I want to set up an account on my computer specifically for my son, but I want to restrict his access to certain applications and prevent him from downloading or installing anything. Additionally, I would like to limit his browsing capabilities.
I am wondering if this is achievable with Windows 10 without having to create a separate image that I would need to maintain.
Ideally, I would like to use a permissions-based approach to accomplish this.
2 Answers
Introduction
Windows 10 has a feature that allows you to create a user account with limited privileges. This feature is useful if you want to create an account for a family member, friend, or colleague who needs to use your computer but should not have full access to it. In this blog post, we will discuss how to set up a very limited user account in Windows 10.
Create a New User Account
The first step in creating a limited user account is to create a new user account. To create a new user account in Windows 10, follow these steps:
1. Click the Start button and select Settings.
2. Click Accounts.
3. Click Family & other users.
4. Click Add someone else to this PC.
5. Enter the user’s email address or phone number, or click “I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.”
6. Click “Add a user without a Microsoft account.”
7. Enter a username and password for the new user account.
8. Click Next and then click Finish.
Once you have created the new user account, you can begin to limit its privileges.
Limit Application Access
To limit the applications that a user can access, you need to modify the permissions for the applications. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on the application you want to limit and select Properties.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. Click Edit.
4. Select the user account you want to limit and click Add.
5. Click OK.
6. Click the user account you just added and select the permissions you want to give them.
7. Click OK.
Repeat these steps for each application you want to limit access to.
Limit Browsing Capabilities
To limit the browsing capabilities of a user account, you can use Windows 10’s built-in parental controls. To enable parental controls, follow these steps:
1. Click the Start button and select Settings.
2. Click Accounts.
3. Click Family & other users.
4. Click “Manage family settings online.”
5. Sign in with your Microsoft account.
6. Click “Add a family member.”
7. Follow the prompts to add the user account you want to limit.
8. Click the user account you just added.
9. Click “Web browsing.”
10. Turn on “Block inappropriate websites.”
11. Choose the level of browsing restriction you want to apply.
Note that you can also limit the user’s access to specific websites by adding them to the “Always blocked” or “Always allowed” lists.
Limit Downloading and Installing
To limit the downloading and installing capabilities of a user account, you need to modify the user’s permissions. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click the Start button and select Settings.
2. Click Accounts.
3. Click Family & other users.
4. Click the user account you want to limit.
5. Click “Change account type.”
6. Select “Standard user” and click OK.
Once you have changed the user’s account type to Standard, they will no longer be able to download or install software without your permission.
Additional Tips
Here are some additional tips for setting up a very limited user account in Windows 10:
1. Use a strong password for the user account to prevent unauthorized access.
2. If you want to prevent the user from accessing specific folders or files, you can modify the permissions for those items.
3. Consider using third-party software to further limit the user’s access to your computer.
Conclusion
Setting up a very limited user account in Windows 10 is a simple process that can help you protect your computer from unauthorized access and prevent users from making unwanted changes. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can create a user account with limited privileges and control which applications the user can access, which websites they can visit, and whether they can download or install software.
To set up an account for your child on Windows 10:
- Go to the Settings menu and click on Accounts.
- From there, select Family & Other People and click on Add a Family Member, followed by Add a Child.
- If your child already has a Microsoft account, enter their email address and proceed to the next step.
- If not, choose “The person I want to add doesn’t have an email address” and create a Microsoft account for them by providing their email address and demographic information.
- Make sure to note down the password and keep it safe.
- Uncheck the two boxes to reduce unwanted email.
- Next, sign in with your own Microsoft password to confirm your identity.
- Finally, confirm that your child can use the account to access online services.