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How to Set Up Parental Controls on Windows 11/10. Microsoft released the Family Safety app for Android and iPhone in 2020 to help parents monitor their children’s PC usage. Microsoft has continued to enhance the tool since then, and it now supports app blocking, content filtering, live location, and many other features. Regarding digital wellbeing, it appears that the Redmond behemoth is imitating Apple. Both the iPad and later versions of macOS, including Catalina, have excellent parental controls. Use parental control if you’re concerned that your kids are spending too much time playing games or visiting websites with objectionable content.
The best part about setting it up is that you can add multiple devices, including gaming consoles, and all you need is a Microsoft account. It’s one thing to give your child your phone. It’s quite another to grant them access to a complete Windows 11 computer. There is a lot of content available that you should really keep your child away from. You might even want to set time limits for using apps or playing games. Here is a tutorial on how to Set Up Parental Controls on Windows 11/10 if you want to use a similar tool on your computer.
What are parental controls?
Parental controls are functions or pieces of software that let parents limit the online content their kids can access. They can be used to restrict the amount of time spent on screens by blocking websites, apps, and games. Parental controls can also be used to track a child’s whereabouts and observe their online behavior. A digital well-being tool called Microsoft Family Safety was created especially for kids under the age of 18.
On Windows 10/11 PCs, it enables parents to monitor their children’s online behaviors, including screen time, gaming time, web searches, and more. Basically, you can keep tabs on every aspect of your kids with a simple Microsoft account. And when they turn 18, your kids can decide whether or not they want to participate in all of the activities with you.
Why Parental Controls are Important for Windows Users
- Parental controls can help ensure children’s safety and protection: while they use computers or other electronic devices. They make it possible for parents or other responsible adults to keep an eye on and control their kids’ online activities, protecting them from potentially harmful websites, people, or predators.
- Parental controls allow for the filtering of inappropriate or age-inappropriate content: such as violent video games, pornographic content, or adult websites. This makes the online world safer for kids and keeps them from accessing materials that might not be appropriate for their age.
- Parental controls allow parents to place time restrictions on: how long their children may use the internet or particular applications. This is known as screen time management. Inadequate screen time can harm children’s physical health, sleep patterns, and general well-being; this helps prevent that.
- Achieving a Balance Between Education and Entertainment: Parents can achieve a balance between educational and entertainment content by using parental controls. While limiting excessive gaming or other non-educational distractions, parents can make sure their kids have access to educational resources.
- Parental controls: can stop kids from sharing personal information or participating in online activities that could jeopardize their privacy or security. This is essential to shield kids from identity theft and online bullying.
How to Set Up Parental Controls on Windows 11/10
Create a Child Account
To set up parental control in Windows 11 for your child, you must first create a child account for them. Be aware that separate Microsoft accounts are required for the parent account and the child account. You will be prompted to create a new Microsoft account to link to the child’s account when creating a new child account. The primary steps to create a Child account on Windows 11 are as follows:

- Launch Windows 11’s Settings application.
- Go to the Accounts tab or click on your account in the top menu.
- Select “Family & other users” by tapping it.
- In the Add a family member section, click the Add account button.
- Choose the option to create one for a child.
- Click Next after entering the child’s account’s email address.
- Enter the password, then click Next.
- Name your entry, then select Next.
- Enter the child’s birthdate, choose the child’s country, and then click Next.
Set up and configure parental controls to limit access
You must set up parent control configurations to block particular websites and other content after creating a child account. The main steps for configuring parental controls in Windows 11 are as follows:
- Select Family & other users under Settings > Accounts.
- Select the option to remove an account or manage family settings online.
- The child account for which you want to configure parental controls should be chosen.
- Time a screen should be on.
- Limit websites, apps, and games by configuring content filters.
- Activate spending reporting and additional spending controls.
System Requirements for Parental Controls on Windows 11/10
Feature | Windows 11 | Windows 10 |
---|---|---|
Operating system | Windows 11 Home, Pro, Enterprise, or Education | Windows 10 Home, Pro, Enterprise, or Education |
Processor | 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor | 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor |
RAM | 4 gigabytes (GB) | 2 gigabytes (GB) |
Storage | 64 gigabytes (GB) available storage | 32 gigabytes (GB) available storage |
Display | 9 inch (minimum) HD (720p) display | 8 inch (minimum) HD (720p) display |
Internet connection | Required to set up parental controls and download updates | Required to set up parental controls and download updates |
Questions and Answers
By going to Start > Settings > Accounts on Windows 10, you can configure parental controls. Open Family & other users from there to begin personalizing parental controls. One of the many ways to give your kids a safe online environment is to set up parental controls on Windows 10.
Your family organizers will be given information about how much time you spend on your Windows, Xbox, or Android devices. Your family organizers will be given information about the apps and games you have installed as well as how much time you spend using them.
Windows 11 is the best Windows operating system for gamers. The most recent updates to Windows 11 support features like Auto HDR and DirectStorage, which will speed up game loading to under one second and included optimizations for playing games in windowed mode.
Since Windows 10 will no longer receive any new features, switching to Windows 11 may be the best option for some. Although Windows 10’s support lifecycle ends in 2025, it is still alive and well. Your Windows 10 computer will continue to receive security updates until that time.