Here at Adblock Tester, we talk about blocking ads a lot, as we advocate for user privacy. However, there’s more to it than just privacy. Not all ads are created equal. Some ads can be very inappropriate for children. And there are plenty of websites you don’t want your kids to find. Moreover, if you share the same computer or tablet with your kids, contextual ads that are targeted for you might find your child.
There are plenty of reasons for you to use a good content blocker. And what’s better than having a content blocker built in with the ad blocker you already use? AdGuard is one of the best free ad blockers in the market. But when you subscribe or purchase (one-time) AdGuard Premium, you get some of the best features in the market, which include Parental Controls. And today we are going to help you set it up.
But before all that, it’s best if you get the Family Plan of the AdGuard Premium plan. There’s a 1-year plan and a lifetime plan. And you can get a pretty sizable discount with our promo code: ADBLOCKTESTER30.
How do I block inappropriate content for kids using AdGuard?
There are a few different ways to install AdGuard, and that’s a good thing. Whether your kid uses an iPad, an old Android phone, a shared Windows laptop, or hops around devices, AdGuard gives you options. You can filter by device or browser, or just lock down the whole home network in one go.
Option 1: Set up AdGuard Parental Control on Windows or Android
If your child has their own phone or laptop, this is your most powerful option. AdGuard’s desktop and Android apps include a complete Parental Control module. It’s smarter than basic browser filters. It can block adult content, malicious domains, shady ads, and even enforce safe search.
How to set it up on Windows:
- Make sure you’re subscribed to AdGuard Premium.
- Download and install AdGuard for Windows.
- Open the app, go to Settings > Parental Control.
- Turn it on and set a master password, so only you can change the settings.
- Enable Safe Search to force clean results across Google, YouTube, Bing, and more.
- Use blocklists and whitelists to add or exempt specific sites.
- (Optional) Block file downloads if you want to prevent installs of games or sketchy software.
Once enabled, AdGuard will filter all browsers on the PC — Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and whatever else. It doesn’t matter what app your kid uses; the block applies system-wide.
How to set it up on Android:
Go to adguard.com and download the AdGuard for Android APK.
Install the app, grant it permission to act as a local VPN, and install required certificates.
In the app, go to Settings > Parental Control.
Enable the module and set a PIN to lock it.
Turn on Safe Search and enable the built-in adult content filter.
You can also block access to apps or track which domains are being requested in real-time.
AdGuard for Android blocks ads inside apps and games too. Something that most parental control tools miss entirely.
Option 2: AdGuard Family DNS on iPhone, iPad, or Android
If you’re after something easy, swift to set up, and effective across all of your apps, then DNS is the way to go. By flipping to AdGuard’s Family DNS servers, your device will just refuse to connect to any known adult sites, trackers, or anything that isn’t kid-safe.
Setting up AdGuard DNS on an iPhone or iPad:
- First off grab the free AdGuard app from the App Store.
- Open the app and select DNS Protection > Use AdGuard DNS > Family Protection.
- Just follow the on-screen instructions for installing the DNS profile.
- And that’s it. All of your network traffic is now being filtered, and Safe Search is automatically enforced.
This works for Safari, Chrome, and other apps, basically everything. And the best bit is it doesn’t track or log what your kid is up to, unlike many other apps for iOS.
Doing it Manually:
If you’d rather not install the app, then don’t worry, you can do it manually.
For iPhones:
- Head to Settings > Wi-Fi → tap the “i” on your network – then scroll down and select Configure DNS
- Now just add these two server addresses: 94.140.14.15 and 94.140.15.16
For Android
- Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Advanced > Private DNS.
- Choose “Private DNS provider hostname” then enter:
- dns-family.adguard.com
Once set, the device will quietly go about enforcing that content filtering in the background, and it’s lightweight and easy to work with – perfect for younger kids who don’t need anything too complex.
Option 3: Block Inappropriate Content on Your Whole Home Network
The “set it and forget it” method. You just apply AdGuard’s Family DNS at the router level and every device on your Wi-Fi: phones, laptops, smart TVs, tablets, etc, is instantly protected. Don’t need to mess around with each one.
Changing Your Router DNS:
- Fire up your router’s admin panel (usually just by popping your browser and typing in a local IP address like 192.168.1.1).
- Now just hunt down the DNS settings in the menu. It’s usually under “Internet”, “Network”, or “LAN”, and it varies by brand.
- Pop the following two server addresses in the box: 94.140.14.15 and 94.140.15.16
- Save and reboot your router.
That’s it, done. Every device that connects to your Wi-Fi now has a blanket ban on adult content and ads. No faffing around with individual settings needed.
Want Even More Control?
You can run AdGuard Home on a Raspberry Pi or an always-on PC. Basically, you get your own private filter server. You get to set up your own rules for blocking, full logs, and scheduled blocking, and not a single byte of data gets sent back to anyone else. This is ideal for:
- Blocking content during specific times of the day
- Setting different rules for different kids or devices
If you’re the super paranoid type and just want to know that all your data is staying where it’s supposed to be, since AdGuard Home doesn’t send anything back to HQ.
Not sure which one to use?
If you’re looking at these setup paths and wondering which one makes the most sense, you’re not alone. Here’s how to pick the right approach based on how your kids use their devices and how much control you want.
If your child has their own phone, tablet, or laptop
Go with the AdGuard app (on Windows or Android). It gives you the most control: you can block entire content categories, filter inside apps and browsers, lock the settings with a PIN, and even disable downloads. It’s perfect for teens or older kids who have their own device and spend time across multiple apps, not just web browsers. And since the app monitors traffic system-wide, they can’t just switch to another browser or use incognito mode to get around it.
For iPhones and iPads, the app route is more limited. Apple doesn’t allow system-wide content filtering through apps. In that case, AdGuard Family DNS is your best option (more on that below).
If your kid uses shared devices or bounces between gadgets
Use AdGuard Family DNS. It’s the simplest way to cover multiple devices at once without installing extra software on each one. You just change the DNS settings. Either directly on the device or on your router, and the protection kicks in immediately. This method is especially handy for younger kids who use the family iPad one hour, the smart TV the next, and your laptop right after.
It blocks adult content domains, turns on SafeSearch automatically, and works in the background with zero maintenance. Best of all? It doesn’t require constant monitoring or app management.
If you want full-house coverage with minimal effort
Set it up on your Wi-Fi router. This is the “set it once and forget it” approach. You change your router’s DNS settings to use AdGuard’s Family servers, and every single device that connects to your home Wi-Fi (phones, tablets, consoles, even smart speakers) gets filtered protection. It’s especially useful for families with multiple kids, visiting friends, or guests’ devices.
But router-level filtering won’t apply when devices are on mobile data. So if your kid has a phone and leaves the house, you’ll still want to use DNS settings or the app on the device itself to maintain protection everywhere.
If you want ultimate privacy, logs, and device-level rules, go for AdGuard Home. It’s a more advanced setup, but perfect for tech-savvy parents who want total control. You install it on a Raspberry Pi or spare computer, and it becomes your own private DNS server, filtering content without sending data to third parties.
With AdGuard Home, you can block specific websites, see which devices are requesting, and even schedule downtime (like blocking YouTube after 9 PM). More work upfront, but more control and better privacy.
What does AdGuard Block with Parental Control?
Blocks the Bad Stuff – Adult, Violent, and Shady Content
AdGuard is pretty good at filtering out the crap: the porn, the gambling sites, the violent media, and the scammy websites that’ll try to rip your kid off. With Family DNS, it blocks whole domains before they even load. If you’re using the app on Windows or Android, it also scans web pages in real time & keeps an eye out for any nasty content & blocks it before they even see it.
Keeps Google, YouTube & Bing Safe
AdGuard automatically enables Safe Search across all major platforms, so even if your kid tries to look for something they shouldn’t, they won’t find it. This applies to when they’re searching in a browser or in an app like YouTube or Google Search.
You Can Fine-Tune the Blocks
Using the AdGuard app, you can go in and adjust what gets blocked. Maybe you want to switch off some of the more general categories, or you want to block specific sites that are a problem. You can even lock down these settings with a password or PIN so your kid can’t just go ahead and turn them off.
Works in the Background – No Tracking What Your Kid’s Doing
Family DNS just quietly gets on with its job in the background – across all browsers & apps. It doesn’t keep any records of what your kid’s been doing, & it doesn’t send any of that data up to the cloud. And if you’re using AdGuard Home, you get a full picture of what’s being blocked, without anything going to the cloud.
To sum up, AdGuard blocks the things that matter, protects your kid’s privacy, & gives you the control you need – all without being one of those “set it & forget it” filters.
Can Kids Access AdGuard’s Parental Controls?
They might try to, but AdGuard makes it hard.
If you’re using the app on Windows or Android, you can password-protect the settings. That at least stops them from messing with the filters, uninstalling the app, or getting into other settings.
Using DNS filtering? You can lock down any changes on an iOS phone by using Screen Time, or you can set your DNS on the router level so they can’t just switch to a different network.
It’s likely that some teens will try out VPNs or private DNS to get around the blocks, but you can disable VPN access in the device settings or block common VPN services using AdGuard Home if you’ve got that set up.
No filter is 100% foolproof when it comes to teenagers, but AdGuard does a good job of covering the main loopholes.
Does AdGuard Protect Kids’ Privacy?
Yes, it does. And that’s one of the main reasons we’re so big on recommending it.
Most of the time, parental control apps quietly start collecting all sorts of data in the background. Some just keep a record of the websites they’ve visited, while others track the device, the kids’ locations, the apps they use, or the messages they send. AdGuard doesn’t go down that road.
The whole idea behind it is that we block the bad stuff without going through your kid’s dirty laundry.
Here’s what they do to make sure kids’ online activities stay private:
- No tracking or logging: AdGuard doesn’t store any of your kid’s browsing history, or any of that personal data – and that’s true whether or not it’s just on their device or out in the cloud.
- Filtering on the fly, right on your home network: When you use the app or AdGuard Home, all of the filtering is done right on the device or your home network – no servers getting in the way.
- No need for an account: You don’t have to create a profile or link your child to the app, so their identity stays under wraps.
- Open-source filters that you can actually see: You can see exactly what’s being blocked. No secret rules, no mystery rules, just clear as day.
- Filters content only, doesn’t spy on you: AdGuard blocks the bad stuff, but it doesn’t snoop on where you are or what you’re doing with your device. Just the content you don’t want to see.
Final Thoughts
AdGuard makes it easy to block the stuff your kids shouldn’t see, and it does it without overreaching, tracking, or making your life harder.
Whether you want to filter one device or lock down your whole network, the tools are flexible, fast, and built for real families.
Set it up once, tweak it when needed, and get back to parenting without worrying what’s one click away.