Setting Up Parental Controls & PIN Protection
If you share your device with children or simply want tighter control over what's accessible in the app, OmniStream's parental control system has you covered. You can lock individual content categories behind a PIN, restrict access to app settings, and hide entire sections of the channel list — all without affecting playback for content you do want to access freely.
Setting Your PIN
The first step is setting up a PIN. This four-digit code will be required whenever someone tries to access a locked category or restricted area of the app.
- Open Settings in OmniStream
- Tap Parental Controls
- Select Set PIN and enter a four-digit code
- Confirm the PIN when prompted
Keep this PIN somewhere safe. If you forget it, you'll need to contact support to have it reset.
Locking Content Categories
Once your PIN is set, you can lock any category in your Live TV, Movies, or Series lists. Locked categories show a padlock icon in the category list and require the PIN before any content inside them can be accessed.
- Go to your channel or VOD category list
- Long-press on any category you want to restrict
- Select Lock Category from the menu
- Enter your PIN to confirm the change
You can lock as many categories as you like. The setting is saved per playlist, so if you have multiple playlists loaded, you can configure locks independently for each one.
Hiding Categories Entirely
If you'd rather a category not appear at all — rather than just being locked — OmniStream also lets you hide categories completely. Hidden categories don't show in the list unless you choose to reveal them via the settings menu, which is also PIN-protected once parental controls are enabled.
Locking App Settings
To prevent someone from simply disabling the PIN or changing parental settings, you can lock the settings area itself:
- In Parental Controls, toggle on Lock Settings
- After this is enabled, opening Settings requires your PIN
This is particularly useful if the device is shared with older children who might be savvy enough to navigate app settings.
Changing or Disabling Your PIN
To change your PIN, go to Settings → Parental Controls → Change PIN and enter your current PIN first, then set a new one. To disable parental controls entirely, tap Disable Parental Controls and confirm with your current PIN.
A Note on Security
OmniStream's parental controls are designed to provide a practical layer of protection within the app. They are not a substitute for device-level parental controls provided by Android, and a determined user with access to Android settings could uninstall or reinstall the app. For the most robust protection on a shared device, consider combining OmniStream's controls with Android's built-in family safety features.
If you have any questions about setting up parental controls, the Knowledgebase has additional guidance, or you can contact us directly.