Screen Accountability

Set up LivingRoom screen accountability on an Adult's iPhone or iPad.

Use the LivingRoom screen monitoring app on an adult's iPhone or iPad without using Apple Family.

Tech Lockdown Team

Updated August 21, 2026

LivingRoom is a screen monitoring app for iPhone and iPad. It records the screen while the iOS device is in use, saving screenshots of activity to a dashboard for a parent or accountability partner to review.

The app is incredibly effective for iOS monitoring since it captures screenshots of all activity on the device, no matter what app is being used.

If you want to set up this app on an adult's device or a child's device that can't use Apple Family, the setup process requires a few different steps. I'll show you exactly how in this guide.

Get Started

The LivingRoom app currently caters to parents managing a child's iPhone or iPad, but adults have also repurposed the parental monitoring app into a comprehensive screen accountability app.

Watch this video for a full walkthrough:

New Update!! Supervised Mode Through LivingRoom

It's now possible to set up LivingRoom as an adult without Tech Lockdown! LivingRoom provides a tool that acts as a one-stop shop for setting up an adult's iPhone or iPad. Part of this process involves enabling Supervised mode on the iPhone, which is the best choice for adults as it's very difficult to disable.

Tech Lockdown is still the best choice if you plan to use other features on the Config Generator with LivingRoom monitor screenshots. For example, you might also use Tech Lockdown to block websites in Safari , block apps , or even enforce content filtering on that iPhone. You can always upgrade to Tech Lockdown later if you change your mind!

If you plan on using LivingRoom only, here's how to set up an adult's iPhone.

On LivingRoom's dashboard, create an account (or sign in if you already have one).

Under the "Children" section, make sure that you create a user profile for the person you're monitoring (yes, even if they are an adult).

You should see a warning: "Finish Setup".

Select their name to start connecting a device.

Choose Supervised Mode from the list of options:

To finish setting up Supervised Mode, you will need either a Mac or Windows computer, plus a charging cable that can transfer data to your iPhone. This process only takes a few minutes, but it's needed for LivingRoom to be enforced properly.

Choose whether you need the Windows or Mac version of the tool:

Continue with the instructions on the page.

You will need to plug your iPhone into your computer, run the tool, and follow the instructions to install the LivingRoom app. Once you're done, LivingRoom should be completely enforced and can't be removed, disabled, or bypassed.

Activate your LivingRoom subscription before preventing LivingRoom from being uninstalled

If you are still on the free trial for LivingRoom, we highly recommend activating your subscription before continuing. If your subscription expires, apps on your device might be inaccessible until you activate your subscription. Activate your subscription now to prevent potentially being locked out in the future!

In your LivingRoom account , go to Settings and click Start subscription.

Set Up LivingRoom With Tech Lockdown's Config Generator

If you're primarily setting up your own devices and have more control over your own devices, chances are you're the one setting up your devices. In that case, you can still use LivingRoom as a transparency layer with an accountability partner.

Tech Lockdown offers significantly more features when it comes to blocking apps and websites, enforcing restrictions, and working with multiple kinds of devices.

First, ensure that you have enabled Supervised Mode is enabled.

Check out our dedicated guide for getting started with Supervised Mode or follow along with our YouTube video :

Next, ensure you have accounts for Tech Lockdown and LivingRoom.

Both LivingRoom and Tech Lockdown are two distinct programs, but what we're doing here is using Tech Lockdown to enforce the LivingRoom app. Access Tech Lockdown's dashboard here and LivingRoom's dashboard here.

It may help to keep each page open in a separate tab to make things easier (preferably on a Windows or Mac computer, where this is a bit easier).

Open your Tech Lockdown account and access the Config Editor

Select the iOS config editor, which is used to configure a supervised iPhone or iPad.

In the Apps tab, toggle on the option to Use LivingRoom

Follow the instructions to protect LivingRoom that pop up:

You'll be walked through a few other of our recommended options for enforcing LivingRoom

Sync the config to the iPhone you want to set up LivingRoom on.

Use the instructions in the top right corner, like this:

Once the config is synced to your device, you're now able to set up the LivingRoom app next.

First, sign up for an account on LivingRoom (or log in if you already have an account).

Under the "Children" section, make sure that you create a user profile for the person you're monitoring (yes, even if they are an adult).

You should see a warning: "Finish Setup".

Select their name to start connecting a device.

Install the LivingRoom app.

You can do this from the page on LivingRoom...

...or by scanning the QR code below with the iPhone:

Once you open the LivingRoom app, you should see a screen like this:

That means Tech Lockdown is set up to allow LivingRoom correctly!

On the iPhone, tap Next and follow the instructions until you get asked for a connection code.

You can generate a connection code from the LivingRoom dashboard under step 3, like this:

Frequently Asked Questions

How to exclude apps from requiring screen recording

There are probably some apps on your device that are completely safe to use without supervision and shouldn't require screen recording. LivingRoom lets you customize Always Allowed Apps to exclude some apps from the screen recording requirement. We recommend adding those apps as exceptions.

Here's how to do that.

Go into Screen Time > Always Allowed and add those apps to the Allowed Apps section.

In the LivingRoom dashboard, edit the child's settings and add the same apps to the Internet Always Allowed list .

App exceptions must be added to both lists

An app must be included in both Screen Time's always allowed apps list and LivingRoom's Internet Always Allowed Apps list to properly exclude it from the screen recording requirement.

How to Uninstall LivingRoom

These uninstall instructions only apply if you've set up LivingRoom using the instructions stated in this guide.

In your Tech Lockdown account, go back to the iOS config editor to the Apps tab. Toggle off the option to Use LivingRoom

Scroll down and toggle on Allow Deleting Apps

Sync to Device

Now you can uninstall the LivingRoom app by long pressing the app icon and tapping Remove App.

Prevent yourself from uninstalling LivingRoom

Here's how you can prevent yourself from modifying the iOS config in the Tech Lockdown dashboard to make it possible to delete LivingRoom.

Instructions only apply if you are self-managing LivingRoom

If you are a spouse/accountability partner with a Tech Lockdown account configuring another adult's device, then these instructions aren't needed if you are the only one with the login to the Tech Lockdown account.

Click the Unlocked button in the sidebar

Select manage preferences

Customize Unlock Steps. We recommend using the Email Pin option so that an accountability partner must be involved in you unlocking your Tech Lockdown profile.

Lock your Tech Lockdown Profile

Go back to the iOS config editor

Try de-selecting Use LivingRoom, and enabling Allow Deleting Apps. You should get an error prompting you to unlock your Tech Lockdown profile to change those options.

To toggle these switches again, you'll need to unlock your Tech Lockdown profile by clicking the lock button.

You'll need to enter the PIN sent to your accountability partner to finish unlocking your profile, or random text, or anything else you set up as an unlock step. See also our dedicated guide: How to Set up an iPhone with Screen Monitoring and Content Filtering .