Common Questions:
- What is TickTalkie?
- How does the push-to-talk feature work on TickTalk 5?
- Does TickTalkie work like a walkie talkie?
- What do I need to set up TickTalkie?
- How do I set up TickTalkie on my child's watch?
- Can multiple kids use TickTalkie at the same time?
- Is TickTalkie available on older TickTalk models?
- Does TickTalkie work without Wi-Fi?
- Can parents use TickTalkie from the parent app?
- Is TickTalkie free?
- How do I troubleshoot TickTalkie not showing up on the watch?
- What parental controls apply to TickTalkie?
What is TickTalkie?
TickTalkie turns your child's TickTalk watch into an instant push-to-talk walkie talkie. By holding down the microphone icon in the TickTalkie app, your child can send a real-time voice message to any other compatible TickTalk watch user in their contact list — no dialing, no typing, no waiting for a reply.
TickTalkie works over your child's cellular data or Wi-Fi connection, so it works wherever the watch has a stable signal.
A few important things to know upfront:
- TickTalkie is watch-to-watch only — both your child and the person they're reaching need a TickTalk 5 or newer watch
- TickTalkie is not available on earlier TickTalk models
- TickTalkie is not available in the parent app
- There's no separate app to install — it comes to the watch as a free software update
What Do I Need to Set Up TickTalkie?
- A TickTalk 5 or newer watch (not available on earlier models)
- The latest software update (version tOS 5.6.0 or later) installed on the watch
- An active cellular plan and/or Wi-Fi connection on the watch
- Friends and family already approved as contacts on a TickTalk 5 or newer watch — no new setup needed if they're already in your child's contact list
How Do I Set Up TickTalkie?
- Make sure the TickTalk watches you want to connect are already added as friends. TickTalkie is exclusive to watch-to-watch connections on TickTalk 5 or newer — it isn't available with contacts on earlier TickTalk models.
- Swipe on the watch to find the yellow walkie-talkie icon, then tap to open it.
- Add the friend you want to talk to and start a channel.
- Once your friend accepts, a "[Name] joined" message appears on both watches and the channel is ready to use.
- To talk, hold down the microphone icon to record a voice message, then release to send. The message appears in the channel as a tap-to-play voice clip — your friend taps play to listen and can hold the mic to reply the same way.
Note: After 5 minutes of inactivity, the watch automatically exits the active channel. The channel remains saved, so your child can re-enter it at any time without setting it up again.
Can Multiple Kids Use TickTalkie at the Same Time?
Yes — TickTalkie supports both private one-to-one conversations and group conversations, called multi-channels.
Watches come with 3 channel slots (Channel 1, Channel 2, and Channel 3), and each one can be renamed to keep things organized.
- One-to-one: A private back-and-forth between your child and a single contact on a compatible TickTalk watch.
- Multi-channel (group): A shared conversation with several contacts at once. Each multi-channel can be given its own name — for example, "Science Fair Team" — so it's easy to tell apart from individual channels.
Note: Every contact added to a channel — one-to-one or group — must also have a TickTalk 5 or newer watch. Contacts on earlier TickTalk models can't be added or receive TickTalkie messages.
Ways to organize your channels:
- Set up separate channels for family, school friends, and neighborhood friends
- Create a dedicated study group channel to keep school chats separate
- Use a group channel to coordinate during outdoor activities, bike rides, or park visits
Real-Life Ways Families Use TickTalkie
Game on — Kids playing hide-and-seek or tag in the backyard can call out clues or check in with each other without stopping the game to find a phone — just a quick hold of the mic.
Coordinating a study group — A group of friends working on a school project can set up a named multi-channel to trade quick voice updates instead of a string of typed messages.
Staying connected outdoors — During a bike ride, park visit, or family outing, siblings or friends wearing compatible TickTalk watches can send each other quick voice updates without placing a call.
What Parental Controls Apply to TickTalkie?
TickTalkie doesn't have a separate parental control panel — there's nothing extra for parents to configure. Instead, it uses the same contact approval system that governs the rest of TickTalk.
Your child can only send or receive TickTalkie voice messages with Watch Friends they have added directly on their watch who also have a TickTalk 5 or newer. If a contact isn't already on the watch contact list, they cannot be reached through TickTalkie.
Troubleshooting
TickTalkie isn't showing up on the watch Make sure the watch has finished installing the latest software update (5.6.0 or later) and has restarted. The yellow walkie-talkie icon appears automatically once the update installs — swipe across the watch screens to find it. If you don't see it after restarting, try the update again.
A contact isn't receiving messages Confirm that the contact also has a TickTalk 5 or newer watch with the latest update installed, that their watch has cellular coverage or is connected to Wi-Fi, and that they are an approved contact on your child's watch.
Audio cuts out or sounds unclear TickTalkie works over an internet connection using either cellular data or Wi-Fi. Try moving to an area with stronger signal coverage.
The walkie-talkie icon is missing Swipe across all watch screens to locate it — it may not be on the home screen. If it's still missing after swiping, restart the watch.
Still need help? Contact our support team at support@myticktalk.com and we'll be happy to help.