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Device Review

The Complete Guide to Windows (PC) Parental Controls

Guard your Windows PC 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 Windows PC 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:‍

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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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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.
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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The Gryphon Router, it's what our CEO, Chris, uses for his family.

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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 Windows PC Device

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There's a lot of controls out there for a Windows PC. But here are a few basic steps that every parent should do when setting up a Windows PC for their child:

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Step 1: Create Family Microsoft Accounts for You and Your Child

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Create an account or sign in at account.microsoft.com/family.
Once logged in, select “Add a family member.”
Select “Child” or “Adult.”
Type an email address or mobile number for the person you want to add and select “Send invite.” If your child doesn’t have an email or mobile number, select “Create a new one for them” and follow the steps on screen.
Have the person you’ve invited accept your invitation from their email or text message, or go to account.microsoft.com/family and select “Accept now” next to their email address. You can find it in the “Notifications section” at the top of the page under “Pending member”.
If you selected “Accept now”, sign out so the person you’re trying to add can sign in and join the family. Then, sign back in and finish setting things up.

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Step 2: Set Up Microsoft Family Safety

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Once your child's account is created, go back to Settings → Accounts → Family & other users and select Manage family settings online. This takes you to the Microsoft Family Safety website. Sign in with your Microsoft account to access your family's management page.

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You can also download the Microsoft Family Safety app on your own iPhone or Android phone, this lets you manage limits and review activity from wherever you are.

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Step 3: Set Screen Time Limits

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On the Family Safety page, select your child's account, then go to the Screen Time tab. Enable the "Use one schedule on all devices" toggle to set a consistent time limit across all devices linked to their Microsoft account.

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From here you can:

Set daily time limits (e.g., 2 hours on school days, 3 on weekends)
Schedule specific hours when the PC can be used (e.g., 7 AM – 9 PM)
Set limits per individual app or game, not just the whole device

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Step 4: Set Up Content Filters

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In the Family Safety page for your child, go to the Content Filtering tab. From here you can limit websites, apps, and games.

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Specifically, you can:

Block adult websites, toggle on web filtering to restrict inappropriate content in Microsoft Edge
Set age ratings for apps and games (e.g., only allow apps rated for ages 12 and under)
Add specific websites to an Always Blocked or Always Allowed list
Filter search engine results so inappropriate content doesn't appear

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Step 5: Manage Spending & App Purchases

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Before your child can download or buy anything from the Microsoft Store, they'll need your approval. You can configure this through the Family Safety app so any purchase request gets sent to you first.

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To set this up:

Go to family.microsoft.com and select your child's account
Click the Spending tab
Turn on spending limits and require your approval for all purchases

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Step 6: Review Activity Reports

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The Family Safety app provides detailed weekly emails showing websites your child visited, apps they used, and their screen time totals. These activity reports help you spot patterns and guide better conversations about healthy digital habits.

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To access them:

Open the Microsoft Family Safety app on your phone, or go to family.microsoft.com
Select your child's account
Click Activity to see a breakdown of usage by day, app, and website

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Step 7: Make Sure Your Admin Account Is Protected

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Make sure your child's account does not have administrator rights. If they do, they can bypass most of the controls you've set up. To verify:

Go to Settings → Accounts → Family & other users
Click your child's account name
Confirm it says Standard User, not Administrator
Make sure your own admin account has a strong password your child doesn't know

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Helpful Links

Set up Microsoft Family Safety: family.microsoft.com
Download the Family Safety app: Available free on the App Store and Google Play
Microsoft's official setup guide: support.microsoft.com/family-safety

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Are Any Other Parental Controls Needed on a PC?

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It depends on your situation. Even with the Microsoft Store under control, your child might still download and get other app stores online. Be alert for other internet browsers or different storefront apps you might not recognize.

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Mobicip is a really strong filter and has a whole suite of controls. Some parents like having all devices using the same service, so in a mixed Apple, Android, Chromebook family, then Mobicip might work. It’s very reasonably priced ($49.99/year for the whole family).

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For teens (14+), you might want to graduate from Mobicip to something more mature like Covenant Eyes, which uses the power of Accountability to change lives.

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For those with a little bit more tech knowledge, you can use a clean DNS option, like CleanBrowsing. 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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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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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:

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*There may be affiliate links throughout this post because we’ve tested and trusted 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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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.
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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