How to Set Parental Controls on Mac OS X
Whether they're surfing the web, chatting with friends, or writing a term paper, keep your kids safe while they use a Mac computer by setting parental controls.
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You Will Need
- Mac computer
Steps
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Step 1
Create a user account for your child
Create a separate user account for your child by launching System Preferences. Go to the Accounts pane and click the plus sign in the lower left corner. Enter a user name and password and click Create Account.
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Step 2
Enable Parental Controls
Click the box labeled Enable Parental Controls. Click Open Parental Controls to begin modifying the settings for your child's account.
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Step 3
Limit applications
Select your child's user account from the left side of the window. Click the box labeled Only Allow Selected Applications and click to remove the check mark beside any application you don't want your child to use.
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Step 4
Limit access to websites
Click Content at the top of the Parental Controls pane. Under Website Restrictions, click the box labeled Try to Limit Access to Adult Websites or choose to manually enter a list of websites that your child has permission to access.
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Step 5
Limit email and chat
Click the Mail and iChat tab in the Parental Controls pane to enter the names and email addresses of the people your child is allowed to chat with or email.
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Step 6
Set time limits
Click the Time Limits tab to restrict the amount of time your child is allowed to use the computer on weekdays or weekends. Select a bedtime to have the computer automatically log your child out at a certain time each night.
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Step 7
Track usage with Activity Logs
Track your child's computer usage by clicking the Logs tab. See what applications have been used, who your child has been chatting with, or other use information from the past day, week, month, or year. Keep an eye on your child's computer usage and feel content knowing that they are safe.