correct. If it isn't resolved, you'll be notified so you can step in. No app can prevent every workaround, but Timily is designed to catch the most common ones and keep you informed.

The most effective response isn't usually stricter controls — it's a calm conversation. Ask what they were trying to do and why. Often, adjusting a timer length or adding a reward they care about makes a bigger difference than tightening restrictions. Understanding why kids try to bypass screen time rules can help you respond calmly.

For extra peace of mind, you can enable recommended settings in the Timily app under Settings > Secure iOS Settings.

Focus on progress, not perfection. Celebrate when your child completes a Focus Timer or finishes a Weekly Challenge — even small wins build momentum. Use the Reward Shop to connect effort with things they actually care about, whether that's screen time or real-life rewards.

If motivation dips, try adjusting the challenge difficulty or letting your child suggest a new reward through Make a Wish. The goal is to make the system feel fair and rewarding, not like a chore.

Absolutely. Timily is designed to grow with your family. As your child builds better habits, consider gradually increasing timer lengths, offering more app unlock time, or adding new rewards. The goal is to move toward more independence over time — not to keep the same restrictions forever.

Checking in regularly — even briefly — shows your child that you trust their progress and keeps the system feeling collaborative rather than controlling.

No. Timily is a subscription-based app designed to support long-term habit building for families. You may see a trial period when starting a subscription, but continued use requires an active plan.

This allows us to focus on building a calm, ad-free system for parents and kids.

Subscriptions must be canceled through the platform where you originally subscribed (for example, the App Store). Deleting the app or your account does not cancel your subscription.

If you already have an active Timily subscription but it's not showing in the app, it's usually a sync issue with the App Store.

To restore it: Open Timily > Settings > Restore Purchase, or on the subscription page, tap Restore Purchase at the bottom.

Note: Only the parent who originally created and paid for the family can restore the subscription.

You can update your email in Settings > My Profile. What you can change depends on how you created your account.

If you signed up with an email and password: You can edit your email address directly and verify the new one with a code. This updates both your login email and where you receive notifications.

If you signed in with Google or Apple: Your login email is managed by Google or Apple and can't be changed here. You can still add or update a Contact Email to receive child progress reports and important updates.

Parents still decide which apps are allowed, when devices are locked, and what rewards can be earned. But instead of constant blocking or monitoring, Timily helps children build focus, routines, and self-control through timers, challenges, quests, and rewards.

Timily is a gentle alternative to traditional parental controls, designed to move families from control to calm. Like any tool, it works best when paired with ongoing conversations about screen time — it supports your parenting, but isn't a substitute for it.

Apple Screen Time focuses on limits and restrictions. Timily focuses on motivation and habit-building. It encourages children to start focus sessions, track progress, and earn rewards, rather than only enforcing time limits.

Many families use Timily alongside Apple Screen Time, not as a replacement.

Yes. Timily is built with family safety and privacy in mind. There are no ads, no social feed, no public profiles, and no direct messaging between children.

All settings, permissions, and devices are managed by parents. Timily is designed for parent-guided use within the family.