Blog

Are you worried about your child’s computer habits? Wish there was a way to monitor their computer behavior without having to stand over their shoulder? Well, with Mac parental controls you can keep them safe on the computer while still giving them their independence.

In this article, we're sharing the ins-and-outs of parental controls. So you can keep watch over your kids without intruding on their personal space.

How to Set up Mac Parental Controls

Not sure what parental controls are available, or how you can set them up? Here are the basic steps you need to take to keep your kids safe as they surf the Internet.

Access Your Child’s Account

To begin setting up parental control, you’ll need to turn on the control functionality for each of your children’s user accounts. Simply go to Apple product menu, system preferences, and parental controls to begin.

Once you’re in, you’ll need to click on your child’s user account icon and unlock it. Enter your administrator name and password and, choose your user. If you don’t have your child’s account isn’t there, click the add button to add a new user.

Add or Change Restrictions

After you select the account you want to edit, you’ll need to choose the types of restrictions you’d like to set up. By placing restrictions for apps, you can block your children from using your computer’s built-in camera for games or web chatting. You can also block them from using specific apps.

What’s better? You can limit access to certain websites, disable access to the iTunes Store so they can’t purchase things without your knowledge. And you can even set privacy restrictions that prevent apps and other services from accessing your child’s data information.

Copy Over the Parental Controls

Another benefit of parental controls is you can copy them over, so you don’t have to waste time updating each child’s preferences individually. To do this, go to parental controls again, click copy settings, and then choose who you want to apply those copied settings too. Then simply paste, and everything has been copied over!

Perhaps you decide at some point your child no longer needs parental controls. Well, you can easily turn them off! Simply go to Parental Controls, select the user profile you’d like to update, and then choose to turn off Parental Controls.

You can easily turn them back on at any time.

Other Things to Know About Parental Controls

As a parent, you’re probably concerned about your child accessing inappropriate content. Apple parental controls let you toggle on and off certain apps you don’t want your child to be using, whether it’s Facetime or Safari. You can also set content ratings so they’re unable to access or purchase R-rated content.

You can also prevent your child from turning off Location services and Share My Location, which is great if you need to keep an eye on your child. Apple parental controls also let you prevent your child from making certain changes to their device, whether it’s passcode or your data plan.

You can even turn on Ask to Buy functionality, which sends you a notification any time your child tries to buy something in the App Store.

Keep Your Kids Safe

Technology is great, but when it comes to keeping your kids' safe, regulation is important. By following the Mac parental controls tips in this article, you can rest easy knowing your child is using their device in the smartest (and safest) way possible.

Did you find the tech tips in this article helpful? Check out our blog for more insights and product options you should know about!