This article discusses troubleshooting solutions for issues encountered with monitoring the content of iOS devices via the Bark Desktop App. For example, you may have seen a ❗️ symbol when reviewing your child's device under Monitoring > Devices & Apps:
Table of Contents
You can find solutions to the following issues in this article. Click on one to jump right to it:
- Child's iOS device is not being detected over USB.
- Child's iOS device is not being detected over Wi-Fi.
- Child's iOS monitoring is showing a storage space error.
- Child's iOS monitoring is showing a Not Paired error.
- "There was a problem analyzing the iOS device"
- Bark Desktop App is not responding.
- Bark Desktop App is not opening.
- Bark Desktop App is asking me to download iTunes.
- My child's iOS device is encrypted.
- How do I know monitoring is working?
- How do I keep monitoring up to date?
- What does Bark monitor on iOS devices?
- Is this related to iCloud?
- Is my child's iOS device compatible with Bark?
- Will I have to plug in my child's device to my home computer every time?
- What if my computer is connected via ethernet cable to the router?
- What if I have a Chromebook or Linux computer, will that support the Bark Desktop App?
- How do I set up screen time & filtering?
- Issues with app and site blocking
- Not receiving push notifications.
- Location not working, or location showing wrong address.
Potential Issues & Solutions
My child's iOS device is not being detected over USB.
How this issue looks: You plug in your child's iOS device into your computer, yet it does not show a green USB symbol (
) under the child's Monitoring > iOS device in your dashboard.
Find solutions here:
My child's iOS device is not being detected over Wi-Fi.
How this issue looks: Your child's iOS device is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer, yet it does not show a green Wi-Fi symbol (
) under the child's Monitoring > iOS device in your dashboard.
Find solutions here:
My child's iOS monitoring is showing a storage space error.
iOS monitoring could be affected by a lack of storage on your computer or on your child's device. When we detect this, we surface an error about lack of storage space.
Find solutions here:
My child's iOS monitoring is showing a "Not Paired" error.
iOS devices are known for their security. Periodically, an iOS device may revoke its trust of Bark due to an update, a reset, or due to the length of time since it last connected to Bark.
If this happens, we'll let you know that the device needs to be paired with Bark again. Follow these steps:
My child's iOS monitoring is showing "There was a problem analyzing the iOS device."
How this issue looks: Your child's iOS device is detected either via Wi-Fi or via USB, but at the beginning, middle, or end of an analysis it generates an error saying "There was a problem analyzing the iOS device."
Find solutions here:
My Bark Desktop App is not responding.
If the application seems frozen in some way or not responding to your clicks, let's give it a refresh by quitting out of it and re-opening it.
NOTE: Simply clicking X may not completely close or quit the application, so follow the steps below!
Mac
- Click the Bark dog at the top by your clock, and select Quit Bark.
- Click on Finder, select Applications, and click on Bark to re-open it.
Windows
- Click the ^ symbol at the bottom by your clock, click the Bark dog, and select Exit.
- Click on Bark on your desktop or applications list to re-open it.
My Bark Desktop App is not opening.
The Bark Desktop App not opening can happen for a number of reasons but the solutions vary based on your computer's operating system.
Mac
How this issue looks:
- App doesn't open, or opens for a second and immediately disappears.
- A pop-up saying, "Bark can't be opened because it was not downloaded from the App Store."
- A pop-up saying, "Bark can't be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software."
Find solutions here:
Windows
How this issue looks:
- App doesn't open, or opens for a second and immediately disappears.
- App opens as a blank screen.
- A pop-up saying, "Your PC's settings only let it install verified apps from the Store."
Find solutions here:
Open Bark Desktop App on Windows
My Bark Desktop App is asking me to download or update iTunes.
When you see the message or alert asking you to install Apple software, like iTunes, go ahead and click the link to get it installed. Then, restart your computer.
Learn more below:
Update Apple Software on Windows
My child's iOS device is encrypted.
No worries — it's an easy fix on iTunes, Finder, or your child's device settings!
Click here to take care of it:
How do I know iOS monitoring is working?
- Log in to your Bark dashboard.
- Select Monitoring under your child.
- Tap on Devices and Apps.
- Find the iOS device and look at the symbols:
-
- ✅ means all is well
- ❗️ means something is not working / action is required. Click on it to fix it!
How do I keep iOS monitoring up to date?
- Ensure your child is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the computer whenever they are home.
- If your computer is a laptop, make sure you open it and it's turned on at some point during the day while your child is home and connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Have your computer powered on and awake for hours at a time, so that it has the opportunity to run the backups over Wi-Fi when your child is home and connected to the same network. For recommendations on how to do this, click here for Mac and click here for Windows.
What does Bark monitor on iOS devices?
On iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, Bark can monitor texts, iMessages, photos, videos, notes, voice memos, Whatsapp messages, Kik messages, and detect the apps installed.
Learn more about what Bark monitors here:
What Bark Monitors on iPhone, iPad, and iPod
Is this related to iCloud backups?
Because of Apple's security over their iCloud system, we do not monitor your child's iOS device from iCloud backups. Instead, we monitor iPhones, iPads, and iPods with the help of the Bark Desktop App that you will be installing on a Windows or Mac computer.
If you don't have a Windows or Mac computer, consider the Bark Home device!
Is my child's iOS device compatible with Bark?
Bark is able to reliably monitor iOS devices with Apple's iOS 11 or later.
Unsure which version your child's device is on?
- Tap on their Settings app ⚙ > General > Software Update.
- If the version is 11 or later, then Bark can monitor your child's device!
- If it's older than version 11, then we may still be able to monitor the device, but we won't know for sure until you give it a try by following the steps above.
Will I have to plug in my child's device to my home computer every time?
No, but you can always do that if it's easier or if you have a slow Wi-Fi day! After the first-time setup, if your child's device is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the computer, and it's been longer than 6 hours since the last analysis, your child's device will be analyzed wirelessly and automatically. You can also force an analysis to occur at any time.
If the wireless analyses are not happening as expected, click here for solutions.
What if my computer is connected via ethernet cable to the router, will it still be able to do wireless analyses of my child's device?
Yes, as long as they are sharing the same internet network, the wireless analyses of your child's device can take place.
If the wireless analyses are not happening as expected, click here for solutions.
I have a Chromebook or Linux computer, will that support the Bark Desktop App?
Because Chromebook and Linux are different operating systems from Windows and Mac, the Bark Desktop App is unable to be installed on those computers at this time.
If you don't have a Windows or Mac computer, consider the Bark Home device.
In the meantime, you can still take advantage of monitoring email, social media, and screen time management!
How do I set up Screen Time management for my child's iOS device?
Download the Bark Kids app on your child's iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. Learn more below:
How do I address issues with app and site blocking on my child's iOS device?
Screen time and filtering is a feature that allows you to block or allow apps and sites according to the schedule you've set for the day. For tips on allowing apps and sites that were unexpectedly blocked, check out these guides:
Other Screen Time Troubleshooting
(What is the difference between screen time, filtering, and monitoring?)
Why are the push notifications for check-ins not appearing on my child's device?
If you or your children are not receiving a particular push notification, then there are a few potential culprits. Learn more here:
Why is the location not working, or why is it showing the wrong address?
Bark's location features rely on the accuracy of the device's GPS chip. There are a number of variables that can temporarily throw off the GPS on your child's device, leading to a check-in or location alert that seems to be slightly off from the child's true location.
For detailed instructions on calibrating the location services of your child's device, check out this guide:
Still no luck?
We're here to help! Please reach out to us with screenshots of the issue and the steps you've tried.