Are your kid’s apps all gray except for the phone and Bark apps? Here are some reasons they may be grayed out and how to fix it.
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Updates are being installed
When the phone is installing Samsung updates, apps may get suspended temporarily. Once the updates are finished, app access resumes. Your kid can speed this process along by connecting to Wi-Fi. -
Bark permissions were disconnected
If an important setting gets disabled, Bark's tamper protections kick in. This will gray out all the apps (except the phone and Bark). Here’s how to fix it. -
You haven't approved their apps
If you've enabled App Approval, any new apps they install will be grayed out until you approve them. -
You've blocked all of their apps
Want to unblock some? Adjust your rules. -
Your child has reached their daily time limit for apps
Easy fix — just adjust your kid's app time limits. -
You've paused the device
Make sure you un-pause the device when the break is over. -
The Bark Phone number was transferred ("ported out") to another carrier
When you transfer the number out from the Bark Phone, it automatically cancels the service to the Bark Phone, and at that point, can no longer be used as a Bark Phone, so all apps get grayed out. If you own the phone, you can reach out to us to get Bark removed from the phone and use it as a regular phone. -
The Bark SIM card has been removed, and/or a non-Bark SIM was inserted
Make sure you're only using the Bark SIM card:- On your kid's phone, open Settings.
- Tap Connections.
- Tap SIM manager.
- It should list one single SIM card, along with your kid's phone number and "Bark" underneath. If there are two SIM cards, or a SIM card that isn't the Bark one, that explains the issue. Find the Bark SIM card and insert it into the SIM1 slot. If you need help with this, reach out to us.
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The Bark account was cancelled
You can reactivate your Bark account by logging in again on your parent device. Then, follow the prompts to reactivate. Make sure you're logging into the account that was originally used to order and set up the phone. If you transferred the original phone number to another carrier, it automatically cancels the service to the Bark Phone, and at that point, can no longer be used as a Bark Phone, so all apps get grayed out. If you own the phone, you can reach out to us to get Bark removed from the phone and use it as a regular phone. -
Poor internet connectivity
A bad Wi-Fi or cellular signal may affect how quickly a Bark Phone syncs up with your rules (for example, from un-pausing the device). Connect to Mobile Data and Wi-Fi on your kid's Bark Phone and then wait a few minutes. -
Your account time zone is incorrect
Make sure the time zone is correct in your account settings. -
The Bark Phone time is incorrect
If the phone has the wrong time, it may think it's in a different time zone. Here's how to fix it:
- On your kid's phone, open Settings.
- Tap General Management.
- Tap Date and Time.
- Enable Set Time Zone based on Location.