StarKid iOS App FAQ

StarKid is a family-friendly reward system that turns daily tasks into fun adventures. Children earn stars by completing activities and can spend those stars on rewards you set up. It uses positive reinforcement to motivate kids and helps build responsibility while making household management enjoyable for the whole family.

Getting started is easy:

• Sign up for a free account on our registration page
• Verify your email address
• Add your children's profiles with custom avatars
• Choose 3 tasks and 3 rewards for each child to start
• Begin tracking tasks and awarding stars!

Yes! StarKid is completely free during our beta phase. We're focused on helping families and gathering feedback to improve the platform. There are no hidden fees or premium features locked behind paywalls.

You can add multiple children to your StarKid account. Each child gets their own profile with:

• Individual profiles: Custom avatar and personal star tracking
• Separate data: Tasks, rewards, and history tracked independently
• Cross-tab memory: Selected child remembered across all app sections
• Family overview: "All Children" view available in Dashboard

Perfect for families of any size with seamless switching between children.

The iOS app makes child switching effortless:

• Child selector: Horizontal scrolling avatar cards at the top of most screens
• Visual indicators: Selected child has a purple border around their avatar
• Instant switching: Tap any child's avatar to switch contexts immediately
• Persistent selection: Choice remembered across tabs and app restarts
• Family view: Select "All Children" in Dashboard for family-wide overview

StarKid provides curated avatar options for privacy and simplicity:

• Predefined avatars: Child-friendly, inclusive avatar options
• No photo uploads: Protects children's privacy
• Quick setup: Choose during profile creation
• Easy changes: Update avatars anytime through Settings

This approach keeps setup simple while protecting your family's privacy.

Absolutely! While we provide pre-made task and reward templates to get you started quickly, you can create completely custom tasks and rewards. You can:

• Set custom star values for tasks (1-10 stars)
• Set custom star costs for rewards (1-100 stars)
• Upload your own images for tasks and rewards
• Create tasks and rewards that are meaningful to your family

Yes! StarKid iOS supports passwordless authentication:

• Email verification: Enter just your email address and receive a verification code
• Secure login: Enter the code from your email to log in
• No password needed: Perfect for users who prefer not to manage passwords
• Same security: Just as secure as traditional password login

Choose "Sign in with Email" on the login screen to use passwordless authentication.

Yes! If you use traditional password login and forget your password:

• Password reset: Click "Forgot Password?" on the login page
• Email reset link: We'll send you a secure reset link
• Time limit: Reset links are valid for 1 hour for security
• Alternative: Use passwordless login instead - no password to forget!

The iOS app uses advanced security features to keep you logged in:

• Keychain storage: Credentials stored securely in iOS Keychain
• Biometric protection: Face ID or Touch ID required to access stored credentials
• Auto-login: Seamless access without re-entering credentials
• Session persistence: Stays logged in across app restarts
• Security first: Much more secure than traditional "remember me" options

Goals are automatic challenges that help children build consistent habits:

• Daily goals: Reset every day at midnight (e.g., "Complete 3 tasks")
• Weekly goals: Reset Monday to Sunday (e.g., "Earn 30 stars")
• Bonus rewards: Children earn extra stars when goals are completed
• Automatic tracking: Progress updates in real-time as tasks are completed

Goals encourage regular engagement and celebrate consistent effort.

Goals are created from server-managed templates for consistency:

• Goal Settings: Access through Settings > Goal Settings in the iOS app
• Per-child configuration: Enable/disable different goal templates for each child
• Template options: Choose from proven goal templates like "Complete 3 tasks" or "Earn 15 stars"
• Age-appropriate: Enable easier goals for younger children, more challenging ones for older kids

Goals automatically appear once templates are enabled and sync across all devices.

StarKid offers proven goal templates:

• Daily task goals: "Complete 3 tasks" (+3 ⭐), "Complete 5 tasks" (+6 ⭐)
• Daily star goals: "Earn 8 stars" (+2 ⭐), "Earn 15 stars" (+6 ⭐)
• Weekly task goals: "Complete 15 tasks" (+5 ⭐), "Complete 25 tasks" (+10 ⭐)
• Weekly star goals: "Earn 30 stars" (+5 ⭐), "Earn 50 stars" (+10 ⭐)

Mix and match templates based on each child's ability and motivation level.

Goals follow a predictable schedule:

• Daily goals: Reset at midnight local time
• Weekly goals: Reset Monday at midnight (Monday-Sunday weeks)
• Automatic bonus: Stars awarded immediately when goal is completed
• History tracking: Goal bonuses appear as separate entries in activity history
• One bonus per period: Each goal can only award bonus once per reset period

The system encourages daily engagement while building toward weekly achievements.

There are several ways to award stars:

• Complete tasks: Click on a task when your child completes it to automatically award the star value
• Manual star addition: Use the "+" button to add stars for good behavior or extra tasks
• Quick actions: Use the star control buttons for common amounts (1, 2, 5 stars)

All star transactions are tracked in the history page so you can see exactly when and why stars were awarded.

When your child wants to "purchase" a reward, simply click on the reward in the app. The system will automatically deduct the required stars from their total if they have enough. The transaction is logged in the history, and you can then provide the real-world reward (extra screen time, special outing, etc.).

Yes, you can remove stars using the "-" button or quick action controls. This might be useful for behavioral corrections or if stars were awarded by mistake. All star removals are tracked in the history for transparency.

StarKid provides a comprehensive history page where you can see:

• All star transactions (earned and spent)
• Which tasks were completed and when
• Which rewards were claimed
• Patterns in your family's activity

This helps you celebrate improvements and identify areas that might need attention.

The iOS app offers a native mobile experience with additional features:

• Offline viewing: Browse data without internet connection
• Biometric authentication: Face ID and Touch ID support
• Haptic feedback: Satisfying tactile responses
• Push notifications: Goal reminders and achievements
• Smart caching: Faster loading and better performance
• Native iOS design: Optimized for iPhone and iPad

Both versions sync automatically and share the same account data.

Yes! The iOS app has robust offline capabilities:

• View all data: Browse children, tasks, rewards, and history
• Dashboard access: See goals progress and analytics
• Smart caching: Data stays fresh with intelligent refresh

However, you'll need internet connection to complete tasks, redeem rewards, or make changes. The app will sync automatically when connection is restored.

Yes! StarKid iOS integrates with your device's biometric security:

• Secure login: Use Face ID or Touch ID for quick access
• Keychain integration: Credentials stored with biometric protection
• Auto-login: No need to re-enter passwords
• Enhanced security: Your family's data stays protected

The app automatically uses whatever biometric method your device supports.

StarKid iOS requirements:

• iOS Version: 16.0 or later (iOS 17.0+ recommended)
• Devices: iPhone and iPad (Universal app)
• Storage: Approximately 10-15MB
• Internet: Required for initial setup and syncing

The app is optimized for all screen sizes and works great on both iPhone and iPad.

Absolutely! You can use the same StarKid account on:

• Web browser: Desktop computers, laptops
• iOS app: iPhone and iPad
• Multiple devices: All devices sync automatically

Changes made on any device appear instantly on all others. Perfect for families who want to manage tasks from anywhere.

StarKid works with all modern web browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. We recommend keeping your browser updated for the best experience.

Absolutely. We take privacy and security seriously:

• All data is encrypted in transit and at rest
• We only collect information necessary for the service
• We never share your family's data with third parties
• You can delete your account and data at any time

See our Privacy Policy for complete details.

Migration is automatic and seamless:

• Same account: Use the same email address from your web account
• Automatic sync: All data transfers automatically when you log in
• No data loss: Complete history, children, tasks, and rewards preserved
• Continuous sync: Use web and mobile simultaneously
• Real-time updates: Changes on any device appear instantly on others

Just download the iOS app and log in - everything will be there!

Yes! StarKid prioritizes family privacy with special protections:

• No photo uploads: Predefined avatars protect children's image privacy
• Minimal data: Only essential information for app functionality
• No tracking: No third-party analytics or advertising networks
• GDPR compliant: European privacy regulation compliance
• Encrypted storage: All data encrypted in transit and at rest
• Data deletion: Complete account and child data removal available

We understand the importance of protecting children's privacy online.

We're here to help! If you encounter any issues:

• Try refreshing the page first
• Check your internet connection
• Use our feedback form to report the issue
• Email us directly at support@starkid.ca

As a beta service, we're constantly improving and your feedback helps us fix issues quickly.

The iOS app uses smart caching for better performance:

• First launch: Initial data download may take a few extra seconds
• Subsequent use: Much faster due to intelligent caching
• Large families: 5+ children may experience slightly slower loading
• Background refresh: Pull down to refresh or restart app if data seems stale

The app prioritizes data accuracy and offline capability over raw speed.

Yes! The iOS app includes intelligent push notifications:

• Goal reminders: Daily and weekly goal progress updates
• Achievement alerts: Celebrations when goals are completed
• Motivation messages: Encouraging reminders to stay engaged
• Smart timing: Quiet hours and intelligent spacing to avoid notification overload
• Family-friendly: Notifications respect different children's schedules

Enable notifications in iOS Settings > Notifications > StarKid for the full experience.

Yes! StarKid iOS provides satisfying tactile feedback:

• Task completion: Success haptic when tasks are completed
• Goal achievements: Special celebration feedback for bonus goals
• Navigation: Subtle feedback for tab switches and interactions
• Accessibility support: Helps users with visual impairments
• Satisfaction boost: Makes actions feel more rewarding and engaging

Haptic feedback works automatically and respects your device's accessibility settings.

Star values should reflect the difficulty and time required for each task:

• 1-2 stars: Simple tasks like putting away toys, feeding pets
• 3-4 stars: Medium tasks like setting the table, making their bed
• 5-7 stars: Challenging tasks like cleaning their room, helping with dishes
• 8-10 stars: Major tasks like organizing closets, helping with yard work

Adjust based on your child's age and abilities!

The best rewards are meaningful to your child and encourage positive behavior:

• Experiences: Extra bedtime story, special outing, movie night
• Privileges: Extra screen time, staying up late on weekends
• Small treats: Favorite snack, small toy, special meal choice
• Time together: One-on-one time, choosing family activity

Remember: the goal is building intrinsic motivation, so focus on experiences over material items when possible.

This is normal! Try these strategies:

• Ask your child what rewards they'd find motivating
• Make sure star costs aren't too high - quick wins build momentum
• Celebrate the effort, not just completion
• Consider adding variety to keep things interesting
• Remember that building habits takes time - be patient

Every child is different, so don't be afraid to experiment and adjust!

The goal is to build intrinsic motivation over time:

• Gradually increase the focus on how good it feels to help the family
• Praise the character traits being developed (responsibility, helpfulness)
• Slowly increase time between rewards
• Involve children in setting family goals rather than individual rewards
• Celebrate the family working together as a team

StarKid can be a stepping stone to lifelong positive habits!