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Gabb Phone 4 Troubleshooting

Setup your Gabb Phone 4

Transfer existing Gabb phone number to new Gabb device

You can transfer your child’s phone number from one Gabb device to another. This is done digitally from your Gabb account. Removing the SIM card is not required to transfer your phone number.

Go to our activation portal and follow the steps to transfer your phone number to your new Gabb device. 

Transfer a phone number from another carrier to new Gabb phone

To transfer a number from another carrier to your new Gabb phone you’ll need a port out/transfer PIN from the other carrier. After you get this PIN, contact Gabb Support to move your existing phone number to your Gabb phone.

Can’t set up Gabb phone with MyGabb app

If your Gabb Phone isn’t listed in the MyGabb app, skip to Step 6.

  1. Log out of the MyGabb app on your (parent’s) smartphone, then log back in.
  2. Tap Manage, then tap on your Gabb Phone 4.
  3. Tap Manage Profile
  4. Scroll to the bottom of the page, then tap Remove Device > Remove.
  5. Log out of and uninstall the MyGabb app on your smartphone. 
  6. Download the MyGabb app on your smartphone, then log back in.
    1. Apple App Store
    2. Google Play Store
  7. Turn your Gabb phone off, then back on
  8. Open the MyGabb app on the Gabb phone, then select Show QR Code. You’ll see a QR code on the Gabb phone’s screen.
  9. Use the camera in the MyGabb app on your smartphone to scan the QR code on the Gabb phone. 
  10. Follow the prompts in the MyGabb app on your (parent’s) smartphone to complete the setup process.
Files not restoring from Gabb Cloud

Log out of your child’s Gabb ID app on their Gabb Phone 4, then log back in. You’ll need to sign in to the Gabb ID that was being used when the previous backup occurred.

Need to reset the password on your child’s Gabb account? Here’s how:

  1. Connect your Gabb Phone to WiFi. 
  2. Log in to your Gabb account.
  3. Select View Details next to the profile that needs the password reset. 
  4. Select Change Password under the child’s name.
  5. Enter the new password, then select Save.

Learn more about Gabb Cloud.

Phone is frozen / locked out

Phone is frozen

If your Gabb Phone 4 is frozen, press the power button and volume down button at the same time for 10 seconds to restart the Phone.

Forgot phone PIN / password

If your child forgot their phone PIN or password, please contact Gabb Support

We recommend adding both a PIN & a fingerprint once the device is unlocked.

GPS location not updating

GPS location not updating

This can happen when your Gabb phone:

  • Is turned off
  • Has a dead battery
  • Is in airplane mode
  • Has a low cell signal

Check to see if any of these are impacting your Gabb Phone 4.

GPS location updates automatically every 15 minutes, & you can manually update your child’s location at any time. Learn more about how GPS location tracking works.

Follow these steps to manually update the GPS location of your Gabb Phone 4:

  1. Log in to the MyGabb app on your (parent’s) smartphone.
  2. Tap on your Gabb Phone 4
  3. Select the Refresh button in the bottom-left corner of the map.

Texting & calling

Before troubleshooting issues with texting or calling, make sure your Gabb Phone 4 is active

Can’t send or receive texts or calls

First, check your approved contacts list:

  1. Open the Gabb Messenger for parents app on your smartphone. 
  2. Tap your child’s profile icon at the top of the page, then tap Controls.
  3. Tap Contact Management.
    1. If the Parent-Managed slider is enabled, the contact must be added to the approved contacts list. Tap Approve a New Contact, then add the contact to your approved contacts list
    2. If the Parent-Managed slider is not enabled, add the contact to your Gabb phone.

If that doesn’t work, try the following: 

  1. Turn your Gabb Phone 4 off. 
  2. Remove the SIM card.
  3. Turn the Gabb phone on without inserting the SIM card
  4. Wait for the error message, then turn the phone off. 
  5. Insert the SIM card. Make sure you enter it facing the same direction as when you removed it. 
  6. Turn your Gabb Phone 4 back on, then wait five minutes to use the phone again. 
  7. After five minutes have passed, reset your network settings:
    1. Open the Settings app on your Gabb Phone 4. 
    2. Tap System > Reset Options.
    3. Tap Reset WiFi, Mobile, & Bluetooth > Reset Settings.
Delayed texts
  1. Open the Settings app on your Gabb Phone 4.
  2. Tap System > Reset options.
  3. Tap Reset WiFi, mobile, & Bluetooth > Reset Settings.

If you’re still having issues, turn your Gabb phone off, take the SIM card out, put the SIM card back in, then turn the phone back on. You’ll need to reconnect your Gabb phone to WiFi.

Can’t send or receive group texts
  1. Connect your Gabb Phone 4 to WiFi. 
  2. Log out of Gabb Messenger on the Gabb phone, then log back in & open Gabb Messenger again.
  3. Tap Settings at the bottom of the screen, then tap Troubleshooting.
  4. Tap Sync Settings.
  5. Make sure that the Group Chat slider is enabled when composing the message.

If you’re still having issues, turn your Gabb phone off, take the SIM card out, put the SIM card back in, then turn the phone back on. You’ll need to reconnect your Gabb phone to WiFi.

Can’t make or receive calls without WiFi
  1. Turn your Gabb Phone 4 off.
  2. Take the SIM card out. Leave it out for 10 seconds. 
  3. Put the SIM card back in. Make sure you enter it facing the same direction as when you removed it. 
  4. Turn your Gabb phone back on.
Can’t make or receive video calls

Your child will only be able to make or receive video calls with friends & family who have Gabb Messenger installed on their smartphone, and with other children who have Gabb Messenger on a Gabb phone with video calling enabled.

  1. Open the Gabb Messenger app on your (parent’s) smartphone. 
  2. Tap your child’s profile icon, then tap Controls
  3. Enable Safe Video Calling by activating the slider
  4. Open the Gabb Messenger app on your Gabb phone.
  5. Tap Settings.
  6. Tap Troubleshooting > Sync Settings.

If you’re still having issues, turn your Gabb phone off, take the SIM card out, put the SIM card back in, then turn the phone back on. You’ll need to reconnect your Gabb phone to WiFi.

Third-party apps

Third-party app not added to phone
  1. Log in to your Gabb account
  2. Select Gabb App Store from the left side menu. 
  3. Select your Gabb Phone 4
  4. Locate the app you want to download, then select Add next to the app. 
  5. Select Add App. The app will automatically download to your Gabb Phone 4. 
  6. Open the Gabb ID app on your Gabb phone.
  7. Select Check for Updates to sync your Gabb phone with the MyGabb app.

Check out the Gabb App Store for the full list of available apps.

Third-party app not removed from phone

Did you remove an app from your child’s Gabb Phone 4, but it hasn’t been removed yet? Press and hold the app icon, then select Uninstall


If the app is still on your Gabb phone, connect the phone to WiFi and make sure your child is signed in to their Gabb ID app. It may take up to 24 hours for the app to be removed from your child’s phone.


Still need help? Contact Gabb Support.

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