The Mac is a great tool for kids, allowing them to explore and work on class projects. However, it also gives them access to the vast world of the internet, with all its dangers. So it is highly recommended. Set up parental controls on the Mac your child will usea much-needed layer of protection.

Let us tell you Everything you need to do step by step to set up parental controls on MacFrom creating an Apple account for your child to setting up different protections on a Mac, just like you can enable parental controls on an iPhone or set restrictions on an iPad, you can do the same on a Mac.

• First step: how to create an Apple account for my child
• Step two: Set up Family Sharing
• Step three: Set up parental controls on Mac
  • Restrict adult websites on child’s Mac
  • Restrict app usage on a child’s Mac
  • Restrict explicit or rated content on a child’s Mac
  • Avoid receiving and sending nude images
• Extra tips for a child to use their Mac safely
  • Find your child’s Mac
  • Set Screen Time as Passcode
  • Block downloads from outside the App Store

First step: how to create an Apple account for my child

Firstly, Your child needs to have their own Apple accountthis will be very helpful in setting up parental controls on that account. This will be the account that the child should use on the Mac. You can create an Apple account for your child from an iPhone, iPad, or the Mac itself. Here are the steps to do this from a Mac:

1. On your Mac, go to System Settings and tap on your name at the top.
2. Click the Family Sharing section, then click Add Member.
3. Now tap on Create account for kids.
4. Follow the instructions. You can use a child’s email account for the Apple ID and remember to enter the correct date of birth and account password, as you cannot change it later.

Instead of sharing an account with your child that could give them unwanted access to your personal data, create an Apple ID for them. That way, you can easily set up age-based parental controls and they can use Family Sharing, Messages, the App Store, and other Apple services.

Can an Apple account be set up for a child?

Apple sets a minimum age for getting an Apple account, which varies depending on the country:

• Under 14: Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Spain, Italy and Lithuania.
• Less than 15 years: France, Greece and Czech Republic.
• Under 16: Germany, Brazil, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Ireland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Singapore.
• In other countries it is less than 13 years.

Step two: Set up Family Sharing

Since System settings > Family sharing You can configure different important sections by choosing whether you want to share subscriptions, music, movies, apps, books, iCloud or always find your child’s location from the Search app. Your child should already be automatically added to your family, so you can edit all these settings by tapping on their profile.

Step three: Set up parental controls on Mac

Parental controls on Apple devices are managed from Screen Time. It is a function found in the System Settings that allows us to set limits on almost everything we can do with the Mac. We can block or limit certain applications, websites and functions of the device and only we can change them with the password.

Parental controls are set from Screen Time

Limit adult websites on kid’s Mac

This is probably One of the basic measures of parental controlsis something that all parents want and need to check. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Go to System Settings and Screen Time.
2. Now click on App & website activity.
3. Click Enable “App & website activity.”
4. Tap on Content & Privacy and toggle the switch.
5. Now click on Content from stores, websites, Siri, and Game Center.
6. Under Access to web content, tap No restrictions and select Limit adult websites.
7. If you select Only allowed websites, tapping Customize lets you choose the only webpages that can open in Safari.

Restrict app usage on a child’s Mac

Another one of the parental controls that Mac allows is limit the amount of time you use an app. For example, you can say that you can only spend one hour a day surfing the web. Here’s how to enable it:

1. Go to System Settings and Screen Time.
2. Enable Usage limits on apps.
3. Tap Add limits and select apps or app types.
4. Select the maximum amount of time you want to spend per day.
5. Now tap OK.

Restrict explicit or rated content on a child’s Mac

If you do not want Your child will see explicit content and will only be shown what is recommended for their age.Regardless of the app in which it appears, you must enable:

1. Go to System Settings and Screen Time.
2. Now click on Content & privacy.
3. Click Restrict Restrictions.
4. Select different age restrictions in each drop-down menu.

Avoid receiving and sending nude images

Apple states that with communication security settings you can: Detect nude photos and videos on your child’s device before they are sent or viewed. You may also be provided with resources appropriate to your age to help you make the safest decision. Of course, Apple does not have access to these photos or videos in any case. This is how they are enabled:

1. Go to System Settings and Screen Time.
2. Click Communications Security.
3. Enable the Communications Security switch.

Extra tips for a child to use their Mac safely

In addition to these features, there are also a number of interesting settings that can be very useful.

Find your child’s Mac

It’s really easy to find your child’s Mac if: Activate the search functionbut this is usually enabled automatically when we first configure the device. To verify, go to System Settings, tap on the account at the top, then iCloud, See All, and Search.

Once Find My Mac is enabled, you can: Locate your Mac from the Find My app in the Devices section on your iPhone or iPadFrom here you can play a sound, enable lost mode or wipe remotely.

Find My app lets you find an iPhone, iPad or Mac

Set Screen Time as Passcode

It is important that the Screen Time section is encrypted so that it cannot be easily changed. System Settings and Screen Time sectionOpen the Lock Screen Duration settings button, create a password and try not to forget it.

Block downloads from outside the App Store

If you don’t want your child to download anything strange from the internet onto their Mac, you can limit app installations to the App Store. Go in System settings > Privacy and security > Allow apps and select App Store.

How is this? Set up parental controls on Mac. Screen Time comes with a lot of great options so you can set restrictions on just about anything. A section with a lot of potential.

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