FAQ

Common questions answered, with hints and tips for getting the best out of Blinds Are Up!

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Device Screen

How can I stop the screen turning off?

Although there is a "Keep Screen On" setting at the bottom of the Blinds Are Up! Display settings screen, which is turned on by default, Android mostly ignores this request by the app and may turn the screen off after a short period time anyway unless you configure Android to do otherwise.

There are a few settings across the various versions of Android that might be responsible for the screen turning off unexpectedly. Below are some of those settings that might be available on your particular device.

Each of the following is accessed from the main screen of Android's Settings app, and may or may not be present on your device:

• Display > Advanced > Screen Saver > When to start > Never
• Security & location > Screen lock > None
• Lock screen > Smart Lock > add current location to Trusted places

If your device comes with a Game Booster or Game Tools app (as many Samsung devices do) then you could try the following procedure, which might vary depending on your particular device:

1. Start the Blinds Are Up! app
2. Open Game Booster by swiping from the screen's edge or tapping its icon on the Android navigation bar
3. Open the Settings or Advanced screen (the cog icon)
4. Tap on Auto Touch Protection (some devices only) and set it to Never
5. Tap on Auto Screen Lock (some devices only) and set it to None

More information on Samsung's Game Booster app (previously called Game Tools) can be found on the Samsung website:
https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00084726/
https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/mobile-devices/what-is-game-booster/

How can I stop notifications interrupting my game?

The easiest way to quickly disable notifications is by using the Do not Disturb option on Android's swipe-down menu, described in more detail on Google's support website:
https://support.google.com/android/answer/9069335

Remember to turn notifications back on after the game!

How can I keep the app running when the screen is off?

Recent versions of Android have become increasingly aggressive when it comes to saving power. Android is now quick to terminate an app when it's not being used, and that includes apps that were running in the foreground and visible when the screen was turned off.

UPDATE: Blinds Are Up! version 3.5 introduced support for a Blinds Notification on the Android Lock Screen, for users with a 'No Ads Plus' or 'Pro' upgrade. This feature ensures the alarms remain active when the screen is off, and allows you to quickly check the current blind amounts and remaining level/break time without unlocking your device.

Many devices have a feature called DuraSpeed which, if present, contains the setting that is most likely to keep Blinds Are Up! running:

1. Open Android's Settings app
2. Tap on DuraSpeed (if not present, see below)
3. Tap Blinds Are Up! in the list of apps to turn on the "allow this app to run in background" option

If your device does not have the DuraSpeed feature, then the device's manufacturer might have included similar power-saving options under settings that could be called something like Battery optimizations, Battery manager, Power saving, PowerGenie, etc.

For detailed advice on keeping any app running, not just Blinds Are Up!, the Don't Kill My App! website is an excellent source of information for many versions of Android from a wide range of manufacturers:
https://dontkillmyapp.com

Screen Casting

Can I cast the Blinds Display to multiple TVs?

Unfortunately, Android's screen casting ability only supports casting video to one TV at a time. Although Chromecast supports sending audio to multiple receivers, video is limited to a single receiving device only.

Android's soft keyboard won't appear when screen-casting the Blinds Display

This issue, seen on only a few devices, is fixed simply by switching away from the app (by showing the Android home screen, for instance) and then switching back to the app.

Blinds Display

How can I make the Timer and Blinds text easier to read?

On the Display settings screen, under the Timer section, there are a couple of options that change how text is drawn and help improve its readability against various backgrounds:

• Shadows on Timer/Blinds Text
• Outlined Timer/Blinds text

The Outlined Text option is particularly useful for making text stand out against a background image.

Alarms

How can I add my own alarm sounds?

When selecting an alarm sound, you can now (from version 5.6.4) import a sound file for use as an alarm sound.

All audio file formats supported by Android can be imported (mp3, ogg, wav, etc.).

To import a sound file:

1. Go to the Alarms screen
2. Tap the button next to "Selected sound"
3. Tap "Import Sound"
4. Browse to and select the required sound file
5. The sound file will be added to the list of Imported Sounds and can be selected for any of the alarm types

I don't hear alarms or speech

After testing the sounds and speech on the Alarms screen, go to the Tools screen, under the Android Device Settings section tap Sound Settings, then ensure the device's sound levels are high enough. Which volume slider to use depends on the type of sound (alarm, ringtone, etc.) you selected for the blinds alarm.

If the speech isn't working or you'd like to change the voice being used, go to the Tools screen, tap Speech Settings to show Android's text-to-speech options, then tap Play to ensure speech is working on the device. The "Preferred engine" is usually set to the Google engine, and the language should be set to "Use system language" or the name of your preferred language. If you still can't hear speech, try selecting a different language. You may have to wait a moment for Android to download any required text-to-speech data.

Finally, rebooting the device might clear any issues that either the app or Android itself could be having with its sound or speech subsystem.

Alarms stop sounding when the screen is off

This is most likely due to Android terminating the Blinds Are Up! app after a short period of the phone not being used. See the section "How can I keep the app running when the screen is off?" above.

Other Problems

Accidentally pausing the timer or changing levels when in Full Screen mode

Go to the Display settings screen and scroll down to the Controls section. Here you can deselect the options for controlling the timer, the current level, and for showing the various settings screens when the Blinds Display is tapped.

Running on Other Devices

Is there a version for Windows?

Although there currently isn't a PC version of the app, a version for Windows is currently in the works and should be available next year.

Is there a version for iPhone/iPad?

Unfortunately, no. Development work is currently concentrated on adding more features to the Android version and working towards a version for Windows. Converting the app to run on Apple devices is at least a year or two away.

Can I run Blinds Are Up! on my laptop?

A version for Windows won't be available for some time.

However, newer Chromebook models are able to download and run apps from the Google Play Store, including Blinds Are Up!