To ensure safe calling and safe texting features continue for you, it is essential to install the version from our download page on your child's Android smartphone.

Google changed their policy for apps requesting the Call and SMS permissions. We requested an exemption from Google in 2019 detailing our safety benefits for our users and care to user privacy yet were denied.

Before you begin

• Perform the steps below on your child's device and use SPIN Safe Browser
• Is Unknown Sources blocked by your Administrator? Read this.
• Updating from the Google Play version? Open Boomerang to accept the Call and SMS permissions. Please restart your child's device just to make sure all services refresh properly. 
• Essential for Android child devices.
• Parent Android devices keep using our Google Play version.
• Parents with iOS devices go here.

Getting Started

1. Visit our special download page

Only required for Child devices. Parent devices can continue using our Google Play version. All future updates for your child device will be available on this page (not Google Play). When an update is available, our Parent Mode will display "Update Available" under your child’s device name.

➡️When the install file is finished downloading, swipe down the notifications area and tap on the download notifications.

You may need to allow the Storage permission for Chrome or SPIN Safe Browser in order to save this file to your child's Android device.

2. Install Unknown Apps on your Android devices

After downloading the file, a security prompt may appear warning you about Unknown Sources. Tap on Settings > toggle on Allow from this source. Then hit the back navigation button to continue with the installation.

Other variations for Unknown Sources

• Navigate to: Settings –> Apps & notifications –> expand the Advanced section --> tap Special app access --> Install unknown apps
• If a Samsung device, the menus are a tad different:
  Settings –> Apps –> tap the menu button in the top-right corner and choose "Special access" from there. Finally, choose "Install unknown apps" on the subsequent screen.
• Is Unknown Sources blocked by your Administrator? Read this.
• Can't find it? Search for "unknown" in Android Settings on your child's device. 

3. Tap Install to continue

Upgrading from Google Play version:

The version downloaded from our website will update on top of the version from Google Play. After the upgrade, open Boomerang and accept permission requests for Contacts, Calls and SMS. Then tap on the three dots (top right) > Update Status. We also recommend restarting your child's device at this time. 

Your child device settings will remain intact after upgrading.

New app installs:

If this is a new install, just follow our onboarding steps.

A few questions about our New Version

Do I install this version my parent device or child device?

We recommend all child smartphones get this version installed. For our parent mode it's less important as it can still control this version. You can install this version on all family devices.

Do I just install on top of the Google Play version?

Yes! We designed this version to simply upgrade our Google Play version.

After updating the Google Play version, do I need to do anything else?

Open Boomerang, accept the Contacts, Calls and SMS permissions, tap on the three dots (top right), tap Update Status. We also recommend you restart your child's device after updating from the Google Play version to our sideloaded version. This makes sure our service is refreshed and running smoothly. 

What if the Google Play version is installed on top of the sideloaded version?

We have updated Boomerang (May 2019) which no longer allows the Google Play version to update the sideloaded version. This eliminates losing the call/text features due to your child manually updating their apps, including Boomerang via Google Play. All future updates will be made available on our website download page. We are working on monthly releases now and we will email you when an update is available. 

Going forward, how will I be made aware that there is an update?

1. We are now working on a monthly release schedule and we will email you when these are available.
2. In Parent mode, we've added the child's app version in the device title. We will show "Update Available" if it's older (all updates will be available on our website download page.)
3. Later, we will look to add our own update service so we can notify within our app and update automatically for any "sideloaded" versions.

Do I need to purchase again?

No. This version retains all settings including your licensing information.

I received a warning “This type of file can harm your device”. Is it safe to tap OK

Absolutely. This is a normal prompt that Android provides when downloading programs outside of Google Play. Our data is stored on secure servers. 

What do "gp" and "sideload" stand for (app version abbreviations in Parent Mode/Web Dashboard)?

GP is the version from Google Play without Call/SMS permissions and Sideload is the version from our website with Call/SMS permissions. We use these abbreviations in our app version numbers in order to inform parents which version is installed on their kids (and it helps us troubleshoot too!). You can now see the child's version number in Parent Mode. If you are looking for our call/text features, make sure your child’s device has the “sideload” version.

Resources

Google wants to shut down our safe calling & safe texting features; Help Needed!

Unknown Sources is blocked by Administrator (Google Family Link installed?)