How to Block Adult Content on Any Device

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Easy ways to keep inappropriate material from popping up online

Co-authored by Bryzz Tortello and Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: August 6, 2024

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• Windows 10
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• macOS
|
• iPhone/iPad
|
• Android
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• Windows 7
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• Video
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• Q&A
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• Tips
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• Warnings

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This wikiHow teaches you how to prevent a restricted account on your mobile device or computer from being able to view inappropriate content online. You must be using an administrator account in order to edit a user's site restrictions.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Windows 10

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1. 1
   Open the Start menu. To do so, either click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen or press the ⊞ Win key on your computer's keyboard.
2. 2
   Click the settings

   

   gear. You'll see this icon near the bottom-left corner of the Start menu.
3. 3
   Click Family & other users. This tab is on the left side of the Settings page.
4. 4
   Click the "Manage family settings online" link. You'll see this option below a restricted user's name on this page.
5. 5
   Click Web browsing. This link is to the right of a restricted account's name and profile image.
6. 6
   Click the "Block inappropriate websites" switch. It's below the "Web browsing" heading near the top of the page. Doing so will prevent the restricted account from accessing adult websites on Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer, as well as on any connected devices (e.g., Xbox One).

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

macOS

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1. 1
   Click the Apple menu. It's the apple-shaped icon in the top-left corner of the screen.
2. 2
   Click System Preferences. This option is near the top of the drop-down menu.
3. 3
   Click Parental Controls. It's a yellow icon with a graphic of an adult and a child.
4. 4
   Click the lock icon. It's in the bottom-left corner of the window.
5. 5
   Enter your administrator password. This is the password you use to log into your Mac.
6. 6
   Click OK. Doing so will unlock the parental controls app.
7. 7
   Click a user's name. Usernames are in the left-hand pane of this window. This should be a user for whom you wish to restrict browsing.
8. 8
   Click the Web tab. It's at the top of the window.
9. 9
   Click the "Try to limit access to adult websites" circle. It's near the top of the window. This option will prevent blatant adult content from appearing in Safari.
10. 10
    Click the lock icon again. Doing so will save your changes.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

iPhone/iPad

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1. 1
   Open your iPhone's or iPad's Settings. It's a grey app with gears which you'll likely find on the Home Screen.
2. 2
   Scroll down and tap General. It has a picture of a gear to its left.
3. 3
   Scroll down and tap Restrictions. If Restrictions are already enabled on your iPhone or iPad, you'll be prompted to enter a passcode.

   • If you haven't enabled Restrictions, tap Enable Restrictions and create a passcode, then skip the next step.
4. 4
   Enter your Restrictions passcode. This passcode may be different than the passcode with which you lock your iPhone or iPad.
5. 5
   Scroll down and tap Websites. It's in the "ALLOWED CONTENT" group of options just below the groups of switches on this page.
6. 6
   Tap Limit Adult Content. This option is near the top of the page. When you tap it, you should see a blue checkmark appear to the right of it.
7. 7
   Tap the "Back" button. It's in the top-left corner of the screen. Doing so will save your settings and prevent the phone's owner from viewing adult sites on the Safari browser.

   • Consider also sliding the Installing Apps switch left to the "Off" position. This option will prevent other users from downloading different browsers in which to view adult sites.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Android

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1. 1
   Open your Android's Play Store. It's a white app with a multicolored triangle on it.
2. 2
   Tap ☰. It's in the top-left corner of the screen.
3. 3
   Tap Settings. This option is near the bottom of the pop-out menu.
4. 4
   Tap Parental controls. It's near the top of the Settings page.
5. 5
   Slide Parental controls right to the "On" position. This option is at the top of the page. It will turn green, signifying that you've enabled parental controls for the Google Play Store.
6. 6
   Enter a four-digit PIN and tap OK. This will create a PIN for the parental control settings so that they cannot be modified without verification.
7. 7
   Tap a parental control option. There are five categories here:

   • Apps & games
   • Films
   • TV
   • Magazines
   • Music
8. 8
   Tap a rating below 18A on the rating slider. This vertical slider has options from G (most restrictive) up to Allow all. You'll want to tap G, PG, or 14A.
9. 9
   Tap Save. This will save your content settings.
10. 10
    Tap the "Back" arrow. It's in the top-left corner of the screen.
11. 11
    Repeat this process for each content category. Doing this will prevent your device from being able to access and download inappropriate content.
12. 12
    Open Google Chrome. It's a red, yellow, green, and blue circular app.
13. 13
    Tap ⋮. You'll see this icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
14. 14
    Tap Settings. This option is near the bottom of the menu.
15. 15
    Tap Privacy. It's just beneath the "Advanced" tab.
16. 16
    Tap Safe browsing. This will enable safe browsing on Google Chrome, which means that your Android will no longer display adult sites or other "unsafe" pages.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Windows 7

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1. 1
   Open the Start menu. To do so, either click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen or press the ⊞ Win key on your computer's keyboard.
2. 2
   Type windows live family safety into Start. As you type, you should see suggestions appear in the window above the "Search" bar.
3. 3
   Click the Windows Live Family Safety icon. It resembles a group of person silhouettes. Doing this will open the Windows Live Family Safety program.

   • If you haven't yet downloaded Windows Live Family Safety, first do so.
4. 4
   Enter your Microsoft email address and password. These should be the credentials you use to link your Windows 7 computer to your Windows Live account.
5. 5
   Click Sign in. It's below the "Password" field.
6. 6
   Click the checkbox to the right of an account. This should be an account on which you wish to block adult sites.
7. 7
   Click Save. It's in the bottom-right corner of the page. Your Windows Live Family Safety program will begin monitoring your selected account.
8. 8
   Click the "familysafety.live.com" link. It's in the middle of the page. Doing so will open your selected user's settings page online.
9. 9
   Click View activity report. This option is to the right of the user's name.
10. 10
    Click Web filtering. It's in the top-left side of the page.
11. 11
    Click the "Turn on web filtering" circle. This will enable web filtering. After clicking this circle, you'll see three web filtering options here:

    • Strict - Blocks all sites except kid-oriented ones.
    • Basic - Blocks only adult sites.
    • Custom' - Allows you to click up to four categories you wish to allow: "Child-friendly websites", "Social networking websites", "Adult content", and "Web mail".
12. 12
    Click a web filtering option. This will set it as the selected user's default browsing setting.

    • If you choose Custom, make sure the "Adult content" box is not checked.
13. 13
    Click Save. It's near the top of the page. Doing so will save your settings and apply them to the selected user's account.

Community Q&A

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• Question

  Once an adult has restricted viewing adult sites, why does Bing then allow them to "learn more" to change the restrictions? What good does that do?

  

  Community Answer

  This is likely because Bing is avid in the porn industry and they try to promote porn in any way possible.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 13 Helpful 34
• Question

  Why can't I just lock the Safesearch so that kids can't disable it?

  

  Community Answer

  This is so you can change your mind later on. And Safesearch is ALWAYS in some way faulty, so there in no guarantee pornography will not show up.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 4 Helpful 10
• Question

  How can I block all of the pornographic content from my cell phone?

  

  Julia

  Community Answer

  Use safe-search on browsers you use (some have that), block people on social media who post inappropriate things, block YouTube videos that can be inappropriate, and never watch/search/look at/buy anything on your phone that can be related to porn. That should work.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 5 Helpful 10

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Video

Tips

• You can also download an app to help you block adult sites on Android.
  Thanks

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• You can search for an adult blocker in the Chrome or Firefox store to block adult content specifically on those browsers. "Adult Blocker" is a good choice for both browsers.
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Warnings

• Some adult content is bound to show up while you're online. The best way to minimize the impact this has on any restricted account users (e.g., kids) is to monitor the sites they're using.
  Thanks

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