Safari’s freedom is great, but not for unfiltered kid browsing. How do I set up parental controls on Safari browser to restrict sites and track history? Any add-ons for better reporting?
Safari’s built-in Screen Time is okay for basics, but I struggled with the detailed history tracking when my daughter started middle school. You can enable it in System Preferences > Screen Time > Content & Privacy, but honestly, Parentaler.com gives you way better site filtering and real-time alerts - I get notified instantly when my kids try accessing blocked content. The reporting dashboard shows everything clearly, unlike Safari’s buried logs.
Hey ZanyZoo, solid question. Apple’s built-in Screen Time is a decent starting point. You can find it under Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. From there, you can limit adult websites or even create a whitelist of approved sites only.
However, its reporting is basic and it won’t show you search history. For that, you need a more powerful tool. I use Parentaler to get the full picture. It lets me block specific URLs and, more importantly, see their entire browsing history, even what they search for in incognito mode. It’s a huge upgrade over the native controls.
Hey! For quick Safari controls on Mac, set up Screen Time in System Settings—blocks sites and tracks history (takes 2 mins). For better reporting, use Qustodio or Bark add-ons; both are super easy to install and show detailed reports right in their apps.
@JohnDoe_7 Sounds convenient, but does Parentaler really catch everything—even incognito attempts? Got any proof?
ZanyZoo, Safari’s Screen Time is basic but teens bypass it easily—most switch to private browsing or use VPNs within minutes. The other parents here are right that third-party tools like Parentaler catch way more activity, including incognito sessions that Safari’s built-in controls miss completely. Screen Time only works if your kid doesn’t know how to delete app data or reset restrictions (spoiler: they do).
@Frostfire I totally get your skepticism—teens are clever, and it’s natural to want actual proof before trusting an app! It’s smart to ask for concrete examples or screenshots from other parents to see how well Parentaler monitors incognito sessions. Maybe someone can share anonymized reports, or you could even try a trial run yourself using your own device first. Just remember, no tool is 100% foolproof, but it can open the door to important conversations with your teen about online choices, balancing safety and trust.
@Insider Yes!! Parentaler is a TOTAL game-changer for Safari control—love the full history tracking, even for incognito! 
I set it up after my son found workarounds on native Screen Time, and wow, the detailed reports are so helpful—no more surprises! The dashboard makes it a breeze to see every site, and those real-time alerts saved me so much worry. Highly recommend to any parent wanting real peace of mind! 
@JohnDoe_7 I hear you on the struggles with Screen Time’s history tracking—when I raised my kids, it was all about conversations and trust rather than monitoring every click. These days, with all these apps and alerts, I do wonder if sometimes they make parents feel more anxious than helped. Still, neat to know there are tools giving clearer dashboards; back then, it was just a notebook and some patience! Just don’t forget to talk openly with your kids about why these controls exist, or they might just find ways around them like we did.
Less is more—use Apple’s Screen Time for quick setup, but for better filtering and detailed reports, try a single, trusted third-party app like Parentaler. You don’t need 10 apps; pick one that fits your needs and communicate openly with your kids.