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How to set up parental controls on Linksys (consumer - Velop, Atlas, Hydra Pro)

Linksys app Parental Controls

UK 2026 guide · Last reviewed · By Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith

Quick answer

Linksys consumer routers run the Linksys app with basic parental controls: per-device internet pause, time scheduling, and per-URL blocking. No preset content categories on most Linksys firmware.

Cost Free with the router
Where to manage Linksys app
Time to set up About 10 minutes
Wi-Fi standard Wi-Fi 6 / 6E / 7 (model dependent)
Used by Consumer purchase (Amazon, John Lewis, Currys), Truespeed (Linksys Hub 7), Some Community Fibre installs
UK install base About 150,000 UK households (consumer)
Step by step

Step-by-step setup

  1. 01

    Download the Linksys app and sign in.

  2. 02

    Tap Parental Controls.

  3. 03

    Choose a device or a group of devices.

  4. 04

    Tap Restrict Internet Access → set a schedule or block immediately.

  5. 05

    Tap Block Specific Sites and add domains: youtube.com, tiktok.com, etc.

  6. 06

    Save.

  7. 07

    For category filtering, add Cloudflare for Families DNS (1.1.1.3 / 1.0.0.3) at the router DNS settings.

Manufacturer source: https://www.linksys.com/support-article?articleNum=139035

Honest limits

What Linksys (consumer - Velop, Atlas, Hydra Pro) parental controls can and cannot do

Features that work

  • Per-device internet pause.
  • Time scheduling per device.
  • Per-URL block list.
  • Mesh-wide coverage with Velop.
  • Free with every Linksys consumer router.

Features that do not work

  • No preset content categories on most consumer Linksys firmware.
  • No SafeSearch enforcement.
  • No per-child profiles.
  • Mobile data, encrypted apps, VPN bypass.

How to block YouTube on Linksys (consumer - Velop, Atlas, Hydra Pro)

Linksys app → Parental Controls → tap device → Block Specific Sites. Add youtube.com, m.youtube.com, youtu.be.

How to pause Wi-Fi on Linksys (consumer - Velop, Atlas, Hydra Pro)

Linksys app → Parental Controls → tap device → Restrict Internet Access → Pause or Schedule.

How to block social media on Linksys (consumer - Velop, Atlas, Hydra Pro)

Linksys app → Parental Controls → tap device → Block Specific Sites. Add tiktok.com, instagram.com etc.

Troubleshooting

Linksys (consumer - Velop, Atlas, Hydra Pro) parental controls not working: common fixes

Wanting category filtering

Not native to consumer Linksys firmware. Add Cloudflare for Families DNS at the router, or use device-level Apple Screen Time / Google Family Link.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Are Linksys parental controls free?

Yes, free with every Linksys consumer router. No subscription.

Can Linksys block by category?

Most consumer Linksys firmware does not include preset categories. Use Block Specific Sites or layer on Cloudflare for Families DNS at the router.

More help

If Linksys (consumer - Velop, Atlas, Hydra Pro) controls are not enough

Router-level controls have known gaps: mobile data, encrypted apps, VPNs. These guides from our sister site BroadbandSwitch.uk pick up where the router stops.

Router Parental Controls A non-technical parents' guide to router-level controls. Free DNS Filtering Cloudflare, OpenDNS and AdGuard family DNS recipes. Apple Screen Time For when a child uses mobile data and leaves home Wi-Fi. Google Family Link Android equivalent for off-network filtering.
Related routers

If you have a different router

Community Fibre Linksys (M60 / M62 / Velop SPNMX55CF) Linksys app - Parental Controls TP-Link Deco mesh Deco app - HomeShield Parental Controls Netgear Orbi / Nighthawk Netgear Smart Parental Controls (replaces Disney Circle, retired 2021)

References

  1. Linksys. (2026). Setting up Parental Controls on your Linksys router. https://www.linksys.com/support-article?articleNum=139035

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