The Best Parental Control Software for Windows 10

The Best Parental Control Software for Windows 10.

Today, kids as young as three can use mobile devices to play games, watch their favorite kids’ YouTube channels, learn math, music, or a new language.

One of the biggest fears of parents is the inability to know and control what their children are doing online when they are not watching.

Luckily, you can open a Microsoft family account and link your child’s account to it. However, if you want more granular control, there are better tools with powerful features that let you track, restrict, and manage the apps your kids can access.

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Best Windows 10 Parental Control Software

If you’ve just bought your child a laptop or have complete freedom of action on the family computer and want to start monitoring him, these parental control apps for Windows 10 can help you keep your child safe online.

1. Windows Family Safety

Windows 10 comes with a built-in parental control tool that lets you block websites for free. However, in order to use this feature, you need to register for a Family Safety account, after which you can add an account for each child.

While it may sound daunting, it includes reports of online activity and blocks any sites, apps, or games that you don’t want them to access. There are more games for kids, learning apps that teach them how to read, write and even type.

Windows Family Safety also allows you to limit the time your child spends in front of the screen, monitor their shopping activity, and track their location.

2. Clean nanny

Net Nanny is a comprehensive parental control tool that allows you to monitor your family’s digital habits while protecting your kids from inappropriate and / or harmful content.

The software provides detailed reports and logs of your kids’ online activity, as well as real-time alerts for inappropriate or harmful content. You can also block sites or apps that you do not want them to access and set time limits for use.

Net Nanny also has a comprehensive parental control panel, location tracker and remote timeout setting. However, it is more expensive than other parental control software, requires a complex setup process, and does not provide social media monitoring.

If you have young children at home and are more concerned about random encounters with questionable content or screen time, Net Nanny is for you.

3. Custodio

Qustodio is a comprehensive, feature-rich set of tools designed to help parents keep their kids safe online.

The software has an intuitive and easy-to-use interface and you can control everything from the control panel. In addition, you can set rules and schedules, as well as manage individual time limits for games, Internet use and applications.

A real-time filter that detects pornography is enabled, that blocks inappropriate content. In addition, there is a panic button that your child can easily access via their Qustodio mobile phone. When they ask for help, you will be notified of exactly where they are.

The free version has a limited feature set, but you can try out additional features like social media monitoring (albeit limited by Facebook) with full visibility of your child’s messages, messages and photos. Other premium features include location tracking, call or SMS tracking, and blocking contacts you deem inappropriate.

If you like what you see, you can pay to access these additional features and use them across multiple devices.

4. OpenDNS FamilyShield

OpenDNS FamilyShield is a free service you can use to manage the content your children can access in your home. The service prevents access to inappropriate content by blocking domains at the router level.

In addition to being easy to set up, FamilyShield’s security settings affect every device in your home. Regardless of the device, the tool will block any domains tagged according to specific attributes like pornography, sexuality, or gaudy content.

Another benefit of using OpenDNS is that you can apply it to your router and filter any traffic that goes through it by changing the DNS servers in your control panel. It also helps improve the speed of DNS lookups for some Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

If you want an even more powerful network-level parental control and monitoring service, try OpenDNS Home VIP. This service not only filters web content for all devices connected to the Internet but also offers dynamic processing of IP addresses, reports on the sites your child visits, and which sites have been blocked so that you can block or allow entire domains.

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5. KidLogger

If you prefer stealth over proactivity, KidLogger is a great free parental control software for Windows 10 that monitors your child’s activity rather than blocking websites.

KidLogger automatically tracks your child’s web history, what they type, the sites they visit, any screenshots they take, and the programs they use. You also get a detailed activity log, including phone call logs and contact names.

The software is very aggressive about what it is tracking. Plus, it lacks its own password protection, which may not work in your favor, especially if your kid is tech-savvy.

The software is Discord and Instagram compatible, which you can take a close look at, especially if you have teens.

6. Lai

If your child spends most of their time on social media and you are worried about what they post or share with others, Bark should be at the top of your list of parental control programs in Windows 10.

The app may seem simple at first glance, but it provides powerful protections and detailed reports so you can know what’s going on with your child. In addition, Barca’s in-house child psychologists offer guidance and advice on how to deal with any anxious situations that arise.

Bark uses its impressive algorithm to track any warning signs in emails, social media posts, photos, or text messages and alerts you to those it marks as potentially dangerous. This way, you can interact with your child and solve every problem with him without sounding aggressive.

The all-in-one app lets you set screen time limits, filter web activity, and track your child’s email. In addition, Bark monitors 24 different social networks and apps including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, text messages on your child’s mobile device, and email accounts including Gmail, iCloud, and Outlook.

7. Kaspersky Safe Kids

Kaspersky is a name known to everyone in the security software niche. Safe Kids parental control software is feature-rich, affordable, and works on all devices, including Windows 10 PCs.

The program has an easy-to-use filter that blacklists inappropriate content on the Internet. You can also use Safe Kids to monitor your child’s social media (Facebook and VKontakte) and app controls to manage app usage and screen time.

If you pay for the premium plan, you can access additional features including GPS tracking, robust web filtering, geofencing, an extensive real-time alert system, and a battery tracker that alerts you when your child’s phone needs charging.

The free version of Kaspersky Safe Kids is really basic, but its premium plan is more affordable than the competition, and you can protect up to 500 devices with the premium version.

What to Look for When Choosing the Best Windows 10 Parental Control Software

There is a wide variety of parental control software available. Here are some of the main features to look for in a parental control app to help you choose the best one for your needs.

Remote reporting and activity recording: With this feature, you can track your child’s activity even when you are not at home and stay on top of their online habits.
Content filtering and blocking: Parental control software should at least be able to filter web content and prevent your child from accessing inappropriate content. In addition, the software must be able to block such sites, prevent your child from viewing certain pages, and notify you when they try to access them.

Screen and application time management. Time management is not available in all parental control tools, but it is useful to have as it allows you to set how long your child can be active online. You can also restrict their access and use of the computer and give permissions through the software when they need more time.
Social media and text messaging monitoring: Many children spend a lot of time texting, chatting, and sharing thoughts or ideas on social media. For this reason, the parental control software you choose should offer messaging and social media monitoring so you know who your child is talking to or what messages they like and interact with without being too aggressive.

Keep Your Kids Safe Online

With so many parental control tools to choose from, each offering something slightly different, finding the right one can be tricky. We’ve narrowed down our list to these seven to help you search and find what you need.

Do you have a favorite Windows 10 parental control software? Let us know in the comments.

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