Joining a family¶
A family is everyone who shares lists through the same family server. Somebody in the household runs that server. Everyone else just needs an invite.
Everything on this page is under menu → Family sharing.
Join with an invite¶
The easiest way in. Ask someone already in the family to create an invite (see Invite someone below), then either:
- scan the QR code with your phone's normal camera app, or
- tap the invite link they sent you.
TidyShop opens and asks Join this TidyShop family?, showing the address of the family server and, if the family uses single sign-on, the sign-in provider. Check that the server is the one you expect. An invite holds only those public addresses and a single-use code, never a password.
Enter your name and tap Enroll without SSO. If your family uses single sign-on and you have an account there, you can use Continue with SSO instead.
Save your recovery code
Right after joining, TidyShop shows a recovery code once. Write it down or put it in a password manager. It's the one thing that gets you back in after reinstalling TidyShop or switching phones. See After a reinstall.
Joining by typing the details¶
Under Pair with a family server, enter the Server address (starting with https://) and
the Invite code, then tap Join family.
The person who runs the server uses the same screen with the master pairing key instead of an invite code, plus a Family name, and taps Pair server. That makes them the family's owner. See Connect the app.
Invite someone¶
In Family sharing, tap Invite a new family member. TidyShop shows:
- a QR code for them to scan with their camera app;
- the code itself, to read out;
- Share invitation, to send the link through any messenger.
An invite works once and expires, so it's safe to send over chat. You can Revoke an invite that hasn't been used yet.
By default only the family owner can invite people. If you see A family admin has not allowed this account to invite new members, ask them to switch on May invite new members for you.
Your other devices¶
A tablet, or a second phone, should be you rather than a new person. Tap Link another device to this family and scan the QR code on the other device, or type the code there. It joins as the same family member and sees exactly your lists.
If a family administrator has limited you to one device, linking isn't available.
After a reinstall, or on a new phone¶
Each phone's key lives in its hardware and can't be moved or backed up. After reinstalling TidyShop, or on a new phone, don't use a new invite. That would make you a second, separate family member with none of your lists. Instead, choose Reinstalled this phone? Reconnect it on the pairing screen, enter the server address, and one of:
- a link code from another of your own devices, or from a family administrator;
- your recovery code.
Whoever runs the server can also use Or, if you run this server → Master pairing key, then Show the accounts on this server, and pick the account the phone should return to.
After reconnecting you get your family lists and your backups on the server back, and a new recovery code. Save that one too.
Lost your recovery code but still have a working phone? Under This device, Show a new recovery code gives you a fresh one and retires the old one.
Lists you can join¶
Lists you can join shows family lists whose owner shared them with everyone. Tap Subscribe to add one to your phone.
For family administrators¶
The family owner, and anyone who has verified the server's master pairing key, is a family administrator and gets extra controls under Members:
| Control | Effect |
|---|---|
| May invite new members | Allow this member to create invites. |
| May link multiple devices | When off, this member can't link more than one device. Linking a new one replaces the old. |
| Remove from family | Revokes all of their devices. Lists they owned pass to you. |
To become an administrator on your own phone, for instance after the owner's phone was lost, enter the server's master pairing key under Enable family administration.
Shared-list management lists every family list on the server, including ones nobody opens any more, and lets an administrator Delete permanently a stale one. That removes it from the server and every phone, and can't be undone.
Leaving¶
menu → Leave family removes this phone from the family server. It stops receiving shared lists, your lists stay on the phone, and the rest of the family is unaffected. You can rejoin later with a new invite. To wipe the phone completely, use Log out in Profile instead.
Try the demo family¶
Not sure family sharing is worth setting up a server for? Under No server yet?, tap Explore a demo family. TidyShop adds two made-up family members and a couple of shared lists to your phone. Pretend a family member added something shows exactly the notification you'd get.
Nothing is uploaded and no account is created. Leave the demo removes the demo lists again; your own lists aren't touched.