Goal: turn an old or new Android tablet into a simple powered clock appliance that stays awake, stays connected, and returns to the CareTV clock with as little human intervention as the device permits.
You need an Android tablet or display with:
You do not need a CareTV account, subscription, signage service, database, or special Android app.
Use the device's normal approved charger and leave it connected for 24/7 use.
If the device has a battery, the battery can act like a small built-in UPS during brief household power failures. That is useful: a short outage may never shut the tablet down at all.
Open Settings → Network & Internet / Wi-Fi, choose the home network, enter the password, and verify that Android reconnects after a restart.
Names vary by Android manufacturer and version.
Open Chrome and enter:
https://caretv.org/dementia-clock/
Chrome on supported Android versions can also install/add a web app or website shortcut to the Home screen. The menu wording may be Install app or Add to Home screen.
The most useful standard Android setting is in Developer options:
Stay awake — screen will never sleep while charging.
On many Android devices:
In Android Settings, search for:
Set the screen saver to Off / None where the device offers that choice.
Some manufacturers include options such as:
If present, disable any schedule that can intentionally shut down or sleep this dedicated 24/7 appliance.
This device is plugged in, so battery-saving behavior is not the goal. Disable Battery Saver schedules that interfere with the display. If the device offers per-app battery settings for Chrome, choose the least restrictive option when needed for reliable operation.
The CareTV clock itself has large Clock controls. Use the large menu button in the upper-right corner of the clock.
Inside are:
The controls are intentionally large enough for gross-motor use rather than precise fingertip operation.
This is where Android hardware differs.
Unplug the charger briefly. The tablet should remain running on its battery. Restore AC power and confirm charging resumes. For short outages, this is the easiest and most reliable recovery because Android never shut down.
Test whether it automatically boots when AC power returns. This is a hardware/firmware feature, not a universal Android feature. Some purpose-built kiosk/signage devices support it; many ordinary consumer tablets do not.
There is no single universal Android setting that guarantees Chrome will auto-launch after every cold boot on every manufacturer and Android version.
For CareTV, use the simplest reliable behavior the actual device provides:
The CareTV Dementia Clock is a web page, so the useful display is not limited to dedicated Android kiosk hardware. A family may try a spare iPhone, iPad, Android phone, or Android tablet while it is connected to power.
For a fixed 24/7 installation, configure the underlying operating system so the display does not sleep or show a screen saver, and physically test the exact device for long-duration powered operation. iPhone/iPad and Android expose different stay-awake and power-management controls, so the setup procedure is platform-specific.
The CareTV clock's own brightness control now ranges from 1% to 100%. At the low end the page can be made barely visible for a dark bedroom or bathroom while remaining immediately readable when needed.
The brightness slider and major controls are intentionally oversized for operation with a whole hand, fist, forearm, or elbow.
The web clock itself is free and open to use. An older Android tablet that is no longer useful for its original purpose may be perfectly adequate as a dedicated orientation display.
CareTV's goal is not to make the person learn Android. The installer configures the underlying device once; the resident sees the clock.
CareTV Open Dementia Clock setup guide · 2026-08-17-v002 · CareTV.org