Parental controls are a helpful way to monitor and limit the online activity of your child’s computer. In the Windows Control Panel you can access the Parental Controls options to set up rules and restrictions for your child’s computer. The following is a step-by-step guide on how to set up parental controls in the Windows Control Panel:
Step 1: Open the ‘Control Panel’ in Windows.
To do this, click on the Start menu and select ‘Control Panel’. This will open the Control Panel window in Windows.
Step 2: Select ‘Family Safety’.
In the Control Panel window, locate and select ‘Family Safety’. This will open the Family Safety window containing the Parental Controls options.
Step 3: Add a user account.
In the Family Safety window, choose the ‘Set up Parental Controls for any user’ option. This will open a new window where you can add a user account to set up Parental Controls for. If your child already has an account, simply select that user. Otherwise you can add a new user account for them.
Step 4: Click ‘On’ for Parental Controls.
Next, check the box marked ‘On’ for the Parental Controls option. This will activate the Parental Controls on the user account.
Step 5: Choose the type of restriction.
Once the Parental Controls have been activated, you’ll be able to choose the type of restriction you want to apply to the user account. You have three main categories to choose from – Games, Web Filtering and App Restrictions.
Step 6: Set the restrictions for each category.
Now you can choose the restrictions for each category. For Games, you can specify which ESRB rating level (e.g. ‘Everyone’, ‘Teen’ or ‘Mature’) they can play and if they can play online. For Web Filtering, you can specify which websites they can access and whether they can search the web. And for App Restrictions, you can specify which applications they can access and run on the computer.
Step 7: Save settings
Once you’ve made all your changes, click ‘Save’ or ‘Apply’ to save settings. Your Parental Controls are now set up and ready to go.
You can also use the Family Safety window to view reports on which websites your child has visited, which applications they’ve been running, etc. This can help you keep track of your child’s online activity and ensure they are following the restrictions you have set up.
With these seven steps, you now know how to set up parental controls in the Windows Control Panel. By taking advantage of these features, you can keep your child safe online and ensure they are only accessing appropriate content.