Private beta support
Start with the setup and troubleshooting checks below. If you still need help, email us and include what you were trying to do, what happened, and the iOS version on each affected phone.
Keep both phones nearby for the first test whenever possible. The same flow also supports a secure link when they are apart.
Step 1
Use Carbon ID, create or open your family, and complete the Recovery Kit confirmation before approving child devices.
Step 2
With both phones nearby, scan the QR code. Otherwise share the secure setup link. A raw code remains a manual fallback during beta.
Step 3
Confirm that the matching device-approval code appears on both phones before adding the child device to the family.
Step 4
On the sharing phone, grant Always location access. Precise Location is recommended for reliable Place boundaries and route detail.
Step 5
Enable notifications on guardian phones, then configure Place-alert recipients inside Carbon Family. Authorized guardian phones can also receive encrypted low-battery alerts.
Check the sharing phone’s connection, battery state, Location Services, and Carbon Family permission. Always access is needed for dependable background sharing. Locate Now is a best-effort request; iOS does not guarantee an immediate fix.
Open the incomplete child profile on the guardian phone and issue a fresh invitation. Use the new QR code or link; do not rely on a screenshot of an expired setup code.
Confirm notifications are allowed for Carbon Family and that the guardian is selected as a recipient. Push and background delivery remain beta features and can be delayed by connectivity, iOS scheduling, or an incomplete device registration.
Use the Recovery Kit flow in the app. If you explicitly enabled iCloud Keychain recovery, the Recovery Code may be available after signing into the same Apple Account. Carbon cannot recreate missing family keys.
Pause sharing where the app offers that control and contact us promptly without including recovery material or precise location data. Complete lost-device revocation and family-wide key rotation are not yet supported in this beta, so do not treat a local erase as revoking another phone.