Published by

**Brink** · 27 Sep 2007

How to Setup and Use Parental Controls in Vista

Information

This will show you how to setup and use Parental Controls to help manage how your children, or a Standard user account, can use the computer. For example, you can set limits on your children's access to the web, the hours that they can log on to the computer, and which games they can play and programs they can run. For more information, see: Windows Help and How-to: Set up Parental Controls

Note

Parental Controls is only available to the Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate editions. Parental Controls can only be applied to Standard user accounts. If your computer is connected to a domain, Parental Controls are not available.

Tip

For Parental Controls to work, it needs to have the Parental Controls Service set to the default of Manual.

Warning

If you happen to have crafty people that you are trying to use Parental Controls on, then you might also consider enabling the built-in Administrator account and give it a strong password. This will help prevent them from bypassing the Parental Controls.

Make sure that all other administrator accounts also have a good password.

Here's How:

1. Open the Control Panel. (Classic View)

2. Click on the Parental Controls icon.

3. Click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.

4. Select the Standard user account that you want to apply Parental Controls to. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you need to create a new Standard user account, then click Create a new user account.

5. To Turn On Parental Controls -

A) Select (dot) On, enforce current settings. (See screenshot below step 9)

B) Go to step 7.

6. To Turn Off Parental Controls -

A) Select (dot) Off.

B) Go to step 9.

7. Turn the Activity Reporting On or Off. (See screenshot below step 9)
NOTE: If On, click on View activity reports link, to the right, to see the report. See an example of a activity report on the selected Standard account in the screenshot below.

8. Under Windows Settings, go through each option to set Parental Controls for it. (See screenshot below step 9)
NOTE: Each setting below is a link on how to setup that Parental Controls setting.

Windows Settings Link	Description
Windows Vista Web Filter	Set the web filter to Allow or Block websites, downloads, and other uses.
Time Limits	Control when the user account can use the computer.
Games	Control what games are installed or played on the computer by content, rating, or title.
Allow and Block Specific Programs	Allow and Block any program on the computer for this user account.

9. Click on OK when done. (See screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

**motherlydia** · 22 Jan 2009

I do not have the parent control turn on, but a litte icon keeps popping uo at the right side bottom corner asking me to do so, it is annoying. Is there a way to get it to stop?

**Brink** · 22 Jan 2009

Hello Lydia, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Is it asking to turn on the Parental Controls service, or Parental Controls itself?

Shawn

**RCharles** · 16 Oct 2009

Can I also use parental controls to limit the folder permissions e.g viewing, changing?

**Brink** · 16 Oct 2009

Hello RCharles,

You can use Parental Controls to limit the user's time that a Standard account can use the computer.

If you wanted to restrict permissions on a folder for a user account, then you can use folder permissions directly as well.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Similar Threads
Tutorial	Tutorial Starter	Category	Comments	Last Post
Parental Controls	Willy	Vista General	1	18 Aug 2009
parental controls	supernoob	General Discussion	8	15 Mar 2008
Parental Controls	Scott M.	Vista account administration	4	04 Nov 2007
Parental Controls	Byron	Vista security	3	03 Apr 2007
Parental Controls	Marc	Vista General	1	11 Dec 2006

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