- Microsoft Family Safety lets you manage children's accounts with customized permissions.
- You can set specific usage times and block websites and apps
- It is possible to control expenses and receive reports of the minor's activity.
- Other measures such as Family DNS reinforce network security
With the increasing use of computers by children, it's only natural that parents and guardians look for effective ways to protect them in the digital environment. Windows 11 offers a free, integrated solution called Microsoft Family Safety, which allows you to set usage limits, control content, and monitor activity on home devices.
If you are thinking about implementing a parental control system at home but don't know where to start, this article will help you. step by step guide all the options it offers Windows 11 and the many ways to personalize your children's digital environment, adapting it to their age, routines, and educational needs.
What are Windows 11 parental controls and how do they work?
Windows 11 integrates a powerful parental control tool through the Microsoft accounts linked to a family groupUsing this feature, you can create a separate profile for each minor using the computer, manage it from the web or a mobile app, and apply different restrictions or supervisions based on your preferences.
The heart of this system is Microsoft Family Safety, a platform from which you can establish:
- Hours of use and daily limits on any linked device
- Content filters to block inappropriate websites, apps, or games
- Activity reports weekly or in real time
- Control of expenses and permissions for in-app purchases
All this is managed centrally from account.microsoft.com/family or the free app of Family Safety.
Create a child account and link it to the family
The first essential step is for your child to have their own Microsoft account. From Settings > Accounts > Family within Windows 11 you can add a new member to your family group.
If the minor does not have an email address, you can create an account from scratch.You just need to choose a name, set a secure password, and enter the child's date of birth. If you specify that the child is a minor, the system will ask you to link that account to yours as a guardian so you can grant permissions and manage restrictions.
You can also do this process from the web, accessing account.microsoft.com/family and selecting "Add a family member." When you do this from the browser, the system will guide you step-by-step through setting up the necessary roles and permissions.
Allow login and configure its use
Once the minor's account has been created, return to the section Family in Windows Settings and make sure that account is visible under the family group. If it doesn't appear, restart your PC and try again.
In order for the minor to be able to use that account on the PC, you need to activate the option "Allow login"You can also set whether the account will be a standard account (recommended) or an administrator account (not recommended except in exceptional cases).
The first login with that account is very important, as it allows you to link your device to Family Safety. After logging in with your account, it's recommended to restart your PC and log back in so the system can properly register the link.
It is essential that minors Use only your personal account whenever you use the computerIf you use another account, the restrictions applied will not take effect.
Manage parental controls from Microsoft Family Safety
Once the minor is already using your account, you can manage all restrictions from the Family Safety website or using the app available for Android e iOS.
From there, you can access the family dashboard and see all of their linked devices, usage times, apps they use, websites they've visited, searches they've performed, and even their spending.
Set screen time limits
One of the sections most valued by families is the possibility of limit the amount of time the minor can spend in front of the screen every day. You can set limits per device or per specific app.
When setting these schedules, you can choose a global maximum time per day or different times for each day of the week. This allows, for example, increased usage on the weekend and decreased usage during the week.
You can also define specific time slots in which the device can be used, such as avoiding use after 21:00 PM.
Restrict apps and games
From the tab of Applications and games You can see how much time the child spends on each program, at what times they use them, and decide if you want individually block or limit their use.
In addition, you can set a maximum age allowed for games and apps, according to their official rating. This prevents minors from accessing content that is not appropriate for their age.
Block websites and activate content filters
One of the most powerful features of parental controls is the ability to block specific websites or automatically filter inappropriate contentThese restrictions are only effective if the minor uses Microsoft Edge as your primary browser. You can block the use of other browsers from the initial settings.
- Activate the adult content filter for Bing searches
- Review browsing and search history
- Block specific sites or allow only certain domains
When your child attempts to access an unauthorized website, a warning will appear indicating that it has been blocked by the family manager. You can manually approve it if you deem it appropriate.
Control of expenses in the minor's account
Another very useful feature is the system of purchasing and expense management. You can decide if you want to:
- Manually add balance to the minor's account
- Link a card but require pre-approval for each purchase
- Activate notifications every time an app is downloaded, even if it's free
This way, you teach children how to manage digital money without putting family financial data at risk.
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