Macs are a series of computers — desktops and laptops — manufactured by Apple, and they run with the OS X operating system. High Sierra version 10.13 was released in 2017.
Find out which version of macOS is installed on your device
- Click the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen.
- Click About This Mac.
- You'll see the macOS name, followed by its version number.
Create a New User Profile on Your Mac
- Log in to your administrator account.
- Click the System Preferences icon in your Dock.
- Click Users and Groups.
- Click the lock icon to make changes.
- Enter your password when prompted.
- Click the + button below the list of users to add a new user.
- In the New Account drop-down menu, choose Managed with Parental Control.
- Select your child’s age (either 4+, 9+, or 12+).
- Enter your child’s full name.
- Enter an Account Name.
- Enter a password for the user, and then enter it again to verify it.
- Create a password hint in case the child forgets the password.
- Click Create user.
- Click the lock again to prevent further changes.
Set Parental Restrictions on Your Mac
- Go to the Apple menu.
- Select System Preferences.
- Select Parental Controls.
- Click the lock icon to unlock it.
- Enter your administrator name and password (or use Touch ID if your Mac has a Touch Bar).
- Select a user, then begin to customize their restrictions:
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Time: Set time limits for weekdays, weekends, and bedtime.
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Privacy: Allow your child to make changes related to privacy.
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Web: Limit access to websites, or allow unrestricted access.
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Apps:
- Prevent your child from using the built-in camera.
- Restrict them from joining multiplayer games in the Game Center.
- Limit your child’s contact with other people through Mail.
- Specify which apps your child can access.
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Stores:
- Disable access to the iTunes Store and the iBooks Store.
- Limit a child’s access to music, movies, TV shows, apps, and books to only those with age-appropriate ratings.
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Other:
- Prevent your child from using Siri and Dictation.
- Adjust printer and scanner settings.
- Limit CD-burning and DVD-burning.
- Hide profanities in the dictionary and other sources.
- Prevent the Dock from being modified, and instead show your child a simplified, easy-to-use view of the Mac desktop.
Manage Parental Controls From Another Mac
After you set restrictions for a child on one Mac, you can manage parental controls from a different Mac that’s on the same network. Here’s how:
On the Mac your child uses:
- Go to the Apple menu.
- Select System Preferences.
- Select Parental Controls.
- Click the lock icon to unlock it.
- Enter your administrator name and password (or use Touch ID if your Mac has a Touch Bar).
- Select Manage parental controls from another computer.
NOTE: If you don’t see this option, there may be a user selected on the left side of Parental Controls preferences. Command-click the selected user so there isn’t a user selected.
On the Mac you want to use to manage your child’s parental controls settings (i.e. your own personal Mac):
- Go to the Apple menu.
- Select System Preferences.
- Select Parental Controls.
- Click the lock icon to unlock it.
- Enter your administrator name and password (or use Touch ID if your Mac has a Touch Bar).
- Select the Mac your child uses.
- Enter the administrator name and password for the Mac your child uses.
- Select the user to be managed (your child).
That’s it! You can now change your child’s parental controls settings and monitor their activity logs.