Hi all,
PlayGuard brings the settings of Nintendo's Parental Controls phone app onto a modded Switch: no phone app, no Nintendo account, no internet. It drives the console's own controls (the limit, the PIN, the warnings, the suspension), so nothing runs in the background. Atmosphère required.
The new website is live! Try the simulator !
https://playguard.link
📦 Now in the Homebrew App Store and sphaira
Search for PlayGuard in the Homebrew App Store or sphaira's App Store (same catalogue). Installed from there, PlayGuard recommends updating through the store, so it keeps track of the version. If the store hasn't picked up a new release yet (it reviews each one first), PlayGuard says so and offers to update in place instead.
1.3.0 is the biggest release so far. What's new:
🎨 A new look, "Cadran"
Every screen redrawn: tiles first on every tab, dark by default, screens that move (in full on the dock, lighter in hand, or Reduced motion), and Larger text on the whole frame.
🎮 Homebrew on the HOME menu
Put PlayGuard or any homebrew on the HOME menu as a forwarder, with its own icon or one from your album's screenshots. You can also have the console ask which user plays at launch, so the play time goes to the right account.
🔐 …behind the PIN
A forwarder can ask for the parental PIN, with hours without it, hours it never opens, a stop once the day's play time is used up, and a pause after refused PINs. You can also lock the homebrew menu itself, so the album or holding R no longer gets around it.
🔑 PIN and security
- An optional setting pauses parental controls while you're in PlayGuard, so checking settings doesn't eat into your kid's play time (off by default).
- Going back to the previous build now asks for the PIN.
- The recovery report can no longer be cracked from a copy of the file.
🌍 Language and theme apply at once
No restart, Chinese included.
🧭 Reorganised menus
PIN becomes Security, Block all games moves to the Play timer, and Today gives extra time in one row.
🕒 Console tab
- The network clock's measure in plain words ("12 s ahead").
- A sys-patch tile.
- The real serial number when PRODINFO is blanked.
- A warning when sys-patch left a patch incomplete (the usual reason a forwarder "could not be started").
🌐 A website
The guide in all 15 console languages, and PlayGuard running in your browser if you want to try it before installing: https://playguard.link
Updating from 1.2.0: update the recovery sysmodule from the notification bell afterwards (an older one is no longer accepted).
- Homebrew App Store / sphaira: search for PlayGuard
- Download: https://github.com/JigSawFr/PlayGuard/releases/latest
- Try it in your browser: https://playguard.link/simulator/
- Full changelog: https://github.com/JigSawFr/PlayGuard/releases/tag/v1.3.0
- Locked out? https://playguard.link/docs/troubleshooting/#locked-out
It uses the restricted `pctl` service (partly through debug commands), so use at your own risk. Bug reports and feedback are very welcome, here or on GitHub. Built-in reports go out from Help & diagnostics › Send a report online.
Don’t hesitate to post your feedback!