Frequently
asked questions

GraphoGame is designed for children aged 3 to 9 years old. The best results have been found in children aged 5 to 8, as this is the critical window for early literacy development.

The app is also effective for older struggling readers of any age — including adults learning to read in a new language.

Most parents notice meaningful progress within 4–8 weeks of regular use. The app recommends 15 minutes per session, 3–4 times per week for optimal results.

Research shows that children who use GraphoGame with adult supervision outperform those using it independently. You don't need to teach anything yourself — being nearby and encouraging is enough.

Yes. GraphoGame was originally developed in 1992 specifically for the early identification and support of dyslexia by Prof. Heikki Lyytinen at the University of Jyväskylä.

The app's phonics-based, adaptive approach is particularly suited for children with reading difficulties. It adjusts difficulty in real time — the game slows down and reinforces the sounds and letters that need more practice, so a struggling child is never overwhelmed.

Multiple clinical studies confirm effectiveness for children with dyslexia. If your child has a formal diagnosis, we recommend combining GraphoGame with guidance from a speech therapist or educational specialist.

Yes. GraphoGame is fully functional without an internet connection. Once downloaded, your child can play through all content offline — ideal for travel, areas with limited connectivity, or screen time without Wi-Fi.

There are zero ads inside GraphoGame. Your child will never be exposed to advertising or in-app purchase prompts.

GraphoGame is fully GDPR and COPPA compliant. No personal data about your child is sold or shared with third parties. You can review the full app privacy policy at the bottom of this page.

GraphoGame is currently available in 14 languages as a paid app, including English (UK and US), French, Spanish, Norwegian, Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese, Finnish, and more.

In an additional 18 countries, the app is available for free through partnerships with governments and NGOs.

Each language version is independently researched and validated — it is not a translation, but a full adaptation developed with local universities and linguists.

GraphoGame uses a real-time adaptive algorithm that adjusts difficulty based on your child's responses. If a child answers correctly and quickly, the game advances. If they struggle, it automatically revisits and reinforces that sound or letter before moving on.

The app has 25 learning streams, each with 5–9 levels, progressing from individual letters → syllables → short words → longer words → sentences. Your child always plays at exactly the right level — not too easy, not too hard.

GraphoGame is built on synthetic phonics — the method of teaching reading by connecting letters to sounds (phoneme–grapheme correspondences), then blending sounds into words. This is the most robustly supported approach in reading science worldwide.

The methodology is backed by over 300 peer-reviewed publications and research conducted across 30+ universities, including Cambridge, Yale (Haskins Laboratories), and the University of Jyväskylä. It is the world's most researched literacy app.

Yes — according to research from the University of Cambridge, GraphoGame is "as effective as 1:1 teacher support in a classroom."

When a child uses GraphoGame with adult supervision (a parent or teacher nearby), reading outcomes are comparable to individual tutoring — at a fraction of the cost and time.

GraphoGame was created by Prof. Heikki Lyytinen, UNESCO Chair on Inclusive Literacy Learning for All, and colleagues at the University of Jyväskylä and Niilo Mäki Institute in Finland.

The methodology was first gamified in 1992 for the early identification of dyslexia. Today, Grapho Group Oy develops and maintains the app from Helsinki and Kaarina, Finland.

GraphoGame is available as a paid subscription app through the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Microsoft Store. Pricing varies by region and is set by the respective app stores.

In 18 countries, the app is available completely free through partnerships with governments, NGOs, and CSR programs. Check your local app store to see if a free version is available in your language.

For schools, volume licensing is available — see the Licensing & purchasing section below.

Availability of free trials depends on your region and app store. In many countries a short trial period is offered before subscription begins.

If you are in one of the 18 countries where GraphoGame is funded by a government or NGO partnership, the full app may be available at no cost. Check your local app store for the most up-to-date availability.

GraphoGame apps are sold through the Apple, Google Play and Microsoft Stores which each have their own unique way of allowing schools to purchase apps in volume.

Apple App Store (iPhones, iPads & new Mac computers)
The Apple School Manager program is the gold standard for purchasing apps in schools, districts and other educational organizations. All you need is a handful of Apple devices that your organization, staff or clients own.

Google Play (Android devices or Chromebooks)
Managed by Google Play is a slightly more complicated version of Apple School Manager for buying apps for multiple Android devices. They allow all types of organizations to buy apps and make them privately available for accounts registered in Google Play.

Microsoft Store (All Windows devices)
The Microsoft Store for Business and Education is the primary way schools used to download GraphoGame in volume. Having changed their policies as of April 1, 2021, buying GraphoGame for Windows devices has become manual in nature. For any outstanding questions, please contact us at support@graphogame.com.

Yes. GraphoGame Dashboard is a separate data service for schools and institutions. It allows teachers to monitor each student's progress in real time — not just based on test results, but throughout the entire learning process.

• Real-time learning analytics per student
• Early identification flags for struggling readers
• Class-level and individual progress views
• Export and reporting tools

Contact licensing@graphogame.com for school and district pricing.

No problem. Anyone can reset their PIN in the player settings ⚙️

First, open the game to the home screen and click the player settings button (icon with player faces and a gear 👥⚙️). Then, click on the gear ⚙️ icon to change your settings (game mode, PIN, name, gender, content).

Lastly, click the "Set PIN" button.

Skipping content happens in the player settings. With the same window open, you can scroll down to the "Skip content" button. When you click, it will prompt you to enter 4 randomly-generated numbers and allow you to choose which content to skip (Streams and Assessments).

Skipped content is unlocked entirely, whereas all other levels must still be played in sequence.

Yes. The game has a default volume level that can be changed so your device plays at the absolute loudest. To change the default volume, go to the main menu on the home screen (leftmost icon with three lines) and then click on "Settings" ⚙️ when the new window opens.

Then, click on "Sound settings" 🎵 and adjust the "Effects" level to the right for louder instructions and effects. The "Music" slider allows you to lower or raise the volume of the background music. Try using headphones in classrooms to minimize noise.

If you are using a PC that runs on Linux or Ubuntu, your device is not yet compatible. The easiest way to use GraphoGame on a PC without Windows 10 is to download an "Android emulator" via a quick internet search.

Android devices: Android 4.4 (Jelly Bean) and up

Apple devices: Kids Learn to Read (🇬🇧): Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Mac: Requires macOS 11 or later with an Apple M1 chip. US English (🇺🇸): Requires iOS 9.0 or later.

Microsoft devices: Windows 10 (version 10240.0 or higher)

We are not yet available on the Amazon Appstore, but if this applies to you feel free to contact us!

Please find the link to our privacy policy at the bottom of each page of the website — or — click here for the website privacy policy; click here for the app privacy policy.

GraphoGame is fully GDPR and COPPA compliant. No personal data about your child is sold or shared with advertisers or third parties.