Gadgets and computers have become more accessible these days. As such, a lot of children spend more time on their PCs than reading a book or playing with other kids. The Internet is not entirely an evil domain, as long as your children have the protection they need. Thankfully, Windows 10 has the Family Options feature in the Windows Security app. This tool allows guardians to easily manage the digital lives of their children.

Of course, you’re probably asking, “What are Family Options in Windows 10?” Wonder no more because we’ll explain everything to you in this post. We will show you what the feature does. Moreover, we will teach you how to hide the ‘Family Options’ protection area in Windows 10.

What Are Family Options in Windows 10?

Windows Defender Security Center offers seven areas of protection for your device. Family Options is one of the built-in security features of Windows 10. It functions along with Virus & Threat Protection, Account Protection, Firewall & Network Protection, App & Browser Control, Device Security, and Device Performance & Health. You can use the Family Options feature to keep your children’s devices up to date and clean. This way, they can have the latest version of Windows while safely browsing the web.

Here are some of the ways you can establish parental controls via Family Options:

  • You can select the websites that your kids will visit whenever they search the web with Microsoft Edge.
  • You can manage how long your kids can use their devices.
  • You can receive weekly reports that highlight your children’s online activities.
  • You can set parameters on the types of apps or games your kids can purchase for their devices.

Now, you might ask, “Do I need Family Options in Windows 10?” Well, if you don’t have kids, then you may not find a lot of use for this feature. Thankfully, you can hide the area from users. As an administrator, you can take advantage of this option to prevent other people from accessing the area. Once you hide the Family Options area, it will no longer show on the homepage of Windows Defender Security Center. Moreover, you will not see its icon on the navigation bar on the left side of the app.

Option 1: Hiding the Family Options Area via the Group Policy Editor

If you’re using an Enterprise or Pro edition of Windows, then you have access to the Group Policy Editor. Otherwise, you can opt for the other method below. If you’re able to use the Group Policy Editor, you can follow these steps:

  1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key+R to launch the Run dialog box.
  2. Inside the Run dialog box, type “CMD” (no quotes).
  3. You need to launch Command Prompt as an administrator. To do this, press Ctrl+Shift+Enter on your keyboard.
  4. Click Yes if prompted to give permission to the app.
  5. Once Command Prompt is up, type “gpedit” (no quotes), then hit Enter.
  6. Inside the Group Policy Editor, navigate to this path:

Computer Configuration ->Administrative Templates ->Windows Components ->Windows Security ->Family Options

  1. Access the ‘Hide the Family Options area’ setting.
  2. Choose Enabled to hide the area.
  3. Click OK to save the changes you’ve made.

Option 2: Configuring the Family Options Settings via Windows Registry

Before you proceed, you should be aware that you’re dealing with a sensitive database when you open the registry. You should only touch it if you are confident with your tech skills. Keep in mind that even the smallest mistake can render your operating system useless. So, you should only use this option if you have enough knowledge and experience in tweaking computer settings.

Using the Registry Editor to Hide Family Options

  1. You need to go online and search for the Hide-Family-options.reg file. Once you’ve downloaded the file, save it to your desktop.
  2. Double-click the .reg file to merge it.
  3. If prompted to give permission to the action, click Run. On the UAC prompt, click Yes. Finally, click OK to permit the merge.
  4. Apply the changes you’ve made by restarting your PC.
  5. Finally, delete the .reg file you downloaded and check if Family Options is no longer showing on Windows Defender Security Center.

Using the Registry Editor to Show Family Options

  1. For this method, you need to download the Show-Family-options.reg file.
  2. Save the file on your desktop, then double-click it to merge it.
  3. Again, you will select Run on the prompt. The UAC window will also show up. So, you need to click Yes to allow the action. Finally, click OK to complete the process.
  4. Reboot your computer to apply the changes you made.
  5. Get rid of the .reg file you downloaded, then go to Windows Defender Security Center to see if the Family Options area is gone.


We recommended deleting the .reg files right away because eventually, they may end up becoming PC junk that may affect your computer’s performance. On the other hand, if you want a convenient way to get rid of unneeded files on your device, we recommend that you use Auslogics BoostSpeed. This tool has a powerful cleaning module that can sweep out all types of PC junk without risking damage to your computer. What’s more, if you choose the Pro version of BoostSpeed, you will gain access to a comprehensive set of features that will optimize the performance of your computer.

Do you want to learn more about parental controls on Windows 10?

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