If you’ve using the Microsoft “Family Safety” app to put restrictions on kids while they use their Android phones, you may also want to include their computer in the restrictions. If so, you’re in the right place. We’re using a Lenovo Windows 11 computer purchased in 2024. While the computer type is not important, the Windows version and year are important because software changes over time.
- You already have “Family Safety” from Microsoft working. If not, learn more here “https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/microsoft-365/family-safety”.
- You also have a computer ready for your kid to use. By ready, I mean in new condition – not configured yet.
Given the above, we have the Family Safety side of things working, and now we can include the new computer into that scheme. The goal is to be able to specify times and durations for kids to use the computer, just as with their phone. Those restrictions are controlled using the “Family Safety” app on Android and iPhone devices.
Our approach is to configure the new computer as yourself (the parent). Once it’s working with the right Office software and antivirus, etc, you can hand over to a kid to use. The kid uses their own login credentials (the username/email address specified in the “Family Safety” app, of course.
These are the important steps. Other steps are omitted if they don’t have consequences to our objective.
First stage – configuring a new computer:
- During the initial computer setup, you’re asked to select the use of the laptop. The choices are “Set up for personal use” and “Set up for work or school”. Select “personal use”.
- Still in the initial computer setup, you’re forced to log in. Use your “parental” (or Administrative) account. This is the account use (the parent) sign into the “Family Safety” app with.
- Still in the initial computer setup, you’re asked to select an option from the “Let’s customise your experience” list. Select “Family”.
- The last significant step in the initial setup process is to install the latest Windows updates. Allow this to happen. Make sure the computer is plugged into power for this process to complete.
Second stage – joining to Family and Kids:
- The first stage (the steps above) should end with Windows updates being installed, and the computer reboots.
- Sign into the computer as your parental (administrative) account.
- Go to “Settings => Accounts =-> Family”. Wait at this point until the other family members automatically appear. If that doesn’t happen, select to “Add someone” manually.
- In the “Family” section of “Settings”, you will get a list of other family members (if there are others) that you can allow to sign into this computer. It can take up to a minute for family members to appear.
- If you have a “Microsoft Office” subscription associated with your Microsoft parental (your) account, you should be able to start Microsoft Word (for example) and start working.
The computer should now be usable for your kid.
Bonus tips:
These steps are optional and improve the security of the kids computer:
- Encrypt the hard disk. Using the parental (your) account, go to “Control Panel => System Security => BitLocker”. Enable BitLocker on the C: Drive (at least). Note that it might already be enabled by default.
- Remove any existing antivirus (or Endpoint Detection and Response software) and either use the built-in Windows Defender or something more advanced like BitDefender.
- Uninstall applications that are not required. Do this in “Settings => Apps => Installed Apps”.
- Install any applications that are required. Eg, Chrome browser.
