It’s hard to comprehend sometimes that kids today see the internet as just another utility. It’s a part of their growing up just as cable TV and electricity once were. They understand from an early age that to find out something, you have to use your phone or computer to type it in.
It’s also an endless source of entertainment. It’s where their friends are too. Watching videos, playing video games, and posting on social media can take up a lot of your child’s time. You’d be wise to know how to set parental controls on Windows 10 and make sure you know what they’re doing online when you’re not around.
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Family Options
So, how to set parental controls on Windows 10? Windows 10 is the latest operating system from Microsoft, and it comes with a plethora of features. If your home desktop computers and laptops run on Windows 10, you should know that you can take measures to make sure your child is safe online.
Accessing Family Options on Windows 10 is simple. All you need to do is:
- Go to the Start menu and then Settings.
- Now, select Update & Security and then Windows Security (or type Windows Security in the search box).
- Finally, you should select Family Options at the bottom of the page.
When the page opens, you’ll be able to explore all the ways you can control your kids’ access to the internet. So, what can you do?
Help Protect Your Kids Online
One of the biggest concerns parents have is what websites their children are visiting when they are online. Windows 10 has a very fast browser named Microsoft Edge. And you can ensure that your kids never bump into any inappropriate content.
Control the Time They Spend Online
Often, it’s not the nefarious content that is the issue, but more the amount of time a child spends in front of the screen. In all honesty, adults are guilty of this, too, and could benefit from some restrictions. But for young developing minds, this is incredibly important.
Being glued to the screen just before bed can interfere with circadian rhythm and can cause a young person to feel overly tired. Besides, if they can’t access the internet, they are more likely to do their homework and chores.
You Can Keep Track of Their Activity
Windows 10’s Family Options feature allows you to receive weekly reports on your children’s online activity. That can be particularly useful because you probably won’t remember to check on them regularly. Or, you might be overzealous about it and do it more frequently than you should.
There’s a fine line between trusting your child and being paranoid. This feature keeps you in the loop and alerts you about things that you might want to discuss with your child. But at the same time, it relieves you of having to worry constantly.
Family Settings
So, what do you need to do exactly to set all these parental controls on Windows 10? Well, go to the Family Options page under Windows Security, and click on “View family settings.” This link will redirect you to your Microsoft account page. There begins the customization of your parental controls.
The first step is to create a family group. When you select “Create a family group,” you’ll be prompted to start adding your family members. You can signify if a member is a child or an adult, and you type in their email or phone number. If they don’t have a Microsoft account, you can make one for them. After that, you can invite to the group.
Remember, adults can change kid’s settings and monitor their activity, including their location. You also get free features like Shared Family Notebook and Calendar. Children can use them to remind their parents of important events like PTA meetings and tournaments. And you can remind the kids to feed the dog or call grandma to wish her a happy birthday.
Control Your Child’s Online Purchases
When talking about making things safe and secure for your child while they are online, one must include online shopping. There are so many ways things can go wrong when money and internet mix together. Especially if a child is old enough to figure out how to buy something, but not old enough to understand the value of money.
You can use Windows 10 to ensure your children have to ask you before they buy anything. If a child wants to buy something from the Microsoft Store, they will need approval from an adult. That doesn’t include what they get with gift cards or the money they already have in their Microsoft account. Here’s what you need to do to set it up:
- Sign in your Microsoft Family
- Find your child’s name and then select “Spending.”
- Look for “Ask a parent.” Then switch to “Needs adult approval to buy things” to On.
- If you want to approve or deny their requests to buy something, switch “Email me when my child gets stuff” to On.
- You can also track their purchasing history. If you notice an unauthorized purchase, don’t despair. You might be eligible for a refund.
Gaming on Windows 10
If your kid loves video games, it is important to know how to set parental controls on Windows 10. It’s easy to lose track of time, and since there are so many available, you aren’t always sure which are appropriate.
A PC with Windows 10 is already a potent gaming machine, and your kids can use Microsoft Store to explore and try many of them. Microsoft Family Options encourages adults to make gaming a family time as much as possible. That way, you get to spend more time as a family and keep track of their activity.
Windows 10 Helps Your Family Stay Safe Online
Knowing what your children do online has never been more important. There isn’t enough data that can tell you how the super-fast expansion of the internet and social media is going to affect children.
But you know what the dangers are, and you know how to set parental controls on windows 10. You can limit the time your child spends online and even schedule it in advance. And you can use the internet and Microsoft to stay better connected with your young ones.