Windows PC parental controls
Works well, and has one hole big enough to walk through: the web filter only applies to Edge.
- Time
- 25 minutes
- Difficulty
- A few steps
- Where
- account.microsoft.com/family, or the Family Safety app
- Checked
- 2026-08
Before you start: A Microsoft account for you and for the child. Local Windows accounts escape all of this.
Do this
- Open account.microsoft.com/family and create a family group
- Add the child — they need their own Microsoft account
- Sign in to that account on the PC
- Manage limits from the Family Safety app or the web portal
The settings that matter
| Setting | Younger child | Teenager |
|---|---|---|
| Screen timeSchedules and limits, per device or across all of them. | Per-device schedules | One shared schedule is easier to keep |
| Content filtersFilters apps and games by age rating, and websites in Edge. | Set the rating and turn on Filter inappropriate websites | Same, and expect to discuss it |
| Spending approvalRequires your approval for purchases. | On | On |
What this does not do
- Web filtering only works in Edge. Chrome or Firefox bypass it completely unless you also block installing them.
- A child who creates a local Windows account is outside the system entirely.
What people get wrong
- Setting up web filtering and not blocking other browsers. This is the single most common way Windows Family Safety ends up doing nothing.
Checked against Microsoft Family Safety setup
in 2026-08. Platforms change these settings often — if what you see does not match, the platform’s own
page is the authority, and we would be glad to be told.