Parental control is a very powerful tool that Windows 10 offers us to control and limit the activity of our children with the computer. We explain how you can use parental control in Windows 10 in a very simple way.
What is Windows 10 parental control
Parental control is a feature that many operating systems and many applications include. Its purpose is to protect minors from inappropriate content , and prevent them from making excessive or inappropriate use of new technologies.
There are many experts who recommend that we monitor the activities that minors do in front of the screen, and above all that we do not trust ourselves as they grow and appear to mature. The Internet is a wonderful place, but it can also be very dangerous for the most defenseless.
We cannot always be present when our children use the home PC. Fortunately, Windows 10 includes a fairly advanced parental control that is very easy to use.
How to activate parental control in Windows 10
Activating parental control in Windows 10 is very simple . We explain it step by step with images so that you know what to do at all times. To complete the setup process, you will need:
- Internet access.
- At least one "primary" Microsoft account.
- Individual Microsoft accounts for each child using the device.
- Access your child's email account, or one created for this purpose.
- Administrator privileges on a desktop or tablet running Windows 10.
The first step will be to add a user account to our son , for this we will use the tool included in Windows 10. The first thing is to access the configuration application, you can do it from the gear wheel of the system start menu.
Now you have to enter the " Accounts " section.
You will see a submenu on the left side of the screen. The option that interests us in this case is " Family and other users "
Once inside, you will see a list with all the active users on your Windows 10. Suppose we want to add an account for our child, in this case we click on " Add family member ".
A small wizard will open. It offers us the possibility of adding an account for a minor or for an adult , logically in this case we will do it for a minor. We also have to put the email address of our son's account. If we do not have an account created, the wizard will give us the option to create it.
Once the process is finished, it will appear as a new Windows 10 user. To start using parental control we have to click on the option " Manage family settings online "
We will be redirected to the official Microsoft website. The first thing we will see is a list with all the active accounts of our minors in this case we only have one. The web application allows us to manage a multitude of parameters.
While there are some weaknesses in the web filtering and application control system Microsoft uses, Windows 10 parental controls have the advantage of being applied across multiple devices . Users cannot, for example, switch to your tablet after using their screen time on the family PC: any device accessed through your child's account will be subject to the same limitations.
Recent activity
The recent activity section will allow us to see everything that our minors have done with the computer . The pages they have entered, the applications used, the searches, the videos seen on YouTube, and even the time of use of each of them.
In this way you can have control over everything they have done while you were away. It also offers you the possibility of creating restrictions , although we will see this later.
Screen time
One of the biggest problems in technology is the large amount of time that can be spent in front of the computer screen . You start watching videos or playing games and hours go by without realizing it. Of course, this is something that also affects minors.
If your child spends too much time in front of the monitor, he will not be able to do his homework and will not go out to play with his friends. Parental control in Windows 10 allows you to limit the time that your children spend with the computer and Xbox One each day of the week. You can also block or allow specific hours.
Content restrictions
The second pillar of parental control in Windows 10 is related to restrictions on the content that minors can access. Applications, games and multimedia , you will be able to have control of everything that your children can and cannot see. It should be noted that these limitations only affect content on the Internet.
This means that if you have inappropriate content stored locally on your PC's hard drive, you will have to find another solution so that they cannot access it. Passwords in folders can be a good solution to this problem.
Expenses
Expenses are another big problem that parents of minors face. It is becoming easier to make purchases on the Internet , reaching the point that with a single click you can spend several hundred euros. This is compounded by games that include purchases inside, such as the popular Fortnite.
The parental control of Windows 10 allows you to assign an available balance in the child's account , if you do not want him to spend anything you can put 0 value and fixed. A good way to avoid getting scared with your credit card.
This is all you need to know about parental control in Windows 10, a very advanced tool with many possibilities of use, but at the same time very simple to use. If you liked it, you can share the post on social networks so that it can help more people who need it.