Managing your devices

Each device you use (phone, tablet, laptop, desktop) can connect to tala.family services independently. This guide covers adding new devices and managing existing ones.

Adding a new device

For each new device, you'll typically do two things:

1. Sign in to the VPN — Install Tailscale and connect to the family network. See the VPN guide for platform-specific steps.
2. Set up your apps — Install the mobile or desktop apps for the services you use. See the apps guide.

Your tala.family account works on any number of devices. There's no limit.

Signing in on new devices

Your passkey may already be available on the new device:

• Apple devices signed into the same iCloud account share passkeys automatically.
• Android devices signed into the same Google account share passkeys via Google Password Manager.
• Cross-platform (e.g., signing in on a Windows PC with your iPhone passkey): the sign-in page shows a QR code. Scan it with the phone that holds your passkey.

If you can't sign in at all, see the troubleshooting section in the accounts guide.

Revoking a device

If you lose a phone or want to remove a device from the network:

1. Ask a family administrator to open the VPN admin panel at vpn.tala.family.
2. They'll find the device by name and remove it.
3. The device immediately loses VPN access. It can no longer reach private services.

App sessions (files, photos, tasks) expire on their own after inactivity. If you want to force-revoke app access immediately, the administrator can also deactivate sessions from the identity provider at id.tala.family.

Keeping things up to date

• Tailscale updates itself automatically on most platforms.
• App updates come through the App Store or Play Store like any other app.
• Browser access requires no updates — just use a modern browser.