Question Locking down settings for senior-aged users.

[rewater]

As the title implies, how can I lock certain functions of android? Ideally just behind a PIN code.

I don't want to control the elderly users usage of the phone.

I want to prevent changing the settings, moving/removing icons and prevent installing of new apps(very important). When the phone gets into my hands, I usually remove those free pdf apps, and games, which get installed because of accidentally clicking ads.

 

[VidJunky]

Welcome to Android Central forums.

The easiest way would be to use Parental Tools/Parental Settings, depending on what device or app you use. One thing I found when attempting this same thing was that really cheap/inexpensive devices either will not have these baked in or will not work with parental apps. Both of these seem counter intuitive as you're not going to give your 8 or 80 year old a $1000 Samsung but that expensive Samsung has parental settings baked into the OS but the $200 dollar LG won't even allow you to install the app that gives you parental setting and doesn't have them built in either.

Some of these apps are subscription, and carriers like Verizon and AT&T offer a lot of bells and whistles for a subscription price. If you're not worried about needing to track them or make sure they're not staying up all night on Facebook, most subscription service would probably be overkill.

 

[notforhire]

Once you're dealing with elderly users, each situation is very unique. e.g., personalities, family dynamics, living situations, mental condition/lucidity of the elderly family member. I could not keep my father from locking himself out of his online banking. My mother could never "learn"......me answering the same question many times and no recognition on her part that, "oh yeah, I remember that." And now my aunt, who I'm traveling to see tomorrow. One of the first things I do is take her phone (my old S22U) and her lap top and see what, if anything, has changed. All 3 of those people I had to treat differently. (along with varying degrees of cooperation on their part )