The Complete Guide to MacBook Parental Controls

MacBooks use Apple's native parental controls called, "Screen Time." If you have already set up Screen Time settings on an iPhone or iPad, then enabling controls on a MacBook will feel pretty familiar. If you haven't touched Screen Time at all, that's okay! We list everything out step by step.

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A Note about the MacBook Neo

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In March 2026, Apple released the MacBook Neo, a cheaper Apple laptop. It cost less than other MacBooks because of its weaker processor and small display size. Thankfully, the MacBook Neo still uses the same operating system as other Macbooks (macOS), which means all the settings match.

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So, if you have a MacBook Neo and are wondering if this guide still applies, the answer is yes!

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Guard your MacBook Device with Layers

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We believe the best way to prevent digital harm on all digital devices is by following our 5 Layers of Protection:

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Layer 1: Relationships

Layer 2: WiFi (Router)

Layer 3: The MacBook Device

Layer 4: Location

Layer 5: App

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In a digital world that is increasingly hostile toward children, our response must be strong and relevant. That's why we believe in wrapping our kids in multiple layers of protection. One or two are often not enough.

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Layer 1: The Relationship (Build Digital Trust)

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To learn why our relationships with our children are the foundation of protection and how to build digital trust (Layer 1), here are relevant blog posts:‍

• 10 Before 10: Making Porn a Normal Conversation
• How to Talk to a 5-year-old About Porn‍
• Why Small, Consistent Conversations Matter

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Layer 2: WiFi (Router)

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The Router is the most important digital hardware in the house! And, it’s often the most ignored. But, you are responsible for every digital click on your home’s network, so monitoring and controlling its activity is important.

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Popular options for parents are:

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1. Gryphon Advance Security & Parental Controls router. This is the router used by our CEO, Chris, with his four children. It gives you time control, YouTube Restricted Mode, and more. Easy set-up and a parent app that allows you to pause the internet with one touch.
2. Alternatively, if you love your current router, but simply want to exert more control over it, then we recommend Bark Home. It connects to your router, giving you stronger parental controls over your home’s network. It’s not a router, but connects to your router. Easy-to-use app for you to exert screen time and app control over your kid.

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Bonus content – we tested the best routers out there and here’s WHY we picked Gryphon.

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Layer 3: The MacBook Device

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All MacBook parental controls run through Screen Time, which replaced the old "Parental Controls" panel starting with macOS Catalina. Here's how to set it up properly, step by step:

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Step 1: Create a Separate User Account for Your Child

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This is the most important first step, parental controls don't work properly on an administrator account. Your child needs their own standard (non-admin) account.

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1. Click the Apple menu (top left) → System Settings
2. Select Users & Groups
3. Click the + button to add a new user
4. From the "New Account" dropdown, choose Standard (not Administrator)
5. Fill in your child's name, account name, and password
6. Click Create User

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Step 2: Set Up Family Sharing

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Family Sharing lets you manage your child's settings remotely from your own device, including from your iPhone.

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1. Go to System Settings → click your Apple Account name at the top
2. Select Family
3. Click Set Up Family (or Add Member if Family Sharing is already on)
4. Add your child's Apple ID, or create one for them if they don't have one yet
5. For children under 13, you'll be prompted to create an Apple ID on their behalf

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Parents often ask, “Should I create a separate Apple ID for my child?” And my response is YES. I want to have complete separation from my activity, and I want visibility into their activity. But you retain control over that Apple ID by knowing its login credentials. 

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One nice thing about Apple’s Screen Time is that a parent can set up Screen Time even if the child is between 13 and 17. This is unlike Android (Google), which won’t let a parent create a Gmail account for a child aged 13+. 

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Step 3: Turn On Screen Time

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1. Go to System Settings → Screen Time
2. Click the dropdown at the top and select your child's name
3. Click Turn On to enable Screen Time
4. Scroll down and toggle on Lock Screen Time Settings, this requires a passcode to change any settings
5. Create a 4-digit passcode that only you know, do not share this with your child

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Step 4: Set App Time Limits

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1. In Screen Time, select App Limits
2. Toggle App Limits on
3. Click Add Limit
4. Browse by category (Social, Games, Entertainment, etc.) or search for a specific app
5. Set a daily time limit
6. Check Block at End of Limit so the app actually stops, not just sends a warning
7. Click Done

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Step 5: Filter Web Content

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1. In Screen Time, select Content & Privacy
2. Toggle Content & Privacy on
3. Click App Store, Media, Web, & Games
4. Under Web Content, choose one of three settings:
   • Unrestricted Access, no filtering (not recommended for children)
   • Limit Adult Websites, automatically blocks most adult content (good starting point for teens)
   • Allowed Websites Only, your child can only visit websites you approve (best for younger kids)
5. You can manually add websites to an Always Allow or Never Allow list underneath

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Step 6: Restrict App Downloads & Purchases

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1. Still in Content & Privacy, click App Store, Media, Web, & Games
2. Set age-appropriate ratings for:
   • Movies, TV Shows, Music, Books
   • Apps (options: 4+, 9+, 12+, 17+)
3. To require your approval for every purchase or download:
   • Go to System Settings → Family → your child's name
   • Turn on Ask to Buy

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Don’t miss Ask to Buy. We always tell parents to control the App Store, which includes millions of apps, and this is one of the best ways.

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Step 7: Restrict Communication

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For younger children, you can limit who they can call or message through Apple's apps.

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1. In Screen Time, select Communication Limits
2. Toggle it on
3. Choose who your child can communicate with during screen time
4. Options include: Everyone, Contacts Only, or Specific Contacts

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Step 8: Block Guest Access:

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Guest Access is a setting that can be exploited to find porn, working around some of the controls and layer of protection. Here's how to disable it:

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Apple Icon -> System Settings -> Users & Groups -> Guest User -> Set to "Off." See the image below.

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Step 9: Setup CleanBrowsing on the MacBook

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A "clean" DNS allows you to filter out content by having more control over how your computer connects to sites on the internet. See our full post about this here: How to Block Porn On Any Device. For Free.

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CleanBrowsing is one of the best "clean" DNS option out there, and they have great instructions for setting up its service - How to Set Clean DNS on a Mac Computer.

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Once you’ve done this, then follow these steps in order to lock the changes into the Mac:

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1. Go to System Preferences
2. Security & Privacy
3. Advanced
4. Check “Require an administrator to access system-wide preferences”
5. Select “Click the lock to prevent further changes”

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This way, your child can't undo any of the changes you just made.

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Step 10: Review Activity Reports

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Screen Time gives you weekly reports showing exactly what your child did on the Mac, which apps they used, which websites they visited, and how long they spent on each.

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1. In Screen Time, click App & Website Activity
2. Toggle it on
3. Check back regularly to see usage trends and have informed conversations with your child

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Consider a Deep Dive into Screen Time

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What we just laid out here is a fairly basic approach to enabling screen time settings on any MacBook. However, Apple's Screen Time Controls are often flawed. So, we created the world's greatest FREE Screen Time Guide.

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Now, this is made with iPhones and iPads in mind, but many of the Screen Time settings are similar on MacBooks, although they might not all be exactly the same. If you have any questions about Screen Time settings, the answer is probably in this guide!

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‍Click here or the image below. We keep it constantly updated!

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Layer 4: Location (It matters)

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Guard the location of the device. Why? Because where kids use technology often dictates how they use their technology.

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Related post: The 5 Worst Places for a Kid to be Online

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We have strong opinions about managing where kids use their tech. For example, let’s keep all internet-ready devices out of bedrooms at night, where kids take more risks, and sleep is constantly interrupted.

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Just know that the combination of boredom, bedrooms, and darkness (the Toxic Trio) often lead to bad digital choices, whether you’re 14 or 40 years old!

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Layer 5: Apps

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To learn why apps are often the least protected digital spaces and how to set them up safely (Layer 5), here are popular app reviews:

• Discord
• Fortnite
• Instagram
• Minecraft
• Reddit
• Roblox
• Snapchat
• TikTok
• Twitch
• YouTube

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*There may be affiliate links throughout this post because we’ve tested and trust a small list of parental control solutions. Our work saves you time! If you decide that you agree with us, then we may earn a small commission, which does nothing to your price. Enjoy!

What if I have more questions? How can I stay up to date?

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Two actions you can take!

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1. If you have more questions: Order Chris's book (or audiobook)! Supported by science, built on deep experience, biblical truth, and proven by thousands of success stories, 5 Habits of the Tech-Ready Family will help readers raise wise kids in a wild digital world.
2. Stay up to date: Subscribe to our tech trends newsletter, the PYE Download. Monthly, we’ll share what families need to know, what the PYE team is up to, and a message from Chris.

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