Set up once, in about two minutes
No new account and no new app on your phone. You control the TV from Telegram, which you probably already have.
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Install it on the TV
Get Kids TV Guard from Google Play on your Android TV or Google TV, then switch it on once in the TV's accessibility settings.
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Scan the code on the TV
The TV shows a QR code. Point your phone's camera at it, Telegram opens, and you tap Start. That is the whole sign-up.
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Send a word, the TV listens
Send /warn for a gentle countdown, or /stop to pause and lock. It works from anywhere with internet, not only at home.
What you can do, in your own chat
Each line below is a real message you send, and the reply the TV gives you.
/warn
Warning is on the TV. I will check what is playing in 2:00.
A warning they can see coming
A countdown ring fills the screen. Your child presses Got it and it shrinks to a small clock in the corner, so the show finishes in peace.
Time is up and YouTube is still on. What should I do?
You decide what happens next
Nothing is blocked without your tap. Give ten more minutes, block the app, or let it go.
/stop
Paused, sent home and locked. The TV needs the PIN, or send /unlock.
Stop and lock
The TV pauses, goes to the home screen and shows a PIN pad. Back and Home do not get past it.
/bedtime 20:30 07:00
Bedtime is now 20:30 to 07:00. The TV gets a 2-minute warning at 20:28, then locks until 07:00.
Bedtime every night
The TV warns, locks itself at bedtime and wakes up in the morning. If you unlock it for a special night, it waits until the next one.
/today
Today so far: 1h 25m YouTube: 58m Netflix: 27m
Screen time, per app
See today, or the last seven days with /week. Time counts only while the screen is on and the TV is unlocked.
Dinner is ready! Come to the table 🍛
It is on the TV. I will tell you when it is seen.
Seen on the TV at 19:42.
Talk to the big screen
Any text or voice note you send shows up on the TV, with your name on it. You hear back when someone presses OK.
What it keeps, and where
On your TV
Which app is open, and screen time per app for the last 14 days. It does not record what is shown or typed.
On our relay
Your TV's name and which Telegram chats may control it. That is all it needs to deliver your commands.
Nowhere
Your messages and commands pass straight through and are not stored. No ads, no analytics, and no tracking on this site.
Questions parents ask
Which TVs does it work on?
Android TV and Google TV running Android 8.0 or newer, built into the TV or as a streamer. If your TV has the Google Play Store, it is very likely one of them.
Why Telegram?
It is free, it runs on every phone, and it lets you reach the TV from anywhere without installing another app. Everyone you pair can control the TV from their own chat.
Why does it need the accessibility setting?
Android only lets an app know which app is in front, and draw its screens over it, through accessibility. Kids TV Guard uses it for exactly that. It does not read what is on screen or what anyone types.
Can my child switch it off?
While the TV is locked, the settings are covered. While it is unlocked, a child who finds the accessibility settings could switch it off. Telling you when that happens is next on our list.
Can both parents control the TV?
Yes. Send /invite in your chat and pass the code on. With more than one TV, /tv picks which one your commands go to.