Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Create a separate child profile in BrightCanary for each Google account you want to monitor — for example, one for your child's personal account and one for their school account.

Yes. One BrightCanary subscription covers your whole family. Each child gets their own profile in the app.

Yes. You'll need to install the BrightCanary Keyboard on your child's iPhone or iPad. This is a one-time setup — after that, you don't need access to their device for ongoing monitoring. Note: If your child only uses an Apple Watch, the BrightCanary Keyboard can't be installed. You can still monitor their text messages by connecting their iCloud account during setup.

BrightCanary monitors full text conversations, including received messages, images, videos, group chats, and deleted texts. Setup requires your child's device and Apple ID, and only takes a few minutes.

We recommend two steps: remove BrightCanary from your child's home screen so it stays out of sight, and use Apple Screen Time to prevent app deletion. Go to Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → App Store Purchases → Deleting Apps → Don't Allow. Then create a Screen Time passcode your child doesn't know.

In the BrightCanary app, select your child's profile and tap "Connect Google." You'll need your child's Google account login. Once connected, BrightCanary monitors their Google searches and YouTube views. Learn more with our Google and YouTube setup guide.

You’ll need your phone and your child’s iPhone or iPad. Download BrightCanary on your device, add a child profile, then follow the in-app setup guide to install the BrightCanary Keyboard on your child's device. The full process takes just a couple of minutes. Follow these Keyboard Setup steps and let us know if you run into any issues!

No. Re-download BrightCanary from the App Store and log into your account. You may need to reconnect your child's accounts. Contact support@brightcanary.io if you run into any issues.

Yes, you can monitor texts sent or received from an Apple Watch. If your child's Apple Watch is connected to an iPhone, you can monitor both iMessages and SMS texts with BrightCanary. However, if your child uses an Apple Watch that isn't connected to an iPhone, SMS messages won't appear in BrightCanary.

Currently, BrightCanary does not support text message monitoring for kids on Android devices.

Yes. BrightCanary preserves deleted texts within the chat thread, marked as "deleted," so you always have a complete record of your child's conversations.

You can see who is texting your child, but not their full contact list. If you have Apple Screen Time enabled, you can view, edit, add, or remove contacts from there.

Yes. BrightCanary's Family Viewing feature lets you invite another parent or guardian to monitor your child's activity. Family Viewers receive the same reports you do but can't make account changes. Family Viewing is free.

No. BrightCanary's keyboard-based technology works differently from other monitoring apps and cannot be bypassed using a VPN.

Yes. Because BrightCanary monitors at the keyboard level, it captures what your child types in any browser — including in private or incognito mode.

No. BrightCanary monitors what your child types — messages, searches, and comments — not the content that appears in their feeds.

BrightCanary monitors all text messages your child sends, whether they’re texting Apple or Android users. You will be able to see both sides of text conversations, including texts received from Android users, when you set up iCloud.

BrightCanary currently supports English keyboards only. Additional languages are coming soon.

Not currently. BrightCanary's keyboard-based monitoring requires an iPhone or iPad. We don't support Android devices or computers at this time.

Yes. BrightCanary works on both iPhones and iPads. You can install the keyboard on multiple devices for the same child.

Apple Screen Time and Google Family Link are free tools that set limits on app usage and filter content — but they don't show you what your child is actually saying or searching. BrightCanary fills that gap by monitoring what your child types across every app, with AI-powered alerts and summaries.

BrightCanary gives parents a clear window into their child’s digital world. Our keyboard-based monitoring lets you monitor your child’s activity across all the apps they use, including social media, messaging apps, and search. You’ll get AI-powered summaries, emotional insights, and real-time alerts when something concerning shows up. No passwords required for most apps.

Text messages are processed in real time.

BrightCanary monitors everything your child types across all apps — including social media, AI chatbots, and search engines — with real-time alerts, AI-powered summaries, and full text message monitoring. You can also connect your child's Google account to monitor their YouTube and Google activity.

BrightCanary sends real-time alerts when your child types content related to self-harm, drugs, explicit messages, bullying, and other concerning topics. You can customize which categories you receive alerts for and set your sensitivity level to light, standard, or strict — so your alerts reflect what actually matters to your family. Go to More → Settings → Manage Family → Content Settings to customize. You may occasionally receive a false alert — we're continuously improving accuracy. Send feedback to feedback@brightcanary.io.

BrightCanary monitors everything your child types across all apps on their iPhone or iPad — including Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, Discord, Roblox, WhatsApp, Reddit, Pinterest, and more. Your plan also includes full text message monitoring, so you can see complete two-way conversations, received messages, images, videos, group chats, and deleted texts. Connect your child's Google account to also monitor their search history and YouTube watch history.

Some features parents and children commonly ask about, such as autocorrect, auto-capitalization, and text replacement, may be limited or may not work the same way on BrightCanary Keyboard. This is because the keyboard currently relies on a secure third-party provider, which limits some of the customization and native iPhone keyboard behaviors that Apple’s own keyboard supports. We know these features matter for everyday usability, and feedback like this is helpful as we continue improving the keyboard experience.

Yes. BrightCanary monitors YouTube Kids. For the most accurate monitoring, make sure your child is logged into their Google account when using the app.

The BrightCanary Keyboard looks and functions like a standard iPhone keyboard, and your child won't receive any BrightCanary notifications. However, if you set up Google, YouTube, or iCloud for text message monitoring, your child may see a sign-in alert on their device during the initial setup. After setup, BrightCanary runs quietly in the background. We strongly recommend being transparent with your child about monitoring. Kids who understand why monitoring is in place are more likely to come to parents when something goes wrong.

This is a common concern, and a healthy one. BrightCanary isn't designed for constant surveillance — it's designed to surface what matters so you can step in when it counts. Instead of reading every message, you get summaries, trends, and alerts for genuinely concerning situations. Many families find that monitoring actually leads to more open conversations about online safety, not less trust.

Yes — we recommend it. Research shows that transparent monitoring, paired with open conversation, builds trust rather than undermining it. Consider framing BrightCanary as a condition of device use, not a punishment. As your child demonstrates responsibility, you can adjust the level of oversight accordingly.

BrightCanary takes your family's privacy seriously. Keystrokes are encrypted and analyzed using trusted AI tools. We never share your child's name, age, or location, and we never allow outside providers to use our data for AI training. The only personal information we share externally is your email address with our email provider for account communications.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is Apple's way of verifying that a login attempt is legitimate. When you connect your child's iMessage account to BrightCanary, Apple sends a code to your child's trusted device. You'll enter that code in the BrightCanary app to complete setup. This is a one-time step.

No. BrightCanary only monitors what your child types in messaging, search, and social media apps. Passwords and financial information are not captured.