Computers have become an unavoidable part of our everyday lives. Whether we're using them as entertainment devices, for consuming content, or for work, computers are here to stay, and our children are inevitably coming to come into contact with them.
*Parental Control Programs For Mac
*Parental Control On Mac Computer
*Parental Controls For Internet
*Internet Parental Controls For Macbook Air
*Windows Family Safety. To start our list, we've opted for the integrated Windows parental control.
*At the push of a button your children are offline. The ideal parental control companion. SEE SUPPORTED ROUTERS BEFORE PURCHASE. Take Control of your WiFi. Control your Kids internet access with touch of a button. Restrict bandwidth hogs. Block your kids internet access quick and simply.
However, if parents aren't responsible for the way their children are interacting with computers, this can cause serious physical and mental damage to their well-being.
Today, we're going to explore the ins and outs of best parental control software for Windows, giving you everything you need to know in order to manage your child's digital diet.
The Parental Controls available to administrators are fairly straightforward, and can be applied to practically any account set up on a Mac. This also includes guest accounts, locking down the.What Can Parental Control Software Do for Us?
This, of course, depends on the parental control software that you're using. However, the main aim of all the brands and available products remains relatively the same: to help you manage the way your children use a computer.
For example, your children may have access to pornographic content, gambling websites, violent material, or aggressive games. All of these can be damaging, even more so the younger your child is. What's more, computers can be addictive.
Without parental controls, playing games, using services, or watching videos can all be addictive, so it's important to make sure your child is living a balanced life where they can use technology, and stay connected to the real world.
As you may or may not be aware, there are also many problems with using things like social media. Most notably is communicating with strangers who may have malicious intent or becoming subject to cyberbullying. With parental control software, all these problems can be controlled and minimized.10 Best Free Parental Control Software for Computer
To help you with this ongoing battle with trying to manage and control your child's use of technology when using a computer, here are the ten best monitoring software for parents.#1 - FamiSafe parental control software
As an excellent computer monitoring software, this software comes with nearly everything you'll need to create a kid-safe computer. It is easy-to-use tool for keeping track of activity, regulating daily screen time and filter risky websites on all browsers on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Kindle Fire devices, .
Features:
*Track screen time and restrict indivitial desktop apps
*Schedule daily time limit and lock whole devices.
*Powerful content filtering on all browsers, identifing over 10 content categories like weapon and gambling.
*Monitor computer activity and show detailed acitivity reports.
Pros:
*Perform configuration tasks via mobile apps.
*Best suited for PC or mobile platforms.
*Flexible control for digital rules.
*Full-featured and affordable.
*Works across mainstream browsers.
Cons:
*Only three free days trial on Google Play and App Store.
*Doesn't work on Chromebook.
Supported OS - Mac / Windows / iPhone / Android / Kindle Fire
Try for Free on Google Play and App Store!
*Web Filter & SafeSearch
*Screen Time Limit & Schedule
*Location Tracking & Driving Report
*App Blocker & App Activity Tracker
*YouTube History Monitor & Video Blocker
*Social Media Texts & Porn Images Alerts
**Works on Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Kindle Fire #2 - Windows Family Safety
To start our list, we've opted for the integrated Windows parental control system. While you'll need to sign up for an account, this is an easy to manage solution that comes with an extensive range of features that give you full control over your child's digital diet.
Features:
*Integrated into Windows for seamless results.
*A full range of protection features and program blockers.
*A complete online filtering and protection system.
Pros:
*Allow you to set up screentime limit for your kids.
*Manage the applications on the computer.
*Control purchasing limits.
Cons:
*Require your kid to sign in the device using the bound account.
*Long-winded operation process.
Supported OS - Windows
Cost - Free
Download: No installation required.
#3 - Kaspersky Total Security
Kaspersky Total Security is an all-in-one security suite for family. It provides features like anti-virus, anti-ransomware, webcam security, password manager. It also provides parental control features for parents to keep their kids safe while surfing the internet.
Features:
*Webcam security to protect you from webcam spies.
*Notify parents when kids are searching for restricted themes.
*Use a VPN to protect your data.
*Advanced parental controls available for parents.
Pros:
*A range of comprehensive internet management settings.
*Additional features like payment protection, password managers.
*Works with Mac, Windows, and Android mobile phone.
Cons:
*Limited data traffic per device for data protection.
*Some features require the usage of a VPN.
Supported OS - Mac/Windows/Android
Cost - Free for 30 days/79.99USD per year#4 - kidlogger parental control
KidLogger is designed to be used as a powerful computer parental control software service that can be used to help you track all kinds of data. This includes keystrokes on your child's devices, including platforms like Skype and social media. It also supports logging how much time is spent on the PC and the most used applications.
Features:
*Track messages by logging all the keys.
*Track websites visited through keylogging Features.
*Multiple customizable settings.
*Monitor messengers and chats on social apps.
Pros:
*It can monitor multiple devices from one account.
*Compatible with a full range of devices.
Cons:
*Lack of controls compared with others.
*Monitoring features only.
*The premium package is expensive.
Supported OS - Windows / Mac / Android / iOS
Cost - Free / $89 per year#5 - OpenDNS FamilyShield
OpenDNS tend to focus more on businesses and providing them with security, but a few years back, they decided to release a comprehensive FamilyShield that has the sole purpose of protecting your family while they're using the internet.
Features:
*Connects itself to your router, making it effective on any device connected to your Wi-Fi network.
*Fast DNS Lookup speeds.
*Ready-made content filters you can apply at any time.
*Customize and block individual websites as you please.
Pros:
*Pre-made content filters.
*Applies changes at your router.
*Completely free to download, install, and use.
Cons:
*Too complicated to install.
*Requires a learning curve on how to use it.
Supported OS: Windows
Cost - Free#6 - Mobicip
Mobicip parental control is a software that compatible with various platforms. It is easy to use and can manage all family devices from the app or web portal directly. For a family that has more than one child, Mobicip may be the one you are looking after.
Features:
*Can lock all linked family devices on one tap.
*Provide 4 weeks browser history for review.
*Web filter feature that block websites by category.
Pros:
*Easy to use with a nice interface.
*Easy to connect social media tracking.
*Dedicated content filtering and tracking.
Cons:
*Only provide 7 days free trial.
*Not easy to installed.
Supported OS - Mac / Windows / iOS / Android / ChromeBook
Cost - Start from 39.99USD per year#7 - Surfie
As the title suggests, this is a computer parental control software that's designed around protecting your children as they browse the internet. This is a complete solution for when your children are browsing the internet.
Features:
*Multiple profiles for adults and children.
*Customizable web portal.
*Build up a usage portfolio over time.
Pros:
*It can be adjusted to suit your parenting style.
*Customizable notifications for certain Features.
Cons:
*It only has internet controls and monitoring.
Supported OS - Mac / Windows
Cost - Free / £45.99 per year#8 - Net nanny parental control
Net Nanny is a complete remote monitoring tool to help you manage your child's ability to use their technology devices. It focused on both online content and messaging functions. The free parental control software app is easy to install and easy to learn.
Features:
*Works alongside Entertainment Software Rating Board.
*Chat filtering functions.
*Block websites and types of content.
*Restrict access to devices.
Pros:
*A ton of internet content filters.
*Social networking monitoring.
*Easy to use and remote settings charge.
Cons:
*The setup wizard can be complex.
*Free trial version available before paying.
Supported OS - Mac / Windows
Commview for wifi на mac. Cost - Free / $59.99 per year#9 - Norton Online Family
While Norton is perhaps one of the most well-known of all online developers, especially in the security market, you may not be aware of the fact that they produce parental control software for free.
Features:
*Custom email alerts and re-direct notifications.
*Location supervision.
*Monitor all web content.
*Access request alerts.
Pros:
*Easy to use and learn.
*Easy reporting system.
*Most visited and used categories.
Cons:
*The web filter feature is not perfect all the time.
*Long setup and installation process.
Supported OS - Windows / Mac
Cost - Free - £79.99 per year#10 - Kids Watch Pro
If you're looking for a dedicated computer parental control software, this is it. Compatible with up to three computers and free lifetime upgrades, what else could you need?
Features:
*Supports up to three computers on a single license.
*Free email and phone support.
*Time management Features.
*Integrated internet content filter.
Pros:
*Monitor everything, including chat alerts.
*Dynamic content block and filter.
*Easily keep an eye out for predators.
Cons:
*Really basic interface.
*May seem limited compared with other solutions.
Supported OS - Mac / Windows
Cost - Free / $49.95 per yearWhat to do if you need apps to monitor kids' phones?
While any of these free parental control software apps are ideal for most of your Mac or Windows computers, many of these won't work on mobile devices. However, there is a range of mobile parental control apps to help you out.
One of the most recent apps to join the industry is FamiSafe, a complete parental control software free that can help you take full control of your child's device and the price is only $9.9 a month for multi-devices.
Try for Free Now on Google Play and App Store!
*Works on Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Kindle Fire
*Web Filter & Blocker
*Screen Time Limit & Schedule
*Location Tracking & Geo-fencing
*App Blocker & App Activity Tracker
*YouTube History Monitor & Video Blocker
*Social Media Texts & Porn Images Alerts FamiSafe - The best app to monitor kids phone for iPhone and Android
*Web Content Filtering & Browser History Checking
This is a complete web filtering and content block feature that allows you to toggle on and off numerous content filters and add exceptions of certain websites you want to block.
*App Blocking & Screen Time Limit
You'll be able to see exactly which apps your children are using, which apps they're installing and uninstalling, and how long they're using them for on their Android devices. You can even instantly block each app and set up usage schedules, so apps are only available during certain hours of the day.
*Real-Time Location & Geo-Fencing
Using the GPS location information of your child's device, you can see exactly where your child is at all times. This means you can be sure they are where they say they are and where they should be. You can also set up geofencing features that send you a notification if the boundaries are breached.
*Explicit Content & Suspicious Photos Detection
Detect dangerous content on SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Kik, and more. Giving parents flexible keywords setting and real-time warnings to signs of cyberbullying, adult content, sexual harassment. Also, it lets parents receive signals of suspicious images from phone album to prevent things like sexting or sextortion from getting worse.
Try for Free Now!
*Web Filter & Blocker
*Screen Time Limit & Schedule
*Location Tracking & Geo-fencing
*App Blocker & App Activity Tracker
*YouTube History Monitor & Video Blocker
*Social Media Texts & Porn Images Monitoring
As you can see, it doesn't matter if your children are using a computer or mobile device, there are plenty of parental control software out there for you to benefit from. However, when it comes to mobile devices, FamiSafe remains our favorite for the number of mobile users.
Compatible with both Android and iOS devices, tablets, and smartphones, and free to download and install, it doesn't get much better than this. There's even a three-day free trial, so you can try this app to monitor kid's phone for yourself.
Sharing a Mac with someone else is always tricky. It’s where a big chunk of your daily routine happens — and you don’t really want other people to interfere. Unless it’s your child who doesn’t own a computer yet. If this is your case, you should know that there’s a way to share a Mac to the extent you want to share it.
The abyss of content freely available on the web can be distracting — or even harmful when it comes to a child. Therefore, some moderation is needed. macOS is one of the best operating systems catering for Mac parental controls. Using native programs only, you can create a safe Internet environment for your kids. And with a few extra apps installed on top, it gets even smarter. Parental controls on Mac: How does it work?
Apple parental controls are packed into one handy app on macOS Catalina and macOS Big Sur — Screen Time. The older versions have a built-in Parental Controls feature. So depending on the system your Mac runs on, you’ll be able to benefit from one of those. How to set parental controls on macOS Catalina and Big Sur
Clearly, Apple makes parental controls easier — and a bit better-looking — with the release of macOS 10.15 Catalina. Unlike any other, this operating system has a handy Screen Time app for handling parental controls in one place. Set up the Downtime, manage Netflix parental controls, enable content restrictions — it all happens in one interface.
But first of all, you need to separate your Mac setup from the one your kid will use. Let your loved ones in via a separate entrance — a personal account that they will use for their needs. While you can password protect every account on Mac, your child won’t be able to mess with your content or accidentally delete important stuff.
Here’s how to create a child account:
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Open System Preferences > Users & Groups.
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Click the Lock to enable changes.
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Add a new account by clicking on the plus button.
If you’re using macOS Mojave or earlier, you can go to System Preferences > Parental Controls and add a new account from there.
Next step is to create Gmail account for your child, which you can have some control over. There’s actually a better way than just owning a password. For this purpose, Google created an app called Family Link, which enables parents to stay in the know. Once you set up the app and link it to your child’s account, you’ll be able to monitor the activity associated with it.
Here’s how to use Family Link for Google account control:
*
Install Family Link on your mobile device and link it with a Google account.
*
Go to Settings > Manage Settings to set up activity controls.
*
To delete specific activity, go to My Activity Page in the child’s account > More > Select > Delete.
Family Link also has built-in screen time tracking and location tracking — so that you always know where your kid is. You can edit account info or lock a child’s account right from your app at any time. How to set parental controls on macOS Catalina
Clearly, Apple makes parental controls easier — and a bit better-looking — with the release of macOS 10.15 Catalina. Unlike any other, this operating system has a handy Screen Time app for handling parental controls in one place. Set up the Downtime, manage Netflix parental controls, enable content restrictions — it all happens in one interface.
Here’s how you set up Screen Time on Mac:
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Open System preferences > Screen Time.
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If Screen Time is set to Off, make sure you enable it.
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Select the account and click on Options.
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Check the box next to “Use Screen Time Passcode” to ensure no one except you will be able to change the settings.
*
If you want to have access to Screen Time controls from any device, check the box next to “Share across devices.”Set up downtime
In the Screen Time, you can create a focused environment for your child using Downtime functionality. Perfect for when they have to do homework. Downtime switches off access to everything except specific apps you select. Here’s how to enable it on your Mac:
*
Launch Screen Time.
*
In the left side bar, select your child’s account.
*
Open the Downtime tab > Turn on.
*
Select Every Day or Custom and set the hours for when Downtime should be enabled.
You can adjust the hours of Downtime every day, based on your needs, if you select Custom. The app sends notifications 5 minutes before Downtime is scheduled so that your kids can finish whatever they are doing and get to work. Create custom app limits
There are always those few apps that are the biggest time-sucks. Screen Time solves this problem by enabling you to set app limits. In the corresponding tab, click on the plus button to add a new app limit. You can set a custom limit for the entire category of apps — like Entertainment or Social Networking. Or, open the drop-down list under the category and set up limits for specific apps. Track your screen time
One of the benefits of Screen Time is that it gives you a comprehensive view of how your child spends time on Mac. It has three tabs — App Usage, Notifications, and Pickups — for tracking activity across apps and categories. Here’s how you make the most of it:
*
Use App Usage to check time spent in every app during a specific period of time. See what type of activity takes over — Productivity, Social Networking, or Entertainment. You can also compare actual activity versus app limits.
*
The Notifications tab is there to tell you what apps are sending the biggest number of notifications. Maybe you should think about disabling them?
*
In the Pickups, you can view how many times you pick up a device and what app you open right away — an iOS feature that migrated to macOS.
If you want to quickly reset app limits or disable Downtime, customize settings in Always Allowed and you’re good to go. To deny access to specific web content or disable purchases in online stores, use Content & Privacy.
The best thing about Screen Time is that it works equally well for parental controls and for controlling your own activity. Use Screen Time to focus on work or limit Instagramming, and your routine will become healthier over time. How to set parental controls on macOS Mojave and earlier
If your Mac runs on macOS Mojave or older versions, there’s a built-in Parental Controls feature you can benefit from. To access the functionality, open System Preferences > Parental Controls. You’ll be prompted to create a child account with parental controls if you haven’t done it before. Once the child account appears in the sidebar, click on it and go through the settings.
The options will be pretty similar to what you get with Screen Time — but in a less intuitive interface. You can set app limits, daily time limits, block specific web content, and more. Focus for targeted distractions blocking
There’s still an easier way to block distractions. You can get Focus, an app that keeps you focused on work. The beautiful thing about it is you don’t have to customize preferences all the time, but rather go with a flow while Focus takes care of your productivity.
It’s to set up, and even easier to use:
*
Install Focus from Setapp (and save money on the license).
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Once the app icon appears in your menu bar, you can start focusing in a click. By default, the app will shut down access to social media for 25 minutes. Then, it gives you a 5-minute break before enabling the focused mode again.
*
Open Preferences from the menu bar to add sites and apps that should be blocked when you’re focusing. This, by the way, is the easiest way to handle Chrome parental controls.
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Set custom time limitations in the Schedule tab.
That’s it. No more complicated settings. Timing for automatic activity tracking
If you’re rather interested in how much time you or your kids spend on specific activities, there’s no better tool than Timing. The app cleverly monitors what you do and brings insights into a handy activity timeline. You can define your own rules so that Timing stops and starts timer for specific activities without ever bothering you.
Here’s a short list of what you can do with Timing:
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Add a task or a project with a deadline attached to it.
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Use the Overview section to track your child’s activity over a specific period of time.
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Let Timing create detailed activity reports for you.
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Go to Review > Details to see active processes.
*
Use browser monitoring to check web activities.
Basically, Timing can be both a robust parental controls tool and your own productivity booster. A win-win. Time Out for, well, time out
What if it’s not distractions you should block — but rather work? Time Out is a powerful Mac app that makes sure you or your loved ones don’t stay on the same task too long. And yet, it will tell your kids to take a break from YouTube, too. Just ma
By default, the app comes with normal 10-minute breaks and micro 15-second breaks. However, this is a subject to a change — you can set your custom ones for every job, whether it’s a casual work break or a longer lunch/coffee break. Control every channel your child has access to
If for some reason you don’t use tools like Screen Time, you can enable parental controls for specific programs or browsers. Let’s say, your kid has recently became hooked on Netflix’s Sex Education. Some would argue it’s a good thing, but if you think otherwise, or the show stands in the way of homework, you can enable parental controls for Netflix.
Here are the detailed instructions on how to control the most popular channels. Netflix parental controls
You can limit Netflixing in two ways — by setting up a maturity level or blocking specific shows. A custom maturity level means you can
Netflix to show only the content that complies with age restrictions — movies and shows for little kids, teens and below, or everyone.
To set maturity level on a profile:
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Sign in to Netflix > Manage profiles.
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Select the profile you want to edit.
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In the new window, set up the maturity level under Allowed TV shows and movies.
To set a PIN for maturity level or specific Netflix content:
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Go to the Account page in your web browser.
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Open Settings > Parental Controls.
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Enter your account password.
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Create a PIN that is a four-digit number.
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Set PIN protection for a specific tile or maturity level > Save. Parental Control Programs For MacYouTube parental controls
YouTube went even further. It created a separate YouTube for kids. So if you’re wondering how to set parental controls of YouTube, the answer is you don’t have to — simply use YouTube Kids. The app enables you to customize content experience for a child, depending on their age. You can also change the restrictions by clicking on the Lock icon, turn off search, and set a passcode for access to settings.
If you want to prevent access to YouTube completely, you’ll have to use Apple’s native Parental Controls or Screen Time. Parental Control On Mac ComputerChrome parental controls
The most basic version of Google Chrome parental controls is its SafeSearch functionality. It blocks explicitly inappropriate and adult content — but, unfortunately, isn’t customizable at all. Here’s how to enable SafeSearch:
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Open Chrome and click on your image in the upper right corner.
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Navigate to Data & personalization and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
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Under General preferences for the web, select Search settings.
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In the new window, check the box to enable SafeSearch > Save.
While SafeSearch doesn’t allow you to prevent access to custom websites, you’ll need more advanced solutions for that like Focus, which will block the selected sites and apps for you.
The problem of screen time is becoming huge — not only for parents but also for anyone who’s spending too much time in front of a computer. Big players like YouTube and Netflix are putting much effort into helping you limit app usage. However, instead of navigating the settings of parental controls of YouTube, you can do things easier. Combine Focus with Timing and Time Out apps from Setapp — and have the whole process streamlined. Setapp lives on Mac and iOS. Please come back from another device.
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp. Read on
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