Why can’t I save photos of my own child?
The new photo restrictions are incredibly frustrating. Bright Horizons describes this app as a way for parents to “save special moments and memories,” yet the app now blocks screenshots and screen recordings while some photos have no download option at all.
I understand wanting to protect children’s privacy, but these photos are already being shared within a restricted app with authenticated Bright Horizons families, not posted publicly. At an absolute minimum, when a photo contains only my own child, I should be able to save it.
Parents should not have to contact teachers every time we want a copy of a photo the center has already chosen to share with us. Please restore downloading for solo photos or allow screenshots again. The current implementation is unnecessarily restrictive and makes one of the app’s most valuable features significantly worse.
I understand wanting to protect children’s privacy, but these photos are already being shared within a restricted app with authenticated Bright Horizons families, not posted publicly. At an absolute minimum, when a photo contains only my own child, I should be able to save it.
Parents should not have to contact teachers every time we want a copy of a photo the center has already chosen to share with us. Please restore downloading for solo photos or allow screenshots again. The current implementation is unnecessarily restrictive and makes one of the app’s most valuable features significantly worse.
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Infuriating changes
This app has always been buggy and unreliable but recent changes have made it even worse. Previously you could download pictures of your child (only if they were in a solo picture) if you had “add photos only” permissions for the app. Recently they changed so that you have to grant full access to download photos. Why does bright horizons need full access to my photo library? I can’t think of a single reason this app needs that access. Also since more people are becoming more data security focused this seems like a terrible idea in light of the aforementioned bugginess and unreliability, it’s like it’s begging for a data breach to happen. Good job! Y’all have made this app worse and made more people dissatisfied like that was the goal.
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Needs access to my photos?
Why did the settings change here? Previously it only needed access to “add photos” to my library. Why does it now need access to my actual photos in order for me to save a photo down? I even tried doing “limited access” and just not selecting anything and it still won’t work. In today’s day and age of privacy there is no chance I’m giving you full access to my photo library. You only need “add photo” access. I’d just take screenshots but you disabled that so I cannot take screenshots anymore. Fix it back to at least just “add photo” access please.
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Photo Permission Overkill
Latest update requires full access just to save photos and you can no longer take a screenshot of your child with the description of what they are doing in the photo. While I understand and support restricting the ability to save photos if they contain others, we should be able to save those of our own children. I should also not have to give full access to all my personal photos just to save photos of my child. There must be a way to be less intrusive and restrictive while still protecting the privacy of others.
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WARNING: Invasive Privacy Requirements
This app has become incredibly invasive. There is absolutely no reason a daycare app should require full access to my entire photo library just to let me save photos of my child.
Apple provides Limited Access and Add Only permissions specifically so apps can do their job without exposing a user’s entire photo and video library. Instead of respecting those privacy protections, this app insists on unrestricted access.
Parents trust this app with information about their children. It should be leading on privacy, not demanding unnecessary access to personal data. Until the app supports Apple’s privacy-friendly permissions, I can’t recommend it.
Apple provides Limited Access and Add Only permissions specifically so apps can do their job without exposing a user’s entire photo and video library. Instead of respecting those privacy protections, this app insists on unrestricted access.
Parents trust this app with information about their children. It should be leading on privacy, not demanding unnecessary access to personal data. Until the app supports Apple’s privacy-friendly permissions, I can’t recommend it.
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Photo Permissions overreach
The latest version now prompts for Full Access to your photo library in order to save photos from the app. I tried enabling Limited access via the app settings and it still blocks the save/share functions with the same Full access permissions popup. “Add Photos Only” was and should be sufficient; Limited is as much as any app should require. Getting photos is the one of top reasons to use this app, so this is a significant issue.
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App works great!
I have been using the app for the past two plus weeks for Bright Horizons back up care at a Bright Horizons facility. The app works great, and it’s great to get the updates and pictures. Very convenient!
Buggy
It is the buggiest app I have ever used. It frequently crashes while browsing or downloading videos and photos. In addition, some photos and videos fail to be downloaded even though they have a download button (not due to the privacy restriction).
You can contact IT support, and they will acknowledge these bugs. However, they never seem able to fix them, even after months and years. Their Bright Day website suffers from similar issues as well.
Overall: excellent teachers, terrible apps, and frustrating IT support.
You can contact IT support, and they will acknowledge these bugs. However, they never seem able to fix them, even after months and years. Their Bright Day website suffers from similar issues as well.
Overall: excellent teachers, terrible apps, and frustrating IT support.
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Needs work
App has glitches it won’t let me save my videos or pictures
Video downloads no longer work
For a few weeks the ability to download videos has been missing. If you click on the download icon it grays out momentarily but nothing happens. Downloading still images still works.
Disappointing app
Our center recently was acquired by Bright Horizons and the app is such a downgrade from what we are used to previously. It’s glitchy and not intuitive. That it only provides one way messaging is hugely problematic
Doesn’t Work
Nothing is uploading correctly. No pictures or day to day activities.
Cannot log in
Shows an error when trying to log in using multiple methods
Really buggy
Pictures not loading, messages not updating to “read” after reading, reminders will cause the remaining tabs to blink/be difficult to select and ALSO do not update as “read” after reading. Logging out, re-downloading, and logging back in doesn’t solve any of these issues. While I rather the teachers spend most of their time with the kids than having to take a bunch of pictures the whole day, I would still like to at least see the few that DO get uploaded. Otherwise it’s a waste of time for everyone; don’t even offer that feature if it doesn’t work properly.
It DOES update check-in/check-out times and so far I haven’t had issues with it logging me out automatically.
It DOES update check-in/check-out times and so far I haven’t had issues with it logging me out automatically.
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Horrible app!
Always logs you out and gives you log in issues!
Constantly broken
It is remarkable how often this apps core functionality breaks. For example, now it appears to be impossible to save photographs. You click download and nothing happens. You click the new share button and the first photo shows that you can save to your photos. It doesn’t work but at least the option is there. For subsequent photos the save photo option when using the share button isn’t even an option. This has been broken since the new version but at this point I need to take screenshots of my photographs in the app since the core functionality is completely broken. Perhaps this team needs to have some better test cases before the roll updates.
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Great App!
I’ve been using this app for a few months now and I think it’s great. Easy to use, great features. Love the updates and push notifications.
Failed feature
The ability to send/download daily reports has become impossible in the last month despite multiple updates.
Not updating
I keep getting notifications on my Home Screen but when I click them there is no new info on the app. It is like there is a delay with updates because at the end of the day I will see pictures and other updates. Refreshing or closing and reopening does not help.
Keeps signing me out
Literally every time I open the app it forces me to log in again. Do you have any idea how frustrating that is? Especially when just trying to check in my kid on the way to work. Also, how regarded is it that it forces you to input a +1 when entering the phone number??? Is this app being programmed by interns using AI to code??
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