# Charlie's Video Player > Child-safe media player with playlist and lock features for young children. (iPhone/iPad app by Dominic Manley.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charlies-video-player/id542646466 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Dominic Manley](https://appshunter.io/developer/337417596) - Category: Photo & Video, Lifestyle - Price: Free - Rating: 3.30/5 from 6 App Store ratings · 8 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 12.0 · 19 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2012-07-19 - Data updated: 2026-06-10 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charlies-video-player/id542646466/reviews.md ## What is Charlie's Video Player? Charlie's Video Player is a video (and audio) player for parents with young children. It locks out on-screen controls whilst playing media so that eager little fingers can't interrupt the playback. Parents can setup a playlist and configure options, including setting the child lock (a secret combination of tapping the four corners of the screen). PLEASE NOTE 1: CVP does *not* disable the home/side buttons on your device!!! To do that, *read the User Guide* for how to switch on "Guided Access". PLEASE NOTE 2: CVP only plays video/audio formats native to iOS and they can only be added via iTunes File Sharing. Read the User Guide for info on preparing videos for CVP and copying them across. ** Features ** - Simple and fast playlist management. - Change the child lock any time (useful if they work it out!). - Autoplay on startup (in case you need a distraction fast!). - Never-ending play (loops your playlist). - User Guide with tips and tricks. - Universal app. - High-resolution UI for retina iPhones and iPads. - Experimental AirPlay and TV-out. Charlie's Video Player was made by Charlie's Dad and the Frosty Badger team. For support and suggestions, tweet us @dominicwa or e-mail dominic@dominicmanley.com. ## Key features - Child lock for playback control - Playlist management - Autoplay on startup - Never-ending play (looping) - Supports native iOS formats - Universal app for iPhone and iPad ## Recent user reviews (8 of 8) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charlies-video-player/id542646466/reviews.md ### 3/5 — Already a functionality on iPhone *2020-03-26, version 1.4* This app works as it should but it’s pretty restricting as far as what they can watch. For anyone just wanting a way to lock their screen so their little ones can’t mess with the videos they’re watching, I just found that there’s already a screen lock function on iPhones called Guided Access. If you enable it, you can control what is allowed to be touched on the screen and for how long. ### 5/5 — This is what i want! *2014-05-04, version 1.2* Found this special video player for kids and it functions as exactly what i want. Just hopefully it will redesign to ios7 ui and support playlist. ### 5/5 — Spot on. *2013-04-30, version 1.2* Charlie's Video Player is exactly what I was looking for. All the other players out there came pre-loaded with videos and I didn't want that. I wanted control over what videos my kids can watch and by adding the videos via iTunes, I have that control. Thanks for the great app! ### 1/5 — Issues *2013-02-08* Could not add video files, instructions did not assist. I have purchased videos on iPone however the application dose not recognise then. I then spent hours on iTunes trying to locate 'file sharing' and then still was unable to add these files. ### 1/5 — Worthless! *2012-11-25, version 1.1* This application is worthless! I didn't understand the limitations explained in the other review. You can't actually play any of the videos from the video library already on your device! You'd have to copy your videos a second time into this app. I don't need two copies of the same video on my device. Wish I could get my money back on this one! ### 5/5 — Fantastic, perfect for kids *2012-11-21* Fantastic little video player, having just been on a trip with my 23 month old this player was a lifesaver in the car, he's extremely inquisitive and every other video app I've tried has too many on screen buttons and menus to distract him, resulting in him constantly stopping videos and requiring me to find and restart them. The minimal interface works great with Guided access on in iOS6 to keep them in the app and by not needing to switch touch control off it keeps it easy adjust the playlist without having to cancel guided access. Developer also seems very quick to respond and open to queries and suggestions, keep up the great work :D TV out would make this perfect. ### 1/5 — Waste of money! Home button still works. *2012-10-18* I bought this app because my 19 month old loves watching her shows but keeps pressing the home button on the iPad so I have to keep turning the video back on. I thought this was the answer I needed but it does not lock the home button. The home button is still active. What's worse is that it doesn't pick up the videos that are already on iTunes. You have to create its own playlist. Like the title says, waste of money! ### 2/5 — Needs work *2012-07-22, version 1.0* I bought this app to show videos to my son - almost always videos that I took of him with my phone. There are two problems with this application: 1) You can only get videos to the application via iTunes, so videos taken on your phone need to be downloaded then uploaded, which is ridiculous. The developers say this is a limitation of iOS, which I have a hard time with given iMovie and other video editing apps available for iOS (but if it is true, it seems anti-competitive on Apple's part -again, given iMovie). Regardless, if you use iPhoto to download your movies, finding them to upload again is a pain that adds to the pain of having to down/up-load movies from your phone to your phone. 2) By design, the app always plays movies in landscape mode, even if they were shot in portrait mode, which is frustrating (since I often shoot videos of my son in portrait mode). Other than that, it works as advertised, but if I had realized the two factors above, I probably wouldn't have bought it. ## Frequently asked questions about Charlie's Video Player ### Does Charlie's Video Player have ads? No, Charlie's Video Player does not contain advertisements. It is a completely free application. ### What devices does Charlie's Video Player support? Charlie's Video Player is a universal app that supports iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It also features a high-resolution UI for retina iPhones and iPads. ### How do I add videos to Charlie's Video Player? Videos and audio files can only be added via iTunes File Sharing. The app only plays formats native to iOS. Refer to the User Guide for instructions on preparing and copying media. ### Can Charlie's Video Player disable home buttons? No, Charlie's Video Player does not disable the home or side buttons on your device. To achieve this, you need to enable 'Guided Access' in your device's settings, as detailed in the app's User Guide. ### What is the child lock in Charlie's Video Player? The child lock is a security feature that prevents young children from interrupting media playback by tapping the screen. It is activated by a secret combination of tapping the four corners of the screen and can be changed anytime. ### How often is Charlie's Video Player updated? The latest version, 1.5.1, was released on October 23, 2021. While the app is free, updates may vary in frequency. Users can contact the developer for suggestions. ### What is the age rating for Charlie's Video Player? Charlie's Video Player has an age rating of 4+. This indicates it is suitable for children aged four and older. ### What are the main benefits of using Charlie's Video Player? The primary benefit is its child-lock feature, which ensures uninterrupted media playback for young children. It also offers simple playlist management and an autoplay option for quick distractions. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.5.1 — 2021-10-23 1.5.1: Fixed the in-app support e-mail address. 1.5: Updated the app so it functions and looks better on modern devices. Updated the user guide and support links/contacts. ### 1.5 — 2021-10-21 Updated the app so it functions and looks better on modern devices. Updated the user guide and support links/contacts. ### 1.4 — 2017-09-20 Updated the app so it looks better on newer devices and continues to work on iOS 11. ### 1.2 — 2013-04-17 - Experimental AirPlay and TV-out. - Updates to the user guide (File Sharing with iTunes 11.x). - The app is now free from this point on. ### 1.1 — 2012-10-29 - Support for iPhone 5 4-inch screen. - Updates to the user guide (tips and tricks for using CVP with "Guided Access" in iOS6). - Fixes a bug with AutoPlay on Startup in iOS6. @illovich - We're hoping to address your comments in the next update. 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User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*