How to set up a Windows child account for maximum protection

Create a Standard (non-admin) Windows account for your child to prevent them from uninstalling WhitelistVideo or changing system settings. This provides the highest level of protection.

What do I need for maximum protection?

• Your child's Windows computer (Windows 10 or 11)
• A Microsoft account for yourself (parent)
• A Microsoft account for your child (or create one)
• The MSI lockdown already installed
• About 15 minutes

Why use a Windows child account?

How to check your child's current account type

Before making changes, check what type of account your child is using:

1. Sign into Windows with your (parent) account

2. Go to Settings (Windows key + I)

3. Click Accounts -> Family (Windows 11) or Family & other users (Windows 10)

4. Find your child's account

5. Look at the Account type:

   • If it says Administrator: Your child can bypass protections
   • If it says Standard User: Good - they have limited access

How to create a Microsoft child account

If your child doesn't have a Microsoft account yet:

Step 1: Create the account

1. Go to family.microsoft.com (opens in a new tab)

2. Sign in with your Microsoft account

3. Click Add a family member

4. Select Member then click Next

5. Click Create one for a child

6. Enter your child's information:

   • First and last name
   • Email address (creates a new @outlook.com address)
   • Password (help them choose a secure one they can remember)
   • Country and birthdate

7. Complete the verification process

Step 2: Add to Windows

1. On your child's Windows computer, go to Settings -> Accounts -> Family

2. Under Your family, find your child's name

3. Click Let them sign in

4. Follow the prompts to add their Microsoft account to this PC

Step 3: First sign-in

1. Sign out of your account or restart the computer

2. At the Windows sign-in screen, select your child's account

3. Enter their Microsoft account password

4. Windows will set up their profile (takes a few minutes)

How to change an existing account to Standard User

If your child already uses Windows but has administrator access:

On Windows 11:

1. Sign in with your (parent) administrator account

2. Go to Settings -> Accounts -> Family

3. Click on your child's account

4. Under Account type, click Change account type

5. Select Standard User

6. Click OK

On Windows 10:

1. Sign in with your (parent) administrator account

2. Go to Settings -> Accounts -> Family & other users

3. Click on your child's account

4. Click Change account type

5. Select Standard User from the dropdown

6. Click OK

How to verify the child account is set up correctly

After setting up the child account:

Check 1: Account type is Standard

1. Sign into your (parent) account

2. Go to Settings -> Accounts -> Family

3. Your child's account should show Standard User

Check 2: Child cannot access Settings

1. Sign into your child's account

2. Try to open Settings -> Accounts

3. Most options should be grayed out or require admin password

Check 3: Child cannot install software

1. Sign into your child's account

2. Try to install any application

3. Windows should ask for an administrator password

Check 4: WhitelistVideo cannot be removed

1. Sign into your child's account

2. Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions

3. WhitelistVideo should show "Installed by enterprise policy"

4. Try clicking the Remove button - it should be disabled

5. Try going to Control Panel -> Uninstall a program -> WhitelistVideo

6. Clicking Uninstall should ask for admin password (which your child doesn't have)

How to configure Windows Family Safety

With a Microsoft child account, you get additional parental controls:

1. Go to family.microsoft.com (opens in a new tab)

2. Click on your child's name

3. Configure settings:

   • Screen time: Set daily limits and bedtimes
   • Content filters: Block inappropriate websites
   • App and game limits: Restrict specific apps
   • Spending: Control purchases

What to do if your child needs admin access temporarily

Sometimes your child needs to install software for school or other legitimate purposes:

Option 1: Install it for them

1. Sign into your administrator account

2. Install the software yourself

3. Sign out and let your child use it

Option 2: Provide temporary access

1. Stay with your child at the computer

2. Enter your admin password when prompted

3. Watch what they install

4. Never give them the password to enter themselves

Next steps

Child account troubleshooting

My child's account is still Administrator

1. Sign into your (parent) administrator account

2. Go to Settings -> Accounts -> Family

3. Click on your child's account

4. Change account type to Standard User

5. Restart the computer

My child can still install software

1. Verify their account type is Standard User (not Administrator)

2. Make sure you have at least one other Administrator account on the PC

3. Restart the computer

4. Test by trying to install software from their account

Windows asks my child for admin password

This is correct behavior! When your child tries to do something requiring admin access, Windows asks for a password. Since they don't know it, they can't proceed.

I forgot my administrator password

1. You'll need to reset it using another administrator account

2. Or use Microsoft account password reset at account.live.com (opens in a new tab)

3. As a last resort, Windows recovery options can help (search for "reset Windows password")

My child created their own admin account

1. Sign into your administrator account

2. Go to Settings -> Accounts -> Family & other users

3. Find the unauthorized account

4. Either delete it or change it to Standard User

5. Consider setting up a BIOS password to prevent boot from USB

More troubleshooting