Mac App Store: Use parental controls

App Store displays a special rating that helps you understand whether an app may be inappropriate for children of a certain age. For example, “Rated 17+” tells you that the app may not be suitable for children under the age of 17. You can use ratings to set up parental controls to limit the App Store apps your children can use.

To limit a user’s access to App Store or to installed App Store apps, you need an administrator account to turn on parental controls for the user’s account.

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, and then click Parental Controls.
2. Do one of the following:
   • If you don't have any other user accounts and want to create one, select “Create a new user account with parental controls,” and then click Continue. Provide information for the new account, and then click Continue.
   • If you don't have any other user accounts and want to apply parental controls to your logged in account, select “Convert this account to a parental controls account.” Provide information for a new administrator account, and then click Continue.
   • If the user account already exists, click the lock if it’s not unlocked, and then enter an administrator’s name and password. Select the account, and then click Enable Parental Controls.
   • If you need to create another user account, click the lock if it’s locked, and then enter an administrator name and password. Click Add (+) below the list of users, enter name and password information, and then click Create Account.

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, and then click Parental Controls.
2. Click the lock if it’s locked, enter an administrator name and password, select an account in the list of accounts, and then click Apps.
3. Select Limit Applications, and then choose an option from the Allow App Store Apps pop-up menu:
   • Don’t allow: Choose this option to prevent opening of any apps purchased from the App Store.
   • Numerical ratings: Choose “up to 4+” or another numerical option to restrict app access based on App Store app ratings. For example, an app rated 4+ contains nonobjectionable material, but an app rated 9+ may not be suitable for children under the age of 9. If you choose “up to 9+,” the user can open apps rated 9+ and lower.
   • All: Choose this option to allow opening of all apps purchased from the App Store.
4. To further refine which App Store apps you want to allow access to, use the Allowed Apps list.

   Select App Store, and then click the arrow to list the apps obtained from the App Store. Select an app to allow the user to open it. Deselect an app to prevent the user from opening it.

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, and then click Parental Controls.
2. Click the lock if it’s locked, enter an administrator name and password, select an account in the list of accounts, and then click Apps.
3. Select Limit Applications.
4. In the Allowed Apps list, click the Other Apps arrow to display a list of apps, and then do one of the following:
   • Select App Store to let the user open App Store.
   • Deselect App Store to prevent the user from opening App Store.