Microsoft is rolling out an update to its Edge web browser on macOS, bringing a new Kids Mode. This feature locks children into the browser with access to only approved sites.
To access Kids Mode: On the Edge browser, select your profile photo on the upper-right corner, then choose “Browse in Kids Mode.” A new tab will appear and the user will be able to opt between 5-8 and 9-12 years old.
As reported by the Verge, “both age ranges include the highest level of tracking prevention in Edge and strict Bing SafeSearch to filter out adult text, images, and videos from searches. Microsoft has provided 70 popular kids’ sites on an automatic allow list, but parents will have to individually add any additional sites on top of that.”
While Kids Mode restricts Windows keyboard shortcuts from working to prevent kids from exiting out, the same doesn’t apply to macOS.
“It’s a free, protected online environment for kids 12 and under that gives parents peace of mind when their kids browse the web on a shared device,” explains Divya Kumar, product director of Microsoft Edge, in an interview with the Verge.
The biggest difference between age ranges is that the higher 9 to 12 includes a news feed on the new tab page in Kids Mode, with curated articles from MSN for Kids, focusing on science, fun facts, and animals.
Kids Mode also offers customizable themes with a Disney and Pixar partnership with Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid as wallpapers.
The update is available for free for macOS users here.
