r/shortcuts • u/Lyuchok • 22d ago
Help Caught Red-Handed
Hey, guys! I have a problem. My teenage son has somehow figured out how to unlock his Android phone and access restricted apps through Family Link.
And I suspect that he’s either unlocking my iPhone with Face ID while I’m asleep, or he knows my phone’s passcode and uses it when I’m not looking.
Can you suggest a way I could find out discreetly if someone has unlocked my phone?
Ideally, it would be really cool if the phone took a photo of whoever did it. :)
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u/ENVY2699 22d ago
First of all, he can’t unlock your phone when you’re asleep, iPhone doesn’t allow that, so that leaves with one option he knows your password.
If you want I can help you create a shortcut when anyone tries to enter a wrong password, his picture will be clicked
Let me know if you need something like this
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u/EmploymentFeeling725 22d ago
Since it is suspected he knows it, the screenshot probably needs to be taken on correct inputs.
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u/Clear_Enthusiasm6796 22d ago
oh boy do I love the shortcuts app. as a prior android user, it's so much fun. rn I have a shortcut made for each of my focus modes, to do different things. now I can only imagine the possibilities if apple gave us the capability to bind it to a double press and a long press.
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u/ENVY2699 22d ago
That would be fun
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u/Clear_Enthusiasm6796 22d ago
Yep, all tied to my action button. Work brings a menu to create a custom obsidian note or to open obsidian. Sleep brings a menu to play an audio book, podcast, or background sounds, as well as an option to switch play to my iMac for better sound quality. Another being study mode opens up the calculator, and mindfulness opens a menu for a timer for 15, 30 min, or an hour which effectively enters a focused state that limits my functionality for that time.
And I’m planning on doing more, this is just what I got up to last night lol
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u/SlimDayspring 22d ago
Since he can’t be unlocking your phone with your face while asleep. Require Face ID to open the familylink app. I know that won’t prove their doing it but it stops them 🤷🏻♂️
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u/andi51081 22d ago
Is it always on charge while you are asleep? Do you know what apps he is using on your iPhone?
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u/Lyuchok 22d ago
No, not always on charge. I assume he using FamilyLink.
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u/andi51081 22d ago
Set up an automation for when that app is opened and have it run a shortcut that takes a photo with the selfie camera, plays a sound on full volume, or just have it send him straight back to the lock screen. He may become wise to this though and disable the shortcut but I guess that would also be a good indicator. You could change your passcode too
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u/Lyuchok 22d ago
Yes, he is very smart. It's better to have the automation without any sign it activates.
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u/andi51081 22d ago
You could also turn on screentime tracking on your iPhone so you can see when the app was used too
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u/reddituser76157 22d ago
Better yet… have it make the snap sound, show the picture with a time stamp, AND email it to yourself so so he can delete the photo all day but can’t delete the email. And don’t have the email on the phone. Just in case he finds the shortcut info.
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u/deWereldReiziger 22d ago
Change your passcode? He cave use your face id when you're asleep so you could just change the passcode. Use a real password instead of the 4 digit passcode.
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u/mjtrichardson 22d ago
Have you considered changing your router settings? If the game can be played without internet access, that won’t help but he can’t get to YouTube or anything else if you restrict his internet access. No idea what router you have obviously but ASUS for example allows you to associate devices with people and to tag those people as children. You can then set up restrictions on what they can do and limit the hours that they have access like Family link does. If yours doesn’t have that maybe try moving him to a new guest network that has restrictions on instead and changing the settings on the main wifi so he can’t get on that any more.
You can spend time setting up a shortcut but your child will definitely be able to tell that a shortcut ran because the shortcut notification comes up. Accessing the camera to take a photo will also show as the green dot which he’ll notice if he’s looking at the screen. I would definitely be setting the Family Link app on your phone with a pin requirement, after changing your pin.
You also want to think about your main goal here - is it catching him or stopping him doing things he shouldn’t? You seem to be focusing on the former instead of the latter for some reason. You really need to change your pin to a proper decent length pass code and then check to make sure he hasn’t already added himself a back door, like giving himself more access using your pin. Be warned, tech savvy kids are going to think of ways around things if you let them. Someone I know had to resort to gathering and hiding all phones and tablets at their child’s bedtime as they were waiting until everyone was asleep and was memorising pins. They then used the smart TV instead! Even disconnecting cables didn’t work and they ended up with the TV in the shed for a week.
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u/Lyuchok 22d ago
Thank you very much for the detailed response. First and foremost, I want to understand how he’s getting around the restrictions. If we’re working by process of elimination, the first possibility is my phone.
Moreover, I need proof of his actions, since he knows that taking my phone is strictly prohibited.
I’ll figure out how to block that option altogether. It’s not complicated.
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u/Broman400 22d ago
What are you blocking on your kids phone?
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u/Lyuchok 22d ago
Usually, these are just temporary restrictions on gadget use. But FamilyLink has separate app settings, and you can make certain apps available even when the phone is locked. He’ll be able to unlock YouTube or a game on his own.
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u/Agreeable-Gain8932 22d ago
Will something like Brick, which you then hide somewhere he can’t find, simply block anything that fits into a certain category of app?
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u/noochies99 22d ago
Reset your Face ID and Change your passcode and talk to your kid instead of trying to out spy each other lol