Interactive Troubleshooter
Text Instructions
Here’s what to do if your child's iOS device is not being detected by Bark over Wi-Fi.
Test if Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over Wi-Fi
- Ensure that your child's iPhone or iPad is connected to your home Wi-Fi network.
- Double check your home computer is turned on and awake.
- Then, open up your parent app / dashboard.
- Tap on your kid's avatar at the top.
- Tap Monitoring.
- Look for
Connected to your home computer (or Bark Home).
iOS device is not detected over Wi-Fi
- On your kid's iOS device, open the
Settings app.
- Turn off
Personal Hotspot, if present.
- Then, tap
Wi-Fi.
- Tap the Wi-Fi name of your home network.
- Double check that your computer or Bark Home are connected to the same network as your kid's iPhone or iPad. (If you have a 5GHz and 2.4GHz option, try having both on the same one)
- On your kid's iOS device, open the
- Tap General.
- Tap VPN and Device Management (may also be named "VPN" or "Profiles & Device Management").
- Check for a third-party VPN or configuration profile. If a non-Bark one is present, delete it. Below are examples of third party profiles you can delete:
- Refresh your parent app / dashboard.
- Check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over Wi-Fi now.
Need more help?
Check out the detailed troubleshooting tab at the top of this article.
Detailed Troubleshooting
Make sure the device is connected by plugging it in
Plugging it in for a little bit may re-pair the device with Bark and fix the Wi-Fi detection issue.
- Plug in your kid's iOS device to the computer (or Bark Home).
- Unlock their device, and tap Trust Computer, if prompted. If there is no prompt to tap Trust, you may have granted it already.
- On your parent app / dashboard, tap Monitoring.
- Look for
Connected to your home computer (or Bark Home). You may have to wait a few minutes.
- Then, unplug the device.
- Next, click on Connected to your home computer (or Bark Home) and then on Start Analyzing.
- Leave it alone or stick around to watch the progress.
- If it's still not detected over Wi-Fi, move on down to the next step.
Add Bark as an exception in your firewall
Firewalls help your devices keep out unwanted apps — but you want Bark! Here’s how to fix it.
- Check out this article: Allow Bark Through Your Firewall.
- Once you're done, check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over Wi-Fi now.
- If it's still not detected over Wi-Fi, move on down to the next step.
If you're using a VPN or work computer, try a personal computer instead
- If you use a VPN on your home computer or Wi-Fi network, turn it off.
- If it's your work computer, it may have special security that prevents Bark from working. We recommend using your personal computer.
- Once you're done, check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over Wi-Fi now.
- Still no luck? Move on down to the next step.
Check for software updates
Are you running the most current version of your software? If not, Bark may encounter issues.
- We can walk you through how to install software updates on your devices.
- Once you're done, check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over Wi-Fi now.
Check iTunes or Finder settings
These settings help your kid's iOS device communicate with your computer or Bark Home sometimes. Depending on the computer you're using, you'll use iTunes or Finder.
- All Windows PCs and some older Macs follow the iTunes steps below.
- Newer Macs follow the Finder steps below.
Check iTunes settings
- Open
iTunes.
- Plug in your child's iOS device.
- Unlock their iOS device and tap Trust Computer, if prompted. If there is no prompt to tap Trust, you may have granted it already.
- If you see a welcome screen, select Set up as new iPhone/iPad/iPod.
(If you don't see this, move on to the next step.) - Click the 📱 phone on the top left:
- Scroll down to Options.
- Check Sync with this iPhone over Wi-Fi:
- Click Apply on the bottom right (no need to click Sync).
- After it's done, unplug your child's iOS device.
- Are you still seeing the 📱 phone icon on the top left of iTunes?
- If you are, that's a great sign! Check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over Wi-Fi now.
- If you are not, it means the device isn't being detected by your computer at all, not just Bark.
Check Finder settings
- Open
Finder.
- Plug in your child's iOS device.
- Unlock their iOS device and tap Trust Computer, if prompted. If there is no prompt to tap Trust, you may have granted it already.
- Click on your child's iOS device on the left column of Finder (under Locations).
- If applicable, click Trust on Finder.
- If you see the Welcome screen below, select Set up as new iPhone/iPad/iPod.
(If you don't see this, skip to the next step.) - Scroll down and ☑ checkmark the option Show this [iPhone, iPad, or iPod] when on Wi-Fi.
- Click Apply on the bottom right (no need to click Sync).
- After it's done, unplug your child's iOS device.
- Are you still seeing your child's iOS device under Locations on the left of Finder?
- If you are, that's a great sign! Check whether Bark can detect your kid's iOS device over Wi-Fi now.
- If you are not, it means the device isn't being detected by your computer at all, not just Bark.
Still no luck?
Check to see if it's one of these common errors.