Microsoft Family Safety cannot block the technical act of “creating an account” on a website, but it can:
- Force the child to use only Microsoft Edge (signed in with their child account), and
- Block all Gmail/Google account pages (and any other mail providers) so the child cannot reach the sign‑up pages from that Windows PC.
Below is a concrete setup to get as close as possible to “no new Gmail account from this PC.”
1. Make sure the child is in a Family Safety group
- Go to account.microsoft.com/family and sign in as the family organizer.
- Confirm the child account is in the family group. If not, add them as a family member.
(If needed, see “Set up Microsoft Family Safety” in the references.)
2. Block all other browsers (Chrome, etc.) on Windows
Goal: Child can only browse with Edge, where Family Safety filters apply.
- In the same family page, select the child’s tile.
- Under the child’s name, select the Windows tab.
- Go to Apps and games.
- In the list of installed apps:
- Find Google Chrome and any other browsers (Firefox, Opera, etc.).
- For each browser, select the menu on the right and choose Block app.
This prevents the child from using Chrome or other browsers to reach Gmail sign‑up pages.
(If the child uses Xbox or Mobile, repeat similar steps under those tabs if needed.)
3. Turn on web and search filters for Edge
Goal: Ensure all browsing goes through Family Safety filters.
Using the web portal:
- Go to family.microsoft.com or the Family Safety section from your Microsoft account.
- Select the child, then choose Edge as the platform.
- Turn on Filter inappropriate websites and searches.
- Optionally, turn on Only use allowed websites if a strict allow‑list is desired.
Using the Family Safety app (optional but convenient):
- Open the Microsoft Family Safety app.
- Select the child → Content filters → Web and search.
- Turn on Filter inappropriate websites.
- Optionally, turn on Only let them use allowed websites for maximum control.
Important: For these filters to work, the child must:
- Use Microsoft Edge on the Windows PC.
- Be signed into Edge with their Microsoft child account.
Family Safety will block other common browsers automatically when web filters are enabled, but manually blocking them (step 2) adds extra assurance.
4. Block Gmail and Google account pages
Goal: Child cannot open Gmail or Google account creation pages in Edge.
In the web portal (Edge platform):
- Under the child’s Edge settings, locate Blocked sites (or Always blocked / Never allowed depending on the view).
- Add these URLs (and any others you want blocked):
-
mail.google.com (Gmail)
-
accounts.google.com (Google account sign‑in/sign‑up)
-
myaccount.google.com (Google account management)
- Save the changes.
In the Family Safety app:
- Go to Content filters → Web and search for the child.
- Under Never allowed (or similar), add the same URLs.
If Only use allowed websites is turned on, then instead of blocking, you:
- Add only the websites that are allowed (school sites, kid‑friendly sites, etc.).
- Do not add any Google account or Gmail URLs.
This prevents the child from reaching Gmail sign‑up pages in Edge on that PC.
5. Block other mail providers (optional but recommended)
If the concern is “no new email accounts at all,” repeat step 4 for other providers, for example:
-
signup.live.com, outlook.live.com (if you want to restrict new Microsoft accounts)
-
login.yahoo.com, mail.yahoo.com
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account.proton.me, etc.
Add them to Blocked sites / Never allowed.
6. Understand the limitations
Even with all of the above:
- Family Safety cannot stop account creation on devices or networks that are not managed (e.g., another PC, phone, or public device).
- It cannot technically block the “act of creating an account” itself; it blocks access to the websites and apps where that creation happens.
On the managed Windows PC, however, combining:
- App blocking (Chrome and other browsers), and
- Edge web filtering with Gmail/Google account URLs blocked
will effectively prevent an underaged child from creating a new Gmail account from that device while using their Family Safety account.
References: