Windows Parental Controls is a free, built-in system tool that lets you protect your children from online dangers and manage their screen time. With Parental Controls, you can:
- Set time limits for devices, apps, and games
- Block inappropriate or unwanted websites
- Track your children's activity and location
- Control purchases and downloads
In this article, we will explain how to activate and use Windows 10 parental controls step by step.
Step 1: Create a Microsoft account for you and your child
To use Windows 10 parental controls, you and your child need a Microsoft account. If you don't already have one, you can consult our guide on creating an Outlook.com account.
Once you've created your Microsoft account, you need to add your child to the Family Safety family group. To do this, follow these instructions:
- Open Windows 10 settings by clicking on the Start menu and then on the gear icon
- Click on Accounts, then on Family and other users
- Click on Add a family member and then on Add a child
- Enter your child's email address or create one if needed
- Click Confirm, then click Close
Your child will receive an email inviting them to join the family group. They will need to accept the invitation by clicking on the link provided in the message.
Step 2: Activate the Windows session to initiate parental controls
For parental controls to work, your child must sign in to their Windows session with their Microsoft account. To do this, follow these instructions:
- On the Windows 10 login screen, click on your child's name
- Enter their password or PIN if they have one
- Click on Log in
If your child does not yet have a password or PIN, you can create one for them by following these instructions:
- Open Windows 10 settings by clicking on the Start menu and then on the gear icon
- Click on Accounts and then on Sign-in Options
- Under Password, click Add
- Enter a password for your child and confirm it
- Click Next, then Finish
- Under PIN Code, click Add
- Enter a four-digit PIN code for your child and confirm it
- Click OK
Step 3: Set screen time limits
With Windows 10 parental controls, you can set screen time limits for devices, apps, and games. This allows you to limit the amount of time your child spends in front of a screen and teach them how to manage their time.
To set screen time limits, follow these instructions:
- Open a web browser and go to the page https://account.microsoft.com/family/
- Sign in with your Microsoft account if you haven't already done so
- Click on your child's name and then on Screen Time
- Under Device Screen Time Limits, enable the Allow Screen Time Limits option
- Click on each day of the week to set the maximum allowed time and time slots during which your child can use their device
- Under App and game screen time limits, enable the Allow screen time limits option
- Click on each app or game to set the maximum allowed time and the time slots during which your child can access it
If your child exceeds the limits you've set, they'll receive a notification asking them to stop their activity. They can also request more time. You can accept or decline their request from https://account.microsoft.com/family or from the Microsoft Family Safety mobile app.
Step 4: Block inappropriate or unwanted websites
With Windows 10 parental controls, you can block inappropriate or unwanted websites to protect your child from shocking, violent, or pornographic content. You can also restrict browsing to child-friendly websites by using Microsoft Edge as the browser.
To block inappropriate or unwanted websites, follow these instructions:
- Open a web browser and go to the page https://account.microsoft.com/family
- Sign in with your Microsoft account if you haven't already done so
- Click on your child's name and then on Content
- Under Web browsing filters, enable the Block inappropriate websites option
- If you wish to allow or block specific websites, click Always allow these websites or Always block these websites and enter the addresses of the websites in question
- If you wish to restrict browsing to child-friendly websites, enable the "Only child-friendly websites" option
These settings only apply to the Microsoft Edge browser. If your child uses another browser, they will be able to access all websites. To prevent this, you can block other browsers by following these instructions:
- Open a web browser and go to the page https://account.microsoft.com/family
- Sign in with your Microsoft account if you haven't already done so
- Click on your child's name and then on Screen Time
- Under App and game screen time limits, enable the Allow screen time limits option
- Click on each browser you want to block (for example, Chrome, Firefox, Safari…) and set the maximum allowed time to zero
Step 5: Monitor your children's activity and location
With Windows 10 parental controls, you can track your children's activity and location to see what they're doing on their devices and where they are. You can receive a weekly report by email or view the history online.
To monitor your children's activity and location, follow these instructions:
- Open a web browser and go to the page https://account.microsoft.com/family/
- Sign in with your Microsoft account if you haven't already done so
- Click on your child's name and then on Activity
- Under Weekly Activity Report by Email, activate the option Send me a weekly report by email
- Under Recent Activity History displayed here, enable the option Show recent activity history displayed here. This will allow you to see the time your child has spent on their device, the apps and games used, the websites visited, and their searches performed. Under Location, enable the option Show current location of family group member. This will allow you to see your child's current location on a map, as well as their frequented places.
These features require your child to use their Microsoft account to sign in to their device, to have geolocation enabled in their settings, and to have an internet connection.
Step 6: Monitor purchases and downloads
With Windows 10 parental controls, you can monitor your child's purchases and downloads on the Microsoft Store. This allows you to prevent them from buying or downloading inappropriate or paid apps, games, movies, or books without your permission.
To control your child's purchases and downloads, follow these instructions:
- Open a web browser and go to the page https://account.microsoft.com/family
- Sign in with your Microsoft account if you haven't already done so
- Click on your child's name and then on Expenses
- Under Request permission to purchase content from the Microsoft Store, enable the Request permission to purchase content from the Microsoft Store option
- If you want to add money to your child's account so they can buy content without asking you, click Add Money and enter the desired amount
Therefore, each time your child wants to buy or download content from the Microsoft Store, they will have to send you a request that you can accept or decline from the page https://account.microsoft.com/family or from the Microsoft Family Safety mobile app.
Comparative table of parental control features
| Functionality | Description |
| Screen time limits | Allows you to set time limits for devices, applications, and games |
| Filters applicable to web browsing | Allows you to block inappropriate or unwanted websites or limit browsing to websites suitable for children |
| Activity Report | Allows you to receive a weekly report by email or to view your child's online activity history |
| Position | Allows you to see your child's current location and frequented places on a map |
| Expenses | Allows you to control your child's purchases and downloads on the Microsoft Store |
The best alternative to Windows 10 parental controls: Child Control parental control software!
Why choose Child Control parental control software?
Child Control is parental control software that allows you to set time limits for your children's devices, apps, and websites. You can also filter internet content by age or category and monitor device usage in real time.
Child Control parental control software is available for Windows and Android, and you can manage settings and reports from anywhere via the web portal or parent app. Child Control is an award-winning software that offers a comprehensive and secure solution to protect your children online.
Child Control offers more flexibility and control than Windows 10 parental controls, particularly for limiting time spent on certain apps or websites. It also allows you to monitor children's activity in real time, which can be useful for intervening quickly if a problem arises.
FAQ
Which is the best browser for parental controls?
The best browser for parental controls is Microsoft Edge, as it's compatible with Windows 10 parental control settings. If your child uses another browser, they'll be able to access all websites. You can block other browsers by setting the maximum allowed time to zero.
How do I disable parental controls?
To disable parental controls, you must remove your child from the Family Safety family group. To do this, follow these instructions:
- Open a web browser and go to the page https://account.microsoft.com/family/
- Sign in with your Microsoft account if you haven't already done so
- Click on More options under your child's name and then on Remove from family group
- Confirm by clicking Delete
How to bypass parental controls?
There is no foolproof method to bypass parental controls, but here are a few tips that may work:
- Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to mask your IP address and access blocked websites. To choose the right VPN , you need to consider several criteria, such as speed, security, privacy, and price.
- Use a web proxy to access blocked websites by going through an intermediary server
- Use private or incognito mode to avoid leaving traces of your browsing history or cookies
- Use another device that is not subject to parental controls
However, we do not recommend using these methods, as they can be dangerous or illegal. Parental controls are there for your safety and well-being.
How do I change the parental control settings?
To change parental control settings, you must access the page https://account.microsoft.com/family/ from a web browser or the Microsoft Family Safety mobile app. There you can modify screen time limits, web browsing filters, activity reports, location tracking, and spending limits for your child.
How do I install parental controls on an Android mobile phone?
To set up parental controls on an Android phone, you need to download the Microsoft Family Safety mobile app from the Google Play Store. Then, you need to connect your Microsoft account and your child's Microsoft account to the app. You can then configure parental control settings from the app or a web browser. Specifically, you can set screen time limits, block apps or websites, track your child's location, and monitor their spending. If you want to remove Family Link without deleting your account , you'll need to follow the steps on this page: https://support.google.com/families/answer/7103340?hl=fr
Conclusion
Windows 10 Parental Controls is a practical and effective tool for protecting your children from online dangers and managing their screen time. It allows you to set limits, block content, track activity and location, and control your children's purchases and downloads. To use Parental Controls, you need to create a Microsoft account for yourself and your child, and add your child to the Family Safety family group. Then, you can configure Parental Controls settings from a web browser or the Microsoft Family Safety mobile app. We hope this article has been helpful and that you've learned how to enable and use Windows 10 Parental Controls.
