Frum Phone for Android
We can't use the term “Kosher Phone” — so we call this a “Frum Phone” instead. This page turns a brand-new (or freshly factory-reset) Android phone into a locked-down device: it installs the ShomerDNS app, points its DNS requests at ShomerDNS's filtered DNS (frum.shomerdns.com) so harmful sites are blocked before they load, and locks the DNS and app-install settings behind a PIN that you set so they can't be changed or removed without it.
Want to try the filtering first before locking anything down? You don't need to provision a whole phone for that — just go to Settings → Network & Internet → Advanced → Private DNS on any Android device and enter frum.shomerdns.com as the hostname. That applies the same content filtering immediately, with nothing installed and nothing locked down. Come back here when you're ready for the full locked-down setup.
Before you start
By continuing, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions, including the section on device lock and factory reset behavior.
Common questions
Why can't I download the app from the Play Store?
The Frum Phone app isn't a regular app you find by searching the Play Store — it's a special “device owner” app that has to be installed automatically during setup, before the phone is signed into any Google account. That's what the QR code on this page does: it tells the phone exactly where to download the app from and installs it as part of the setup process itself. If you try to set the phone up normally first and look for the app afterward, it won't be there — you have to start from a factory-reset phone and scan the QR code at the very beginning, as described in “Setting up the phone” that appears after clicking Continue above.
It says “Couldn't set up device”
This almost always means either the Wi-Fi network name or password was typed wrong above, or the phone had already been set up before (it needs to be brand new or freshly factory reset). Factory reset the phone, double-check the Wi-Fi details, and scan a freshly-generated QR code — don't reuse an old one, since it may have the wrong details baked in.
Tapping the Welcome screen 6 times doesn't do anything
Make sure you're tapping the actual “Welcome” screen that appears immediately after the phone turns on for the first time — not a later setup screen. If you've already tapped “Next” or chosen a language past that point, factory reset and start again from the very first screen.
The QR scanner reappeared after I already scanned it once
Don't scan it again. This means setup was still working in the background — Wi-Fi joining, downloading the app, or installing it — when the scanner came back, and scanning a second time can start a second setup attempt on top of the first one, leaving the phone in a broken, half-configured state that's very hard to recover from (it can even get permanently stuck unable to factory reset). If this happens, power the phone off, factory reset it, and start over from the very first Welcome screen with a fresh QR code.
It says “This device is managed by your organization”
This is normal and can't be turned off — it's Android's own way of showing that a device has admin controls installed, the same message you'd see on a work phone. It doesn't mean anything has gone wrong.
Can I sign in to the Google Play Store on the phone?
You can sign in with a Google account that already exists, but the phone won't let you create a brand new one directly on the device — that's an Android restriction on managed phones, not something this app controls. Create the account first on a computer or another phone, then sign in on your new Frum Phone.
How do I install an app my child needs, like Chrome?
Open the app, enter your PIN, and go to Lock Settings. Uncheck “Block new app installs” and tap Apply, install the app from Play Store, then check “Block new app installs” again and tap Apply to lock it back down.
I need to start over — what do I do?
Factory reset the phone and repeat the setup steps above with a fresh QR code. If Private DNS has been locked, you'll need to unlock it from inside the app first (Lock Settings → Unlock DNS) before a factory reset is possible at all.
Can I request a site to be added to the Frum Phone allow list?
Yes. Please use the Contact Form and we shall review the request.
