Getting started with FamilyProtect
Setting up FamilyProtect takes about ten minutes: create your account, verify your email, subscribe, download the installer, and run it on your first family PC. This guide walks through each step and tells you what to expect along the way.
How do I create my account?
Go to the FamilyProtect dashboard and choose sign up. You need an email address you can check straight away and a password. The account you create is the owner account for your whole family, so use a parent’s email, not a child’s.
Why do I need to verify my email?
After signing up, we send a verification link to your email address. Your dashboard shows a banner until you click it, and you can resend the email from there if it hasn’t arrived. Verification proves the address is really yours before any billing or protection is set up. Check your spam folder if you don’t see it within a couple of minutes.
How do I subscribe?
Once your email is verified, the dashboard shows a Subscribe button. It takes you to a secure checkout run by Stripe, the same payment company used by millions of businesses. FamilyProtect is one flat plan that covers every device in your family, and you can cancel anytime.
After payment you’ll return to your dashboard and see “Activating your account”. This normally takes under a minute. Use the Refresh button if it seems to linger.
How do I protect my first PC?
When your account is active, the dashboard shows a Download installer (.msi) button. Download it, copy it to the family PC you want to protect, and run it there with an administrator account. The device appears in the Your devices list on your dashboard within a few minutes.
The full walkthrough, including what your child sees on the PC, is in Installing FamilyProtect on a Windows PC. Windows is supported today; macOS and Linux are coming soon.
How do I turn protections on?
Your dashboard lists every protection as a card with a switch. Turn a card on and it rolls out to all of your enrolled devices automatically, usually within a few minutes. Turn it off and it is removed just as cleanly. Some cards are managed automatically as part of a bundle and don’t have their own switch.
If you want to understand what a protection actually does before switching it on, each card has a short description, and our blog covers the big ones in depth, like how DNS Protection works on Windows.
Can other parents help manage the account?
Yes. As the owner you can invite other family members by email from the Family members screen. Invited owners get the same controls you have. You can also invite members with installer-only access, which is handy for a teenager who sets up their own PC but shouldn’t be able to change any settings.
Should I turn on two-step verification?
We recommend it. The Security screen in your dashboard lets you add a login code sent to your email, or an authenticator app if you prefer. Devices you trust stay signed in for 30 days, so the extra step only appears when something unusual happens.
What’s next?
Stuck at any step? Get in touch and a human will help.