Guide & FAQ

Detailed user guide and answers to common questions

Pilu turns two phones or tablets into a baby monitor: one stays with the baby, one with you. Everything runs directly between your two devices – no cloud, no account, no internet. This guide explains every step; the most common questions are answered below.

How Pilu works

Pilu needs exactly two devices. The baby device ("With the baby") stays in the nursery and transmits sound – and, if you like, video. Your device ("With you") receives, shows a traffic light in plain words plus the noise level, and raises an alarm when something happens.

The connection runs directly from device to device over your Wi-Fi – or, away from home, over a small network that one of the devices creates itself. There is no server in between, no account, no cloud. Sound and video never leave your network and are end-to-end encrypted.

Pilu connects Android and iPhone/iPad in any combination: Android with the baby and an iPhone with you, the other way round, or the same platform twice.

First steps: choosing roles

On first launch Pilu asks just one thing on each device: "Which device is this?"

"With the baby" – this device stays in the nursery. Pilu then asks once whether to transmit "Video and sound" or "Sound only". "Sound only" saves a lot of battery and is perfect for the night; the camera stays off. You can change this any time ("Change transmission").
"With you" – the device you carry. It shows the traffic light, level, video and alarms.

Pilu remembers the role. Next time you land directly on the right screen. Switch roles with the arrow icon at the top right.

Tip: the baby device works best on a charger, microphone facing the bed, one to two metres from the baby and out of reach.

Connecting on your home Wi-Fi

Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi. Internet doesn't matter – a router without internet works too.

Baby device: open Pilu, "With the baby" – it shows a code.
Your device: open Pilu, "With you" → "Connect baby device" → scan the code with the Pilu app (not with the camera app). Pilu clearly says "Connected" or explains what went wrong.
From now on the baby device is "known": next time a tap on the big start button on your device is enough – no code. Pilu finds the baby device even if it got a new address on the Wi-Fi.

If the camera can't read the code (e.g. a tablet without a camera), type it in under "Having trouble?" → "Enter code".

Important: guest Wi-Fi and some hotel networks isolate devices from each other ("client isolation"). Use the normal Wi-Fi or "Connect without Wi-Fi" instead.

Connecting without Wi-Fi (on the go)

On holiday, at friends' or without a router, one of your devices creates its own small network – just for your two devices. This feature is part of Pilu Full.

Network host:

Android creates its own hotspot via "This device creates the network". Android asks for "Nearby devices" or location for this – Pilu never tracks you; the permission is an Android requirement for local networks.
An iPhone with a SIM uses its Personal Hotspot. Apple doesn't let apps access it, so you type in its name and password once (Settings → Personal Hotspot); Pilu remembers them.

The host then shows ONE code. On the other device: "Connect without Wi-Fi" → "The other device creates the network" → scan the code in Pilu. Your device joins the network right inside the app (if the system asks, confirm with "Join"/"Connect") and then connects by itself. Every step shows a checkmark or explains the error.

If the device says "No internet connection", that's correct: this network exists only for your two devices. Two iPhones/iPads without a SIM can't create a network on the go – then you need an Android device as the host.

Monitoring on your device

At the top there is always a sentence in plain words, never just an icon:

Green: connected, sound is arriving – "Quiet" or "Noise".
Yellow: the connection is shaky, Pilu is reconnecting.
Red: no connection. Pilu sounds a loud alarm and shows since when – even with the device muted or in "Do not disturb".

The level shows in words how loud it is in the nursery (Quiet, Soft, Loud) plus a small history curve. "Camera on/off" switches the baby device's camera remotely; "Peek" fetches a picture while the camera is off (Pilu Full).

"Mute" only silences playback – alarms stay loud. After 30 seconds without a touch, night mode dims the screen to black with a clock, status dot and level bar; on alarm, yellow, red or touch it lights up again immediately. You end monitoring deliberately via "End" – Pilu asks to be sure.

The baby device while monitoring

As soon as your device is connected, the baby device shows "Sending" with a large status field. The screen dims after a short while; tapping wakes it.

Android: the screen may be locked – Pilu keeps running as a foreground service (notification "Pilu is transmitting").
iPhone/iPad: sound keeps running in the background; for video Pilu must stay visible. Best: iPhone on the charger with Pilu in the foreground – Pilu dims the screen itself.

Pilu warns when the baby device isn't charging and estimates the remaining time. Below 20 % battery it turns the camera off and transmits sound only; if the device gets warm it reduces video quality or pauses video – sound always continues.

Transmission is stopped with the slider ("Slide to stop") so an accidental tap can't end it.

Alarms – what Pilu reports

Noise alarm: when the baby cries, your device gets loud and bright. Set the sensitivity in three levels; short clicks don't trigger, sustained noise does. After an alarm Pilu waits briefly before alarming again.
Motion alarm (Pilu Full): reports movement in the picture, even in low light. Switch it on or off in the settings.
Connection loss: if the baby device's heartbeats stop, the light turns red and a loud continuous alarm sounds – even if your device is muted or "Do not disturb" is on. Pilu reconnects automatically.
Microphone watchdog: if the baby device's microphone stops delivering sound, or sound stalls despite a connection, Pilu says so – a green light at Pilu always means "sound is really arriving".
Battery: your device warns at 15 %; the baby device reports low and critical battery.

A running alarm can be silenced with a tap; the light stays honest until the problem is really fixed.

Talk-back, sounds and night light

Talk-back: hold the talk button on your device and speak – your voice comes out of the baby device's speaker. Releasing ends the transmission.

Soothe: under "Soothe" you start gentle noise, rain or a lullaby on the baby device. Volume and a timer (the sound ends by itself) can be set. The noise alarm stays armed – Pilu filters out its own sound.

Night light: the baby device's screen glows as a warm light; you set the brightness remotely. The night light uses some battery – best with a charger.

Test tone: a short tone on your device and on the baby device shows that both speakers are audible.

Night readiness and background (Android)

Before bedtime, "Night readiness" on your device checks whether an alarm would really reach you: volume, "Do not disturb", notifications, battery optimisation (Android), Bluetooth headphones (the alarm would otherwise only play there) and battery level. Each point can be fixed directly; a "Test alarm" shows how loud it gets.

Android stops apps in the background to save battery. So the transmission doesn't break off at night:

On the baby device tap "Grant exception" and exempt Pilu from battery optimisation.
Some manufacturers (Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus and others) also have an "Autostart" or "App lock" setting – Pilu opens the right page directly.
Device on the charger, Wi-Fi not in power-saving mode.

Event log

On your device Pilu keeps a log of the night: start and end, connection established or lost, noise and motion alarms, battery warnings, camera on/off, sounds, night light and microphone watchdog warnings.

Only events with a time are stored – never sound, never video. The log stays on your device and helps you understand a restless night in the morning. You reach it via the clock icon at the top of the "With you" screen.

Pilu Full – subscription or one-time purchase, household licence

Free and without time limit: sound transmission, all alarms, talk-back, sounds, night light and the log.

Pilu Full additionally unlocks: the camera picture, "Peek", the motion alarm and "Connect without Wi-Fi". Your choice: monthly, yearly (the first 7 days free, then the subscription renews automatically until you cancel) or pay once and keep it forever – all future updates included. Prices are shown in the purchase dialog.

Household licence: you pay once on your device ("With you"). As soon as it is connected to the baby device, the baby device is unlocked too – whether Android or iPhone. With a subscription the unlock travels along on every connection; with the one-time purchase it stays for good – even after changing devices or reconnecting.

New phone or reinstalled app? "Restore purchases" in the purchase dialog brings the subscription or purchase back via your app store account. The baby device never shows a purchase dialog – buying always happens on the parent device. A running subscription is managed under Settings → "Manage subscription" (opens your store's subscription settings).

Privacy, security, permissions

Pilu has no server, no cloud and no account. Sound and video travel exclusively between your two devices – encrypted (DTLS-SRTP, the same standard as encrypted video calls). The code you scan when connecting contains a digital fingerprint of the baby device: only the device whose code you scanned can connect. Foreign devices without the code are rejected without any reply.

Nothing is recorded or stored – except the event log on your device (without sound and video).

Permissions and what they are for:

Microphone and camera: the transmission itself (camera only with "Video and sound" and for scanning the code).
Notifications (Android): the "Pilu is transmitting" notice so Android doesn't end the app.
"Nearby devices" / location (Android): only for "Connect without Wi-Fi" – an Android requirement for local networks. Pilu never tracks you.
Local network (iPhone): so Pilu can find the other device on the Wi-Fi.

On Android you can block screenshots of the app in the settings.

Apple Watch and Live Activity (iPhone)

With an iPhone as the "With you" device, the Pilu app on the Apple Watch shows the status in plain words, the noise level, the baby device's battery and – when the camera is on – a live picture. On red or alarm the watch vibrates. There is deliberately no sound on the watch; that comes from the iPhone.

Without fresh data the display turns grey and says "No live data from the iPhone" – the watch never claims a green it doesn't know. The iPhone only sends pictures while the watch app is visible (battery of both devices).

On the iPhone itself a Live Activity shows the status on the lock screen and in the Dynamic Island, with a running "LIVE" clock. If updates stop, it is marked grey.

Language, settings, switching roles

Language: Pilu speaks 21 languages. By default the app follows the system language; under Settings (gear) → "Language" you pick another – it applies immediately and only on this device.

More settings: "Start with camera off" (saves battery, picture via "Peek"), "Motion alarm", "Block screenshots" (Android). Switch roles with the arrow icon at the top right. On the baby device you find "Change transmission" (video or sound only) and "Reconnect" (new code) at the bottom. Under "Having trouble?" on your device you can "forget" the baby device and connect again.

Tips for a quiet night

Both devices on the charger – a whole night of transmission uses noticeable battery.
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi reaches further through walls than 5 GHz. If the baby device is far from the router, a repeater or a spot closer to the door helps.
Baby device one to two metres from the bed, microphone unobstructed, out of the baby's reach.
Before bedtime check "Night readiness" and listen to the test alarm once.
Disable router power saving and "Wi-Fi off at night".
Do a short test run the first time: speak briefly in the nursery and check that the alarm triggers.
"Sound only" for the night, "Video and sound" to check in – both can be switched any time.

Frequently asked questions

Does Pilu need internet or an account?

No. Pilu works completely without internet, without an account and without a cloud. The devices only need a shared network: your Wi-Fi (even without internet) or, on the go, the small network one of the devices creates.

How far apart can the devices be?

As far as your Wi-Fi reaches – at home usually across several rooms and floors without trouble. On the go via hotspot it is roughly 10 to 30 metres depending on the devices and walls. With a weak signal Pilu shows yellow; a repeater or a different spot helps.

"That didn't work" – what now?

Check in order: are both devices on the same Wi-Fi? Is the baby device still showing the code? Did you scan the code with the Pilu app (not the camera app)? Guest or hotel Wi-Fi? Then use the normal Wi-Fi or "Connect without Wi-Fi". If nothing helps: tap "Reconnect" on the baby device and scan the new code.

The picture stays black or doesn't arrive.

Is the camera on? With "Start with camera off", "Peek" fetches a picture. The camera picture is part of Pilu Full; without it Pilu transmits sound only. If no picture arrives despite the camera being on, Pilu switches the video format automatically – wait a few seconds. Below 20 % battery or when warm, the baby device turns the picture off.

I hear nothing or only very quietly.

Check your device's media volume and whether "Mute" is active. On Android Pilu raises playback that is too quiet by itself. "Night readiness" checks all points and the test tone shows whether the speaker plays. Silence in the nursery is real silence with Pilu – the green light confirms that sound is arriving.

My device wakes up at night by itself and turns red.

Red means: for a few seconds no heartbeats came from the baby device – usually a short Wi-Fi dropout. Pilu reports this deliberately and reconnects. Common causes: weak signal (baby device far from the router), router power saving, 5 GHz Wi-Fi through thick walls. Move closer to the router, use 2.4 GHz or add a repeater.

Android ends Pilu in the background.

Exempt Pilu from battery optimisation on the baby device ("Grant exception") and allow autostart on Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and the like. Keep the device on the charger. Pilu really checks the exception and shows when it is missing.

iPhone as the baby device: does the screen have to stay on?

Not for sound – it keeps running in the background. For video Pilu must stay visible, because iPhones turn the camera off in the background. Keep Pilu in the foreground and the iPhone on the charger; Pilu dims the screen itself.

How much battery does Pilu use?

A night with video uses noticeable battery on the baby device, "Sound only" much less. Pilu estimates the remaining time and warns when the device isn't charging. Recommendation: both devices on the charger.

On the go without a SIM – does that work?

Yes, if one of the devices is an Android: it creates the hotspot itself, without any SIM or internet. Two iPhones/iPads without a SIM can't create their own network; an iPhone with a SIM uses its Personal Hotspot (the streaming itself uses no mobile data).

Why do I have to type the iPhone hotspot name and password?

Apple doesn't let apps access the Personal Hotspot – neither turn it on nor read the password. So you type both in once (Settings → Personal Hotspot); Pilu remembers them and turns them into the code for the other device.

The device says "No internet connection".

On a hotspot network that is normal and correct: this network exists only for your two devices. Pilu keeps the connection; don't switch back to your home Wi-Fi while monitoring is running.

Why does Pilu ask for location or "Nearby devices"?

Only for "Connect without Wi-Fi": Android requires this permission for every local network an app creates or joins. Pilu never reads your location. On your home Wi-Fi the permission is not needed.

Are recordings stored?

No. Sound and video are only transmitted live and stored nowhere – neither on the devices nor anywhere else. Only the event log (times of alarms etc.) stays on your device.

Can someone else watch or listen in?

Only whoever scanned the code when connecting. The connection is end-to-end encrypted and your device checks the baby device's digital fingerprint. Devices without the code get no reply. For safety, "Reconnect" creates a fresh code at any time.

Do I have to buy Pilu Full on both devices?

No. Buy once on your device ("With you") – after connecting, the baby device is unlocked automatically, even on the other platform. The purchase dialog only appears on the parent device.

New phone – how do I get my purchase back?

Tap "Restore purchase" in the purchase dialog on the new device (same app store account). Alternatively, connecting once with the other, already unlocked device is enough – the household licence travels along.

The alarm comes too often or too rarely.

Change the sensitivity on your device: "Low" ignores quiet sounds, "High" already reacts to whimpering. Watch out for noise sources in the room (fan, street) and the distance to the bed.

Can I connect two parent devices at the same time?

Pilu connects one baby device with one parent device. A second device can take over: connect, and it becomes the active device. An iPhone can additionally show the status on the Apple Watch.

The Apple Watch shows "No live data".

The watch only shows what the iPhone is currently sending. Open Pilu on the iPhone and start monitoring; the watch app must be visible to receive pictures. If it stays grey, the connection between iPhone and watch is briefly interrupted – the watch never claims a green it doesn't know.

How do I change the language?

Settings (gear) → "Language". "System language" follows your device; any other choice applies immediately and only on this device. The other device has its own language choice.

What happens if the Wi-Fi drops briefly?

Your device turns yellow, after a few seconds without heartbeats red, and sounds the alarm. Pilu keeps reconnecting by itself – without a new code. As soon as sound arrives again it turns green and the alarm ends.

How do I cancel the subscription?

Settings (gear) → "Manage subscription" – this opens the subscription management of your app store (Apple or Google). Cancel there at any time; Pilu Full stays unlocked until the end of the paid period, after that the free part (sound, alarms, talk-back, sounds, night light, log) simply keeps running. Cancelled within the 7 free days = nothing paid.

Why doesn't Pilu show a room temperature?

Pilu shows the room temperature only if the baby device has a built-in room temperature sensor – very few Android devices have one, iPhone and iPad none at all. If the sensor is missing, both devices clearly say "No temperature sensor" instead of showing an estimated number. Battery or device temperature is not room temperature and is deliberately not shown. Tip: a simple room thermometer next to the baby device is the most reliable solution.

Further reading