ShortOS
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The ShortOS penguins: a grown penguin steadying a small one

Family-managed computing

A computer that stays simple — for the people you love.

ShortOS turns a computer into a calm, locked-down appliance that you set up and look after remotely. Just the few apps and sites you choose, and nothing to get lost in or stumble into.

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No ads or tracking No app store You stay in control

Who it's for

Two people in mind, one simple computer

Whether you're caring for a parent whose world has grown confusing, or setting a child loose on their first computer, ShortOS keeps the screen small, safe, and in your hands.

For a parent or grandparent

Gentle for a mind that's struggling

When menus, pop-ups, and settings turn every task into a maze, ShortOS strips the computer back to just the few things that still matter to them.

  • One calm home screen.Big, clearly labeled buttons for the handful of apps they actually use. No cluttered desktop, no menus to get lost in. It looks the same every single day.
  • You set it up, from anywhere.Add video calls, photos, music, or the news from your own phone. Change what's on their screen any time: no house call, no teaching a new trick over the phone.
  • Make everything bigger.Zoom buttons sit right on the screen, so tired eyes can enlarge text and icons in a tap, with no settings to dig through.
  • Impossible to break.They can't uninstall an app, wander into system settings, or download something harmful. The confusion and the worried phone calls simply go away.
  • Keeps them close.Video calls and family photos sit front and center, so staying in touch with grandchildren is always one tap away.

For your kids

Safe for a child who's exploring

Give them a real computer for homework, reading, and play — on a short leash that you hold, not a filter that quietly guesses what's okay.

  • Only what you approve.You choose the exact sites and apps that are allowed. If it isn't on your list, there's no way for them to get there: not by typing, not by searching.
  • No surprises.No app store, no random downloads, no stumbling into the wrong corner of the internet while you're in the next room.
  • Change it in seconds.Approve a new site for a school project right from your phone, then take it away again when the assignment's done.
  • Nothing to tinker out of.The same locked-down desktop, with no settings to fiddle with and no clever workarounds to find. Curious hands stay where you put them.
  • Grows with them.Open up more freedom as they get older, one approval at a time, always on your terms.

Early access

Ready to make their screen simple?

ShortOS is rolling out to families now. Tell us who you're setting it up for, and we'll help you get started.

Get in touch