Windows 7 Parental Controls
Quickly set up your PC so it helps keep your kids safe
Parental Control Feature Summary
- Time Limit Controls: Yes
- Internet Blocking: Yes
- Web Filtering: Yes
- Chat Monitoring: Yes
- Activity Reports: Yes
- Email Alerts: No
- Remote Access: No
- Download Blocking: No
- Predator Alerts: No
- Keystroke Logging: No
- 100% Guarantee: No
- Trial Download: No
- Price: Included
Windows 7 Parental Control Software Review
Windows 7 parental control software is free parental software that comes with any Windows 7 or Vista Operating System. It works the same as any other parental control software in the market. It has three main functions which are to help parents impose computer time limits, ensure quality gaming activities and block certain applications their children’s use.
No more hassle free installation processes. For advanced features, it could be coupled with Windows Live Family Safety. Add on features then are blocking unwanted websites both manually or by categories as well as parents can receive detailed reports. Reports include their children’s browsing history; total time spent playing games and usage of applications.
Setting it up is easy. Starting point is to click start on the Windows tool bars and type “Parental Control” and press enter. It is a must that you are using the administrative user account and is strongly password protected. Windows 7 will only restrict standard user and guest accounts. If you have more than 2 users to control you can simply create another user account.
Controlling process will only enable once you click the “ON” option to enforce current settings. You may then schedule your child’s time limit. All the days of the week can be scheduled by simply clicking the hours to be blocked. It is color coordinated with white as allowed time and blue as blocked time.
One drawback here; however, it can only be altered by hours not by minutes and hours. Once the time limit is almost done, a Windows Parental Control pop-up message will remind the user that he/she has 15 minutes left before the computer will be logged out. This will give your children ample time to save their work.
Windows 7 can block Windows and internet games based on the Entertainment Software and Rating Board. It can block games per age bracket from early childhood up to adults only. It also allows parents to block games according to games content. For instance, if you have a teenager, he may play allowed games according to his age but Windows 7 will still block allowed games with contents of blood, cartoon violence, crude humor and many more.
Windows 7 can let parents permit programs and applications that they only allow. The parental software will scan all installed programs to the computer and parents can only choose from the list. Your savvy children however may just install a new program after you have selected your pre-set list and then remove it from time to time without you knowing it.
For more advanced features, the download Windows Live Family Safety can block unwanted sites and provide detailed reports. Parents can specify more websites to allow and to block. Reports of your children’s visited websites, games played and applications used will be notified.
For basic and yet accurate protection and monitoring, Windows 7 suits every parent’s needs. However, for more complex features like predator watch, key stroke logging and remote access, this just might be more of ordinary parental control software.