20 Ways to Bypass Parental Controls

Bypassing parental controls isn't always easy, and pulling it off depends on which system the parental controls have been set up through. However, there are a few different ways that you can bypass parental controls even if you don't have any relevant passwords.

Below you'll find the procedures for bypassing parental controls on the most prevalent modern-day operating systems. While the best option for getting parental controls removed is to prove that you're responsible enough to handle open access to the Internet, these methods can help you get around parental controls in the meantime.

How to Bypass Parental Controls in Android

The easiest way to bypass parental controls in the Android operating system is to turn off parental controls through the Google Playstore itself. This method makes it relatively simple to circumvent any parental controls that have been placed on the system.

Here are some steps you can take to bypass parental controls in the Google Playstore on an Android device (Source: Quora):

Access the Google Playstore through the application icon on the smart device. This icon should show up as one of the default application icons for the system. If you can't find the app icon on your device, go to the search menu and search for the application from there instead.
Tap the Options menu, which shows up in the Google Playstore in the top lefthand corner as three horizontal lines on the screen.
Tap the Settings sub-menu. You can find it roughly halfway through the Options menu.
Tap the Parental Controls option. Once you have this option open, you should get the option to toggle the Parental Controls from ON to OFF. Note that you will be required to input a 4-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) to verify account ownership to shut off parental controls using this method.

For those who don't have access to the PIN passcode used to set up parental controls on their device, the next option to look into is doing a factory reset.

How to Do a Factory Reset on an Android Device

If you don't have access to the original PIN passcode used to put parental controls into place, there's only one other option you have. This is to remove parental controls from the device in a total factory reset. A factory reset restores the smartphone or other smart device to its original factory settings, which in turn will erase any stored data on the phone, including parental controls. (Source: Technopedia)

If you don't have access to the PIN used to set up the Parental Controls in the first place, then this method won't work. For those who are trying to sneak around parental controls that have been put into place by someone else, using PIN access may not be an option.

The major downside of doing a factory reset on your Android device is that it can cause you to lose all of your saved data on the phone. This includes data such as text messages, photos, and third-party applications that you'll have to download again.

However, since a lot of this data is private data that you want to keep away from prying eyes, deletion probably isn't the worst thing to do to protect it. Just make sure that you back up any media or data you want to keep before doing a factory reset on your phone to not lose anything important in the process.

Performing a Factory Reset

Doing a factory reset on an Android device is a fairly straightforward process. Here's the procedure for performing a factory reset if you don't have a PIN code to deactivate parental controls on an Android device:

Tap Apps and find the Settings application for your device.
Tap Settings and scroll down until you find the option to Backup.
Tap Backup and choose the option to Reset.
Tap the option to Factory Data Reset.
From the Factory Data Reset option, click on Reset Device.
To do a final confirmation that you would like to proceed with the factory reset, click on the option that says Erase Everything.

Once the phone or smart device has been set back to factory settings, there will be no more personal or private data on the device. This also means that you can go in and bypass or disable parental controls since there will no longer be any saved passcodes on the machine.

How to Bypass Controls through Google Family Link

Family Link is a companion software application for Google that allows parents to set up parental restrictions and controls in Google and related Android devices. Family Link is a way for parents to maintain total control over what websites their child can access and when. While these controls are useful for parents, they can be a hassle for kids.

There are a few ways to bypass Google Family Link through factory reset methods or backdoor hacks. But the major problem with bypassing controls through Family Link is that once Family Link is set up, it can't be turned off until the child reaches the age of 13.

Once a child turns 13, they have the option to swap over to a regular unrestricted Google account or they can be restricted until the age of 18 when they're old enough to set up an adult account through Google.

It's possible to bypass Google's Family Link as long as you have the Google username and password used to set up the parental controls. But without this information, it's difficult to get access to the setting options that will allow for this.

Can You Remove Family Link Through Factory Reset?

A Family Link-based restriction on Google can be taken off by using a factory reset because a factory reset removes all related user data, including your Google account. However, the downside of using a factory reset to remove Family Link is that the primary user of the Family Link app (the parent) can see when the Family Link account is removed.

If a parent doesn't make a habit of checking their Family Link app often, a teenager or child can remove themselves from the Family Link through a factory reset without their parent noticing. But if the parent makes a point to supervise the Family Link to monitor online activity, they'll quickly notice that a certain family member's account is missing from the app.

How to Bypass Parental Controls in iOS and iPhone

If you're trying to bypass parental controls in iOS or iPhone settings, the method is similar to bypassing parental controls in Android systems, but a little bit different. There are several different ways that you can bypass parental controls in iOS, but most of them involve using workarounds and hacks to get through the system.

Here are a few methods that can be used to bypass parental controls in iOS (Source: Mobicip):

Using the passcode to turn off parental controls manually: This method is similar to the method listed above for Android, with the major downside being that this method requires knowing the PIN passcode used to create the parental controls in the first place. This makes it a harder option to use for kids who don't have the code.
Using Siri: Even when the iOS system is restricted by Downtime and other parental control applications, it's possible to give dictation to Siri to send a message through iMessages if the iMessage app is shut down by parental controls.
Adjusting the time zone: Downtime is a parental control application on iOS that puts Restrictions on smart device use during certain times of the day, in theory to prevent children from overusing their smart devices. This parental control can be easily bypassed by changing the time zone on the phone's settings.
YouTube iMessage bypass: If the use of YouTube on an iOS smart device is restricted, the device can still receive YouTube links through the iMessage application that are available to open. The only way this parental control bypass can be stopped is through setting up parental controls on YouTube itself.
Hacking the passcode: If you don't have access to the four-digit passcode that was used to set up parental controls on an iOS device, there are software programs available that allow you to cull this information from the device using backup data in iTunes. This software can give you access to the passcode and parental control overrides.
Bypassing Downtime with picture applications: Even if Downtime has restricted your ability to send messages in iMessages, you can still get a message out through the use of the phone's camera. Take a photograph of a message you want to send and then you should receive the option to send it via email or text.
In-app browsers: In-app browsers can be launched via third-party applications like Gmail or Facebook Messenger. This allows you to get access to search engines that aren't restricted by parental controls.

iOS software is a popular choice for many smart devices, but there are plenty of ways for kids to bypass parental controls even without the passcode. And many parents don't understand the bypass procedures that allow their kids to easily navigate around parental control software, so the security holes remain open for exploitation.

How to Bypass Parental Controls on Windows 10

Bypassing parental controls on Windows 10 can be a little more complicated than doing it in iOS, but there are still a few methods you can use to manage it. Here is a procedure you can use to disable parental controls in Windows 10 (Source: Windows Password Recovery):

Access the Microsoft Family website. Parental controls are adjusted through the account log-in on this website.
Log-in to your Microsoft account. This can be an issue if you don't have your Microsoft username and password, but kids who have access to this information can access the parental controls directly.
Toggle down to the account/device you want to bypass parental controls on and select the option to Manage Permissions.
Access the options in Manage Permissions that allow you to either enable or disable parental restrictions. Parental controls can be bypassed from this page in the account settings.

This method is the most straightforward method of bypassing parental controls in Windows 10, but it does require a passcode and direct access to the account settings to work. If you don't have access to the password, you won't be able to reach the settings options that will allow you to disable parental restrictions.

Bypassing Parental Controls Using Proxy Sites

A proxy site or proxy server acts as an intermediary between your online activity and the Internet. Using a proxy site to access search engines is one way for kids to bypass parental controls because it allows them to access the Internet without alerting their own ISP. Proxy sites are used for all kinds of shady online activity from pirating media to shopping on the Dark Web.

Proxy sites and servers are one way that kids can bypass parental controls and restrictions if they're tech-savvy enough to use them. Because the web traffic generated goes through the proxy site before it's accessed by the user, a proxy site can be used as a way to gain a higher level of privacy when you're searching around on the Internet. (Source: Tech Republic)

How to use a VPN to Bypass Parental Controls

A VPN is a particular type of proxy site known as a virtual private network. Access to these types of networks isn't usually free, so that makes this method a bit difficult to pull off for younger teenagers who don't have any ability to make online payments for a VPN subscription.

However, for teenagers that do have this ability and the ten or so dollars a month to access a VPN account, purchasing access to a VPN allows you a complete bypass of any parental controls on the home Internet network.

Here are just a few of the VPNs that you can try out to bypass parental controls:

These proxy networks all operate in basically the same way - they allow you a way to slip past the parental control firewalls on your wireless network undetected. While some are more expensive to access than others, all VPNs are a good option for bypassing parental control.

Using Alternative Tech to Access Parental Controls

Even if you have one device that has been locked down with parental restrictions, getting any access to another device in the household that belongs to an adult can give you access to their settings and options.

Once you have access to a smart device other than the one that is locked down with parental controls, you can take advantage of a parent's signed-in status to access their settings to disable the controls or revise the permissions.

This is not an optimal method for bypassing parental controls because it involves deception and the improper use of another person's technology. However, if you're desperate to bypass parental controls, this is one method that can allow you to do it.

Using Tech in Offline Mode to Bypass Internet Restrictions

One of the most common ways that parents attempt to limit their kids' access to the Internet is to limit the amount of time they spend using it to interact with video games and other digital leisure activities. This can be a major hassle for kids who want to use the Internet in the middle of the night or during other times when they might not otherwise have unlimited access.

A way to bypass this method of parental control is to swap over to offline mode. This allows you to continue to operate many programs like Minecraft or other games without triggering the parental controls. A major vulnerability of parental controls is that they require wireless Internet access to maintain, so without the Internet all parental control is basically lost.

Another method of using tech in offline mode to access the Internet outside of parental control restrictions is to download data off the Internet to be used later in offline mode. This is a smart solution for parental controls that restrict the amount of time a child or teenager can access the Internet if they need to use the Internet outside of those restricted periods.

Hacking the Home Router to Bypass Parental Controls

For those kids and teenagers who are a bit more into technology, an option is to try to hack the home router for Internet access. By using a secondary Service Set Identifier (SSID) for the home router, you can effectively set up auxiliary access to the home wireless Internet. (Source: LifeWire)

This is especially easy on home routers where the original default password hasn't been changed. Because changing the password on a router can be a chore for those who aren't really technologically apt, many parents don't bother.

This leaves the system open for exploitation. A teenager or child can buy a cheap second router and set up a second SSID through the original password that they can use to access the wireless network without even alerting anyone else in the household that they're using it.

Another option for hacking the home router is to reset the router to factory settings. This rarely affects the ability of others to use the home router so it can be done without suspicion, and this removes all parental controls that may have been installed on the router otherwise.

Guessing Passwords to Bypass Parental Controls

This is one of the more sneaky ways you can bypass parental controls in your household, and it involves a degree of deceit since you're technically using passcodes that don't belong to you. But many parents may use the same general passcodes for a variety of household tech, and even if they don't, these passwords may be easy to guess.

Guessing the password to access parental control options is not one of the most effective or efficient ways of bypassing parental controls, but if you know your parents tend to use the same passwords for all of their inputs, chances are you might be able to take a crack at guessing them.

Once you know what the password is, it's simple enough to go in and disable parental controls yourself.

Using Guest Access to Bypass Parental Controls

Using guest access or setting up a temporary guest account to access the Internet when parental controls have it locked down is a fairly low-tech solution to bypassing parental controls, but it's one that many parents don't think of before their kids have a chance to exploit it. If you sign into your phone or smart device as a guest user, the parental control protocols won't apply.

The only way for parents to prevent their kids from using guest accounts to bypass parental controls is to limit guest sign-in access. This might be inconvenient for those who want to allow houseguests to use their Internet connection without having to jump through any hoops, so many parents don't think about or bother putting this precaution into place.

Jumping On Unrestricted WiFi to Bypass Parental Controls

If you have a neighbor who doesn't keep their network secured or you live near a business that allows their guests online access, this can be a good way for kids and teenagers to bypass parental controls in a pinch.

While many wireless Internet users have become smart enough to secure their wireless routers with a family password to prevent outsiders from using it, many businesses don't bother doing so since they don't want to have to give out their Internet password fifty times a day to customers wanting to use it.

When You Shouldn't Bypass Parental Controls

Even though there are lots of different methods for bypassing parental controls on wireless devices and smart devices no matter what type of operating system they use, there are some serious downsides to bypassing parental controls using tech exploits.

Here are a few reasons why it's a better idea to have an honest conversation with your parents about unrestricted Internet access rather than trying to bypass parental controls:

Getting caught can lead to greater restriction of online privileges. While you might feel that your privacy is threatened by your parents monitoring your online activity, getting caught sneaking around can only serve to prove to your parents that you aren't trustworthy or mature enough to be allowed access without being supervised.
Getting caught can lead to the loss of your smart devices. In many cases a child or teenager isn't the one paying for their smart device or the online subscriptions that keep it connected to the Internet. If your parents get really angry about having parental controls bypassed, they can take your smartphone or tablet up for good.
Getting caught can erode the relationship between you and your parents. If you're caught bypassing parental controls, this not only leads to parents watching your online activities more closely out of suspicion, it can also lead to them being more suspicious of all of your social activities in general.

There are plenty of ways you can bypass parental controls on smart devices, but that doesn't necessarily make it a smart idea. The consequences of being caught trying to game the system and get around parental controls can mean that your parents end up coming down on you even harder than before.

How Do You Get Parents to Remove Parental Controls?

When parents install parental controls on wireless networks and online devices, it is usually because they're distrustful of how their kids are going to use the Internet and what type of information they'll have access to on it.

Kids and teenagers can not only be exposed to pornography and child predation, they can also be exposed to grisly CCTV footage of gore and other things that are not appropriate for kids (or even adults really) to be exposed to.

Just seeing these things online can cause psychological trauma that may not be immediately obvious. When parents put parental controls into place, it's with the best of intentions.

With that being said, how can kids convince their parents that they're mature enough to access the Internet unrestricted without having to be monitored through parental controls? Here are a few suggestions for helping you make the jump:

Have an honest discussion with your parents. If you've been under parental controls for several months and have shown no indication of inappropriate Internet use, having a frank conversation with your parents about digital privacy can help encourage them to take your perspective into consideration and give you your space online.
Show that you are responsible in other ways. Showing that you're a responsible child or teenager by staying in touch while you're out with friends, getting a job to pay for some of your own expenses, or helping out around the house can help convince parents that you would be similarly responsible in your online activities.
Buy your own phone and phone plan. When push comes to shove, it's difficult for parents to control a phone or smart device that they're not paying for. For teenagers that are old enough to make their own money, buying your own phone or digital devices can be one way of breaking loose from parental controls.

Bypassing Parental Controls Is Risky

While there may be many different ways you can potentially bypass parental controls and restrictions on your smart devices or phone, many of the methods used to bypass these parental controls are difficult at best and unethical at worst. Some of them also require technical skill or access to money that many kids or teens may not have.

If you get caught bypassing parental controls by your parents, chances are you'll end up under even heavier restrictions than you started out with. That's why showing your parents that you know how to conduct yourself online is the best way to get your digital restrictions removed for good.