How to set up a kitchen tablet as a family calendar
You don't need a dedicated wall-calendar device: any spare iPad or Android tablet becomes a family calendar wall display by opening Plannie in its browser and switching on wall-display mode, which keeps the screen awake, shows a family screensaver, and locks it to a household PIN.
Do I need a dedicated wall-calendar device?
No - that’s the most common assumption worth correcting first. A dedicated wall-calendar box is just a tablet with extra markup on the price. Plannie is browser-based, so any tablet you already own - an old iPad, a cheap Android tablet, even a laptop propped on a shelf - becomes a full family calendar wall display for nothing beyond a stand or a mount.
What “wall-display mode” actually does
Opening plannie.io/app in a browser shows the same calendar you’d see on your phone. Wall-display (kiosk) mode, turned on in Settings, changes it for a screen that’s meant to sit on a wall all day:
- Keeps the screen awake. No auto-lock interrupting a glance at the schedule mid-cooking.
- Shows a family screensaver between interactions instead of a blank or app-switcher screen.
- Locks to the household PIN. Anyone can view the calendar and tap through today’s plan; leaving settings, other households’ data, and account changes needs the PIN.
Setting it up
- Mount any tablet where the family actually passes by - the kitchen, a hallway, wherever plans get checked in real life.
- Open Plannie in the tablet’s browser and sign in to the household.
- In Settings → General, turn on wall-display mode and set the household PIN.
- Leave the tablet plugged in - wall-display mode is designed to run all day, not just for a quick check.
Because it’s the browser, not an app, the same calendar view is exactly what’s in the shared family calendar everyone already sees on their phones - one source of truth, several screens. For step-by-step setup and troubleshooting, see the Help Center.
Frequently asked
Do I need to buy a special wall-calendar screen?+
No. Plannie runs in the browser on a tablet, laptop or phone you already own - there's no proprietary hub to buy or install.
Can kids tap the screen to use it?+
Yes - wall-display mode is designed to be touched. Kids can tick off their own habits and check the day's plan, and the household PIN keeps settings and other members' private areas locked.