Device Owner Max protection mode
Max protection mode is an optional, advanced setup that uses Android Device Owner to add uninstall-blocking and a system-wide app allowlist. It is stronger than the default Basic mode, it is never required, and it is a capability we are building toward the first release. Here is an honest look at what it adds and what it costs.
Uninstall-blocking
A determined kid cannot simply uninstall Earnest to escape the limits, because Device Owner can prevent it from being removed.
System-wide allowlist
Earnest can enforce which apps are allowed at all, rather than only bouncing a kid out of a reward app after it opens.
Stronger bedtime lock
Scheduled locks become harder to work around, which makes bedtime and school windows more reliable.
Why is Device Owner needed for this?
On a normal, non-rooted Android phone, no app can truly stop itself from being uninstalled or enforce a whole-device app allowlist. Those abilities are reserved for a special role called Device Owner, which Android designed for schools and businesses that manage their own devices. Earnest can take that role only with your explicit choice, and only on a device set up for it. This is the same ceiling every non-enterprise parental app runs into, and we would rather explain it than pretend Basic mode is unbreakable.
What does setting it up involve?
Device Owner can only be assigned on a device with no existing accounts, which in practice means a fresh phone or one that has been factory reset. Setup happens during the initial provisioning of the device, for example through a guided flow. Because a factory reset erases the phone, this is an advanced step best suited to a spare or newly set-up device, not a phone already full of a child's photos and apps.
Is Max protection mode required?
No. Basic mode works on any Android phone with no special setup, and it covers what most families need: a bedtime lock and a gentle return to the home screen when time is up. Max protection mode is there for parents who want the stronger guarantees and are comfortable with the trade-offs. You can read how both modes fit together on the enforcement page, and the crypto and privacy details on the security page.
When will it be available?
Max protection mode is on our roadmap toward the first release. As with everything on the roadmap, we would rather ship it well than promise a date we cannot keep. Join the early-access list and we will let you know as it lands.