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My fathers phone is an absolute mess every time I look at it. When I passed him the phone, there was one home screen, and the default thing on the bottom launcher bar like phone, messages, browser.

Now, there are something like 8 home screen with numerous duplicates of apps, numerous folders with even more duplicates of apps, folders on the launcher bar, I don't even know where the phone dialler is hidden at this point. Of course, there are all the strange apps that now inhabit the phone as well that promise to "clean" the phone and speed it up and various other apps of that sort. He also manages to disable GPS, disable WiFi, and disable cellular data from time to time among other things.

When asked about it... well... he alleges that he never touches anything.

I'm sure others have been in this position before. Is there any app out there that can do the following:

1) lock all settings like GPS, WiFi, Cellular Data, etc. 2) lock all icons on the homescreen etc. so that new shortcuts/folders can't be created 3) lock new apps from being installed

All of the above can be temporarily unlocked with a password or something like that. It doesn't have to be one app to do everything, even 2 or 3 would be fine... ideally free, but this is absolutely something I'd pay for.

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    Do a scan with Malwarebytes for Android to remove any apps that could potentially be malicious, make sure the option to install apps from unknown sources is disabled, and remove any apps that he just doesn't need. It is possible that he is falling victim to ads in other apps or browser lockers which claim that the device is in danger and requires an app to "fix" the problem. In regards to locking the launcher layout, Nova Launcher can do that.
    – user109348
    Commented Jan 26, 2018 at 14:45
  • Apex launcher lets you lock icons on the homescreen (even in the free version). There is a guide here. The icon in step 12 of the guide is not available on my home screen. Instead I had to open the app drawer and select the three dots in the upper right corner to get to the menu in step 13.
    – kirodge
    Commented Jan 26, 2018 at 16:05
  • Some of that can't be accidental, tell him he'll have to use a landline if he can't behave. 😃
    – Rob
    Commented Jan 27, 2018 at 6:18

2 Answers 2

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Ironically what you need is a parental control app. There are many on the play store but the only one I’ve ever used is Kid's Place. They are all designed to do exactly what you are asking… Lock everything from GPS settings to installing app.

You might also try educating your father with regard to touch screens. He is most likely handling the phone when the screen is active, unaware that every touch is changing “something”.

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Use any of the following apps 1). Iwawa 3.2.7 2) SureLock

Alternatively lock desktop settings in nova launcher might be useful

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