Parental controls, answered.

ParentalControl.uk is a free UK diagnostic tool that checks whether your home Wi-Fi is blocking the categories of content you would expect a family-safe network to block. It runs in about 27 seconds in any browser, requires no sign-up, and keeps no data. It is built and maintained by Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith and the SearchSwitchSave team.

Yes, it is free, with no catch. We do not run adverts, we do not sell your data, and we do not require an account. The site is funded as a public-good check that complements our other UK consumer broadband tools (BroadbandSwitch.uk, UKSpeedTest.co.uk, RightSpeed.co.uk).

The site is built by Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith through SearchSwitchSave® (Isle of Man company 030828B, UK trade mark UK00004211113, ICO Isle of Man R697728). Alex has built consumer broadband and online safety tools for over a decade, and the site’s guidance is aligned with published advice from Ofcom, the NSPCC and Internet Matters.

Yes. The check runs entirely in your browser using ordinary HTTPS requests to well-known test endpoints. It does not install anything, change any settings on your router or devices, or send credentials. If you are on a sensitive corporate or guest network, you may want to speak to IT before running external probes.

Yes, it works in any modern browser on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Windows laptop, Mac, or Chromebook. Run it on each device you care about, as some filters apply at the device level rather than the network level.

No. ParentalControl.uk has no app to install and no extension to add. Everything runs in the browser tab you opened. Close the tab and there is nothing left behind on your device.

Run it whenever you change broadband provider, change router, change DNS settings, or update your provider’s parental controls. Otherwise, every few months is sensible. Children grow, settings get reset by updates, and a periodic check confirms protection is still where you left it.

It runs ten short phases that check who your broadband provider is, whether your network uses a family-safe DNS resolver, whether SafeSearch and YouTube Restricted are enforced, and whether your network blocks the main categories: adult content, malware, gambling, social media, AI tools and gaming. Each phase reports a verdict alongside the technical detail.

Each phase needs a few seconds to make real requests and check the responses. Ten phases at two to three seconds each adds up to around 27 seconds. We deliberately do not pretend to be faster, because the answer needs to be reliable.

It runs from your device. That is the whole point. A test from a server in a data centre would tell you what that data centre can reach, not what your home Wi-Fi can reach. Running it from your browser means we test the network your children actually use.

No, and we are honest about that. The check tests what your browser can reach. It cannot see inside your router’s admin pages, nor can it test things that only get blocked when a request comes from a specific app. For a full picture, also log into your router or your broadband provider’s app and check the parental controls there.

The experimental browser-side probe in v9.1 reliably identifies two named family-DNS configurations: Cloudflare for Families (strict and malware-only variants) and OpenDNS FamilyShield. We probe more signals than that (Quad9 reachability, UK ISP block-page hosts) but we report them transparently as "not conclusive" rather than claim a positive identification we cannot corroborate. We are honest about that scope because a tool measuring child safety should never reassure a parent falsely.

What this means in practice: if you have Cloudflare Families or OpenDNS FamilyShield on your router, the tool will tell you with high confidence. If you have anything else (BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin Media, EE, Plusnet, Vodafone, Sure, Manx Telecom, Pi-hole, AdGuard Home, custom DNS, OS-level encrypted DNS), the tool will report "none detected" and we recommend the five manual checks at how we test DNS for ground truth.

No. End-to-end encrypted messaging apps and video calls are private by design. A network-level filter, including ours, cannot inspect the content of an encrypted conversation. Conversation with your child remains the layer no tool can replace.

Two reasons. First, some filters apply at the device level (for example, iOS Screen Time), so the same network behaves differently for different devices. Second, some devices may be using a different DNS (for example, if you have set Private DNS on Android). Run the check on the device the child actually uses for the most accurate view.

Your provider sees the same kind of traffic that any normal browsing generates, including the DNS lookups your browser makes for the test sites. Nothing about the check is hidden or unusual. We do not notify your provider, and your provider does not notify us.

90 or higher means your network is well protected on the categories we test. 75 to 89 is good, with one or two gaps to close. 50 to 74 is some protection but with important gaps remaining. 30 to 49 is limited protection. Below 30 is a red flag warning: your home network is leaving young members of your family at immediate risk.

A red flag warning is a score below 30 out of 100. It means our check found that your home Wi-Fi is open to most of the categories we test, including categories such as adult content, malware and gambling. The single best first action is to switch on the free parental controls your broadband provider already offers (Ofcom, 2024).

Start with the "What to fix first" panel below your score. It lists up to three actions in priority order, tailored to what we found on your network. The most common first step is to switch on your broadband provider’s built-in parental controls, which are free and take a few minutes (UK Safer Internet Centre, n.d.).

A few common reasons. Provider filters can be reset by a router replacement, a SIM swap to a new device, or by adding a third-party mesh that intercepts DNS. Some filters are only active when devices use the router’s default DNS, so anyone using their own DNS at the device level (iOS Private Relay, for example) bypasses the filter. Re-checking the provider’s account page is the quickest way to confirm.

The same ISP can have customers on different filter settings. BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin Media and EE all offer multiple levels (Light, Moderate, Strict or equivalent) and customers choose at sign-up. Two homes on the same provider but different levels will score very differently (Uswitch, 2024).

Each category gets one of five verdicts: Blocked, Probably blocked, Mixed results, Mostly accessible, or Accessible. Blocked means our checks were stopped by your network. Accessible means our checks got through and a child on your network could reach that kind of site. Mixed results means some checks were stopped and some got through.

DNS is the system that turns a website name into a numerical address your device can connect to. A DNS filter is a DNS service that refuses to translate the addresses of sites on a published "block list", such as adult sites or malware hosts. Setting one on your router covers every device on your home Wi-Fi automatically.

No single answer. Cloudflare 1.1.1.3 is the fastest and audited annually (Cloudflare, 2020). OpenDNS FamilyShield is the oldest, owned by Cisco Systems since 2015 (Cisco Systems, 2015). CleanBrowsing is the strictest and forces SafeSearch on Google, Bing and YouTube. AdGuard also blocks adverts. NextDNS offers category-level control with a free tier up to 300,000 queries per month.

They serve slightly different needs. Cloudflare 1.1.1.3 blocks adult content and malware, with an independent privacy audit and one of the fastest global networks (Cloudflare, 2020). OpenDNS FamilyShield blocks adult content and is owned by Cisco, with a longer track record (Cisco Systems, 2015). Either is a sound choice for the average UK home.

No. Your home Wi-Fi’s DNS only applies on home Wi-Fi. Once the device switches to mobile data, the mobile network’s own filter takes over, and that filter has its own settings. This is why we pair DNS filtering at home with device-level controls (iOS Screen Time, Android Family Link) that follow the device wherever it goes.

Yes, a determined teenager can. A free VPN routes their traffic out of your home network entirely, and modern browsers can enable encrypted DNS (DNS-over-HTTPS) that ignores the router’s setting. This is why DNS filtering is one layer, not the whole plan. Pair it with conversation, device-level controls, and a router that prevents DNS overrides where possible.

In day-to-day use, no. The family-filtered versions of major DNS providers run on the same global infrastructure as the standard public resolvers. Cloudflare and Google Public DNS both consistently outperform many ISP defaults in independent tests.

Yes, in the same way every DNS provider does, including your ISP. Cloudflare’s no-logging commitment is audited annually by KPMG (Cloudflare, 2020). Other providers have different retention policies, published on their privacy pages. Read the privacy notice of any provider you choose if this matters to you.

As well as. Where your ISP runs a network-level filter (BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin Media, EE, Plusnet, Vodafone, NOW, Hyperoptic, Community Fibre), keep it on and add DNS filtering on top. Where your ISP does not run a network filter (Zen, Sure on the Isle of Man, Sure on the Channel Islands), DNS filtering becomes your primary line.

Yes. BT Parental Controls are free for all BT broadband customers. Sign into My BT, find "Manage your extras", and toggle Parental Controls on. You can choose Light, Moderate or Strict, customise categories, set bedtime filters, and add specific allow or block lists (BT, n.d.).

Yes. Sky Broadband Shield is included free with Sky broadband. It uses simple age-rated profiles (PG, 13, 18) plus a "Watershed" feature that automatically relaxes the filter after children are likely to be in bed. Manage it in My Sky or the Sky app (Sky, n.d.).

Yes. Virgin Media Essential Security is on by default for new customers since 2018 and is free for all Virgin broadband customers (Choose, 2024). Manage it in Account Settings under Online Security. An optional paid Advanced Security tier adds device-level controls.

Yes. TalkTalk HomeSafe is free, with a "Homework Time" feature that temporarily blocks social media and gaming during study hours. Newer TalkTalk customers receive eero Secure, which offers per-profile device controls. Manage from My TalkTalk (Uswitch, 2024).

Mostly yes for new customers. Since 2013 the four big UK broadband providers (BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin Media) have agreed a voluntary code that prompts every new customer to make an active choice about filtering at sign-up (Internet Matters, n.d.). Virgin Media goes further: its Essential Security filter is on by default and customers must opt out. But filters bought years ago may still be off if no-one switched them on.

Use our /setup/ page and find your provider. We cover 15 UK and Crown Dependency ISPs. Where the provider does not run a network-level filter (notably Zen, Sure on the Isle of Man, Sure on the Channel Islands), we point you to a free DNS-based alternative that achieves the same outcome.

Yes. EE, O2, Vodafone, Three and Sky Mobile all apply 18+ filtering by default for under-18 SIMs, and offer customer-controllable Content Lock or similar. These filters apply to mobile data only. They do not follow the device onto home Wi-Fi (Choose, 2024).

Yes. Every provider has its own product, with its own account, login and settings. None of them imports settings from a previous provider. Plan to spend ten minutes setting up your new provider’s parental controls on day one, or our /setup/ page can walk you through each.

Open Settings, tap Screen Time, then Content & Privacy Restrictions. Switch the toggle on, then set Content Restrictions to limit web content (use the "Limit Adult Websites" option), app age ratings, and in-app purchases. Set a Screen Time passcode that the child does not know (Apple, n.d.).

Install Google Family Link from the Play Store on the parent’s phone and on the child’s phone. Family Link lets you approve apps, set screen time, see device location, and block sites on Chrome. For network-wide filtering on Android, set a Private DNS hostname under Network & Internet settings (NSPCC, n.d.).

All three offer free, granular parental controls. PS5 uses the PlayStation Family Manager website. Xbox uses the Xbox Family Settings app. Nintendo Switch uses the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app. Each lets you set per-child profiles with age-appropriate game ratings, online chat restrictions, and spending limits.

Settings vary by brand. Open the TV’s Settings, look for General, Broadcasting or System, then Parental Controls or Programme Rating Lock. On smart TVs that run apps (Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Android TV), also set parental PINs inside each streaming app (Netflix, Disney+, YouTube) individually, because the TV PIN does not pass through to the apps.

School laptops usually run a managed profile that you cannot change from the parent side. Speak to the school’s IT lead, ask what filtering and supervision the school applies during school hours and at home, and ask whether the device should be used on a separate guest Wi-Fi at home. Most UK schools use a content filter as a condition of the device being issued.

A network-level filter on the router (ISP filter or DNS filter) covers every device on your home Wi-Fi, including smart TVs, games consoles, smart speakers, security cameras and guest devices. This is one of the biggest advantages of network-level over device-by-device controls.

Your home filter only applies on your home Wi-Fi. Once a child connects to a friend’s network, or any public Wi-Fi without a filter, the filter falls away. Two ways to protect against this: device-level controls (iOS Screen Time, Android Family Link) that follow the device, and conversations with your child about what to do if something distressing appears.

The Online Safety Act 2023 is a UK law that places a duty of care on online platforms (social media, search engines, adult sites and others) to take action against illegal content and to protect children from content that is legal but harmful. It is enforced by Ofcom, with fines up to £18 million or 10% of global turnover (GOV.UK, 2025).

Yes. Since 25 July 2025, platforms that host pornography accessible from the UK must use "highly effective" age assurance to prevent children seeing it (Ofcom, 2025). Methods include credit-card checks, facial age estimation, photo-ID verification, mobile operator authentication, or Open Banking. Ofcom enforces, and has issued multiple fines for non-compliance.

It is too early for definitive data, and there are honest concerns. Ofcom’s own chief executive has acknowledged the regime cannot prevent VPN use, and UK VPN sign-ups surged by up to 1,800% in the days following enforcement (OneID, 2026). Network and device-level filtering remain important precisely because age checks at the destination site can be circumvented.

Ofcom is the UK communications regulator. It oversees broadband providers, mobile networks, broadcasters, and (under the Online Safety Act 2023) online platforms. Its parental guidance and annual Media Use and Attitudes Report are widely used as authoritative UK references on children’s online life (Ofcom, 2024).

The ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) is the UK data protection regulator. In the parental controls context, it sets the rules age-verification providers must follow when handling sensitive identity data, and it enforces the UK GDPR and the Age Appropriate Design Code that applies to services likely to be used by under-18s.

Yes, in two senses. Most major platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, YouTube’s main service) set a minimum age of 13 in their own terms of service. Separately, UK data protection law requires parental consent for services to process data on children under 13. Despite this, 63% of UK 8 to 10-year-olds have a social media profile, often set up by a parent (Ofcom, 2023).

The Government and Ofcom point parents to the controls offered by their broadband provider and to charitable resources from the NSPCC, Internet Matters, the UK Safer Internet Centre and Childnet. ParentalControl.uk is one of several free UK-built tools that complement those official resources by giving you a working diagnostic.

No, we do not store your IP address in a database. Your IP is briefly used during the scan so we can detect your broadband provider, and may pass through standard server logs that rotate within days. Nothing about you is associated with your scan result, and there is no account to tie anything to.

No. Your scan results stay in your browser tab. If you close the tab they are gone. We do not keep a per-user log of who ran what scan when.

Because we do not need one and we do not want one. Asking for an email address would be a friction point that stops parents using the tool, and it would create a database we would then have to protect. The right answer is to need neither.

Yes, but only the cookies needed to make the site work, plus optional Google Analytics if you accept it in the cookie banner. Analytics tracks pages and visits only, never personally identifying data. Decline and the site still works fully.

Yes. Because we do not collect personal data in the first place, our compliance position is straightforward. See our /privacy/ notice for the detail, including our ICO Isle of Man registration (R697728).

No. We do not have a data-sharing arrangement with any UK broadband provider, mobile network, or third party. Your provider sees the test requests as ordinary traffic from your home IP. We do not notify them.

At /privacy/ on this site. Our cookie notice is at /cookies/. Both are kept short.