Excited to add apps for your kid, but run into an issue where they don’t appear on the phone? Don’t worry — we're here to help you find your missing apps! Listed below are the reasons you might be experiencing this and the things you can do to solve it.
Check that your device is connected to Wi-Fi. Apps will not download using mobile data!
The key is having a strong Wi-Fi connection when downloading apps. From the Home screen, swipe down twice to access Quick Settings and make sure that Wi-Fi is enabled. Once you install an app from the Caregiver Portal, a downward arrow will show on the notifications bar of your child’s phone indicating that the app is downloading.
Make sure that the app is installed.
- Open your Caregiver Portal, go to the ‘Apps’ section, and look up the app name using the Search bar. If the app is not yet installed, you’ll see an ‘install’ button beside it.
- Once installed, tap ‘Manage’ and select all the modes you want the app to show.
- Don’t forget to save the changes!
Check if your phone’s current mode matches the one on your Caregiver Portal.
1. From the Home screen of your Pinwheel phone, swipe left until you see the current mode.
2. Check today’s schedule on your Caregiver Portal to see if it matches the mode on your Pinwheel phone.
3. On the Caregiver Portal’s Schedule tab, you’ll see the list of the apps included per mode; check if the missing app is included in your current schedule.
Please note that after recent updates, Everything mode is everything by name only (new users shouldn't have this by default.) All Mode is our new mode that that cannot be customized. Once selected as part of your schedule, it automatically gives your child access to all apps and contacts.
Reload your Pinwheel Phone.
We need to make sure that the phone is in sync with your Caregiver Portal.
- On your Pinwheel phone, go to the Pinwheel Settings app and tap ‘Reload Pinwheel.’
Restart your phone.
If reloading the Pinwheel Settings didn’t solve the issue, your phone might need a quick refresh! Press and hold the power button and choose ‘Restart’. Afterwards, make sure that the phone is connected to Wi-Fi
⚠️ Here are the things you need to look out for!
‘All Mode’ vs. the other Modes
Added your recently installed app in All Mode, but it’s still not showing up? For clarity, All Mode automatically adds your newly added apps to the mode but it has to be selected on your current schedule for it to work. It's similar to Everything Mode, but instead of manually selecting or customizing which apps to include, it provides access to all apps and contacts by default. If you have multiple modes on your schedule, remember to include the app in each one.
Temporary Nothing Mode vs. Temporary All Mode
Both modes will override your current schedule. These can either give your child access to all apps or temporarily deny them without messing with your schedule.If your installed app doesn't appear on the phone, check if your schedule override is active, and make sure the Temporary Nothing Mode is disabled. Don’t forget to reload your child’s Pinwheel phone for the changes to take effect immediately.
Incorrect time and date
Time and date significantly impact how the phone works, so it is important to check if it is set up correctly! This could result in an incorrect schedule, delayed texts, or phone history not syncing. This setting can only be changed on our end so get in touch with us for help in updating!
Other issues that may arise from third-party apps
If you're running into a login issue within the third-party application, you will need to reach out to that app's support team as we do not have access to the related account. You may also try logging in on a non-Pinwheel phone to determine if this issue is happening to all other devices.
Family Link and other Device Management apps
We don't recommend using other apps that overlap with Pinwheel’s control system. We use Mobile Device Management to send commands and lock down certain areas of the operating system so your child cannot access them. Installing similar management apps and software can interfere with how the phone works with Pinwheel’s system. It's like following different commands from two people at the same time, which can be quite confusing for the phone!
🗨️ If you’ve already checked everything above and the app is still not downloading properly, then please reach out to Pinwheel Customer Care. You can also call/text us at (888) 903-7977 so we can further assist you!