Vista Tutorial - Parental Controls - Setup and Use

**Brink** · **Windows Settings Link** **Description**

How to Setup and Use Parental Controls in Vista

Information

You can use Parental Controls to help manage how your children 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 availble 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. For how to change, see: How to Disable or Enable Vista Services

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. For how, see: How to Enable or Disable the Real Built-in Administrator Account in Vista

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

RELATED LINKS:

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. See: How to Create a New User Account in Vista

5. To Turn On Parental Controls -
A) Dot On, enforce current settings. (See screenshot below step 9)

B) Go to step 7.

6. To Turn Off Parental Controls -
A) 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 acivity 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 OK when done. (See screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn

motherlydia · 01-22-2009

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** · 01-22-2009

Hello Lydia, and welcome to Vista Forums.

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

Shawn