How to Set Up Parental Controls on Windows 11

Windows 11’s parental controls work through Microsoft Family Safety. First, add your child to your family in Settings > Accounts > Family, using their own Microsoft account. Then manage their limits from the Family Safety website (family.microsoft.com) or app: daily screen time, app and game limits, web filters in Microsoft Edge, age ratings for the Microsoft Store, and purchase approvals. Your child must sign in to the PC with their own account for the controls to apply. Here’s the full setup.

What you need

• A Microsoft account for you (the organizer) and one for each child. You can create the child’s account during setup.
• An administrator account on the PC.
• Your child should use a standard account, not an administrator account, so they can’t change the settings.

Local accounts can’t be managed by Family Safety. If your child uses one, switch it to a Microsoft account first.

Step 1: Add your child to the family

1. Sign in to Windows with your own account.
2. Go to Settings > Accounts > Family.
3. Click Add someone.
4. Enter your child’s email address, or choose Create one for a child to make a new account.
5. Follow the prompts. If you invited an existing account, your child accepts the invitation by email.

Once they’re added, your child’s account appears in the Family list and on the PC’s sign-in screen.

Step 2: Have your child sign in

Your child needs to sign in to the PC once with their account, with an internet connection, so Windows can apply the family settings. Make sure their account type is Standard User under Settings > Accounts > Other users.

Step 3: Set screen time limits

1. Go to family.microsoft.com (or open the Family Safety app) and sign in with your account.
2. Select your child, then open Screen time.
3. Turn on limits for Windows devices, set a daily allowance for each day, and set the hours when the PC can be used.

When time runs out, Windows warns your child and then locks the account. They can send you a request for more time, which you can approve. For more, see how to set screen time on Windows 11.

Step 4: Limit apps and games

In the same Screen time section, open Apps and games to set time limits for specific apps, or block an app completely.

Step 5: Filter websites and content

1. Select your child and open Content filters.
2. Under Web and search, turn on Filter inappropriate websites and searches. This turns on SafeSearch with Bing.
3. Add sites to Blocked sites, or turn on Only use allowed websites for younger children.
4. Under Apps and games, choose an age rating for Microsoft Store content.

Web filtering works in Microsoft Edge. With filtering on, Family Safety blocks other common browsers so your child can’t get around it. You’ll get a request if they try to use one. For other ways to block sites, see how to block a website.

Step 6: Spending and activity reports

• Spending: Turn on Ask to buy, so purchases in the Microsoft Store need your approval, and add money to your child’s account if you want them to have a budget.
• Activity reporting: Turn it on to get weekly email summaries of apps used, websites visited and screen time.

Tips for making it work

• Talk with your child about the rules, so the limits don’t come as a surprise.
• Start with generous limits and adjust them based on the activity reports.
• Set controls on every device they use, including phones and consoles, because limits only apply to managed devices.
• Check the settings after major Windows updates.

Troubleshooting

The limits aren’t working

Make sure your child signs in with their Microsoft account, not a local or shared account, and that the PC is online so the settings can sync. Restart the PC if changes don’t apply.

My child can still use another browser

Check that web filtering is on. Uninstall other browsers if needed. See how to disable Incognito mode in Chrome.

Requests aren’t arriving

Check your email and the Family Safety app’s notification settings.

On Windows 10

The setup is almost identical. See how to set up parental controls on Windows 10 and how to see screen time on Windows 10.

Summary

1. Add your child in Settings > Accounts > Family.
2. Have them sign in with their own standard account.
3. Set screen time, app limits and content filters at family.microsoft.com.
4. Turn on Ask to buy and activity reporting.

Matt Jacobs

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.