How to Limit an Internet Guest Account

Limiting a guest account can protect your computer.

As a computer administrator, you can create a guest account with limited privileges so anyone accessing your computer using that account is unable to make changes that could jeopardize your operating system's functionality or safety when accessing the Internet. To accomplish this, you have to remove the administrative rights from the guest account you want to limit by turning it into a standard account and then you have to set up parental controls to limit Internet access. This can be done swiftly by accessing your computer's User Account menu.

Instructions

1. Click the "Start" button on the bottom-left corner of your screen and click on the "Control Panel" option.

2. Click the "User Accounts and Family Safety" option and then click on "User Accounts." Click on the "Manage another account" option displayed on the bottom region of where it says "Make changes to your user account."

3. Click on the icon next to the guest account that you want to set limits for. A guest account will say "Guest account" below the name you assigned to the account.

4. Click the "Change the account type" option.

5. Click the check box located next to "Standard user." This will remove the administrative rights from the guest account you selected. This option sets limits on the guest user, but it still enables the guest user to use most software and change system settings that don't affect other users or the security of your operating system.

6. Click the "Change account type" tab displayed on the bottom-right corner of the window to complete the changes. The guest account will now have limits when someone uses your computer. Consequently, people who use the guest account won't be able to download any programs to your computer when they browse the Internet.

7. Go to the "Start" menu again and click "Control Panel." Click the "User Accounts and Family Safety" option and then click on the "Parental Controls" option.

8. Click on the guest account you had set limits for. Click to check the check mark displayed next to "On, enforce current settings." This option is displayed below "Parental Controls."

9. Click the "Windows Web Filter" option located beneath the heading that says "Windows Settings."

10. Decide whether you want to block content automatically, or you want to specify which websites should be allowed and which ones should be blocked to people who use the guest account.

11. Set Internet limits for the guest account automatically by clicking on the check marks displayed next to "Medium" or "High." These options are displayed beneath the heading that reads "Choose a Web restriction level." The "Medium" option will block unratable content in categories such as pornography, mature content, hate speech and weapons. The "High" option will block all Internet content except websites that are suitable for children. Click "OK" to save the Internet limits you selected. However, if you want to specify which websites to block and allow on the guest account, skip this step and proceed to the next step.

12. Click to check the check mark next to "Only allow websites which are on the allow list." This option is displayed beneath "Allow and block specific websites."

13. Click the "Edit and Allow block list" link. Enter the websites you want to block or allow in the text field displayed under where it says "Website address." For instance, if you want to block a website, enter the website's URL in this format "http://www.blockedwebsite.com" and then click the "Block" tab. On the other hand, if you want to allow a website, enter the website's URL and then click the "Allow" tab. The websites you block (limit) will be displayed in the box located beneath "Blocked websites." Click the "OK" tab and now users who access the guest account will only be able to visit the websites you allow, plus they won't be able to download anything to your computer when navigating the Internet.

References

• Microsoft Technet: Configuring Windows 7 for a Limited User Account
• Fanhow: Limit Windows 7 Guest
• Microsoft Windows: What is a Guest Account?
• Microsoft Windows: Set up Parental Controls