Using the Control Panel Creating a new user account and setting up safety controls

Protecting your PC with user accounts

Creating individual user accounts is a good way to help protect both your PC and the people who use it. Follow the steps to set up a user account with limited access to sensitive system files.

Adding and removing user accounts

From the main Control Panel screen, click on the blue link labelled ‘Add or remove user accounts’ under the User Accounts and Family Safety heading. Click Continue in the User Account Control window that appears. 

Creating an account

On the next screen, click the blue ‘Create new account’ link. Now, type a name for your user and make sure there’s a check next to the Standard user option > click Create Account.

User accounts and family safety

You can set up parental controls for younger users’ accounts so that you can restrict or monitor internet use and even block access to certain websites or programs.

Parental controls

From the main Control Panel screen, click on the blue link labelled Set up parental controls for any user under the heading User Accounts and Family Safety. 

Click Continue in the User Account Control window that appears. 

Applying controls

On the next screen, click on the user you want to apply the parental controls to and a new screen will open with a number of options. 

Make sure there’s a check next to On for both the Parental Control and Activity Reporting options. 

Then, underneath the Windows Settings, click on each link to set up the web filter, impose time limits, restrict game use and block specific programs as required. Click OK to finish.