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Analog isn't a signal jammer, and some built-in system utilities, including the phone, remain accessible in all Modes.

First, your child should join one of your Analog Zones. They will then see a "Pair with Parent" button on their profile page in the Analog app. This will generate a QR code for you to scan, which links you as their parent. You can then create and edit Modes for your child.

When you configure which apps to allow or block, Analog only receives an encrypted permission from Apple's Screen Time system—the specific apps you chose are hidden. Any data shown in the app is processed locally on your device, not on Analog servers.

Proper iPhone configuration creates guardrails that make compliance the default. Follow these steps:

Zones have three activation types:

Your phone detects when it enters or exits your Analog Zones. For that event to be shared with Analog, location permissions must be set to Always Allow. Analog does not store your location history.

Zones that activate by Location or Schedule automatically activate and deactivate as you enter and leave. If your Zone doesn't deactivate on its own, try a pull to refresh. This tells the app to check your location and update your status. Note that Manual Zones are activated by Admins and apply regardless of member location.

For example, you could create a "Sleep Mode" for bedtime that allows music apps, or a "Homework Mode" that allows educational apps. These Modes can then be assigned to different Zones. There are some built-in system apps, such as the phone, that remain accessible in all Modes.

Multiple Beacons enable you to create different Zones. You can think of a Zone as a distinct space with its own schedule, members, and member Modes. A single Beacon can cover adjacent rooms.

When Screen Time and Family Sharing are properly configured, circumvention is difficult. But Analog is ultimately a system of cooperation, not control. Success comes from proper setup (see "How do I set up Screen Time to prevent circumvention?"), clear expectations, and parents modeling the behavior they want to see. The goal isn't an unbreakable system—it's making compliance the natural, easier path.

Beacons run on an enclosed battery that will last years. Rather than using the internet, Beacons broadcast their own short range signal. Beacons ship to you on and ready to use.

iPads can't tap beacons and join Zones on their own. However, since iPads run the same OS as iPhones, you can download the Analog app and log in using existing account credentials. Note that if your child uses the iPad, login with a child's Analog credentials, not yours as the parent.

Your Modes are private—Analog cannot see which apps you select for yourself or your children. Screen Time permissions are required to apply the Modes you create.

When making an update to a Zone -- for example activating a Manual Zone, turning a Location Zone on or off, or updating a Schedule Zone -- notifications update members' Analog app to keep everyone in sync.