Safe Search filters out adult content from your search results
Safe Search is a filter that removes sexually explicit images, videos, and websites from your search results. Most major search engines offer it, and you can turn it on in your account settings or browser preferences. The exact steps depend on which search engine you use and whether you want the filter to apply only to your account or to every device on your network.
Safe Search does not block all mature content — news articles about adult topics, medical information, and educational resources still appear. It primarily filters out pornography and sexually explicit material. The filter is not perfect; some adult content may slip through, and some legitimate sites may be blocked by mistake.
Key Takeaways
- Google Safe Search can be turned on in your Google Account settings and will follow you across devices when you are signed in.
- Bing Safe Search is controlled through your Microsoft account or directly on the Bing homepage, and you can lock it so others cannot turn it off.
- Most search engines let you enable Safe Search through your browser settings, which affects all searches on that device regardless of which account you use.
- Locking Safe Search requires a password or PIN and prevents other users from disabling the filter without your permission.
How to enable Safe Search on Google
Sign into your Google Account and go to myaccount.google.com. Click Data & Privacy in the left menu, then scroll down to Web & App Activity and click it. Look for the toggle next to SafeSearch and turn it on. Once enabled, Safe Search will apply to all your searches when you are signed into that Google Account, across any device.
If you do not have a Google Account or prefer not to sign in, you can enable Safe Search directly on the Google homepage. At the bottom of the page, click Settings, then Search Settings. Under SafeSearch Filters, select Turn on SafeSearch and click Save. This method works only on that specific device and browser; if you clear your cookies or use a different browser, you will need to turn it on again.
How to enable Safe Search on Bing
Go to bing.com and click the Settings gear icon in the top right corner. Select Search Settings from the dropdown menu. Under SafeSearch, choose Strict (blocks adult text, images, and videos), Moderate (blocks adult images and videos but allows some adult text), or Off. Click Save at the bottom of the page.
To lock Safe Search on Bing so that others cannot turn it off, sign into your Microsoft Account first. After you enable Safe Search, click Settings again and look for Lock SafeSearch. Toggle it on and enter a PIN. Anyone who tries to change the setting will need to enter that PIN. This is useful if you are setting up a device for a child or a shared family computer.
How to enable Safe Search in your browser settings
Most web browsers let you enforce Safe Search at the browser level, which means the filter applies to all searches regardless of which search engine you use or whether you are signed into an account. The steps vary by browser.
On Chrome: Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu in the top right. Go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Safe Browsing. Select Enhanced Protection or Standard Protection. This protects against malware and phishing but does not filter search results themselves. To filter search results, you must enable Safe Search through your Google Account instead.
On Firefox: Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right and select Settings. Go to Privacy & Security and scroll to DNS over HTTPS. Enable it and choose a provider that offers content filtering, such as Cloudflare with malware and adult content blocking. This method filters results across all search engines when that provider's DNS is active.
On Safari: Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs), go to General, then Restrictions (or Parental Controls). Enable restrictions and check the box for Limit Adult Content. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy Restrictions, and turn on Web Content, then select Limit Adult Websites.
Safe Search on mobile devices
On an iPhone or iPad, Safe Search is controlled through your Apple ID and iCloud settings. Go to Settings, tap your name at the top, then Family Sharing. Select the family member whose device you want to manage, tap Screen Time, then Content & Privacy Restrictions. Turn on restrictions and go to Web Content, then select Limit Adult Websites.
On an Android phone, the process depends on your search engine. For Google, sign into your Google Account on the device, then follow the steps listed above for enabling Safe Search in your account. For Bing, open the Bing app or website and enable Safe Search through settings. You can also use parental control apps like Google Family Link or Microsoft Family Safety, which let you manage Safe Search and other restrictions for family members' devices from your own account.
Locking Safe Search so others cannot disable it
If you want to prevent other users from turning off Safe Search, most search engines and devices offer a lock feature. On Bing, you can lock Safe Search with a PIN through your Microsoft Account settings. On Google, you cannot lock Safe Search directly, but you can restrict account access by setting up a supervised account through Family Link, which lets you manage search settings for a child's account.
On iOS devices, enable restrictions through Screen Time and set a passcode that others must enter to change content settings. On Android, use Google Family Link to create a supervised account for a child; you can then control their search settings from your own device. On Windows, use Microsoft Family Safety to manage Safe Search and other restrictions for family members who share your computer.
What Safe Search does and does not filter
Safe Search removes sexually explicit images, videos, and adult websites from results. It does not block news articles about sex or relationships, medical information about sexual health, educational resources about human reproduction, or LGBTQ+ content that is not sexually explicit. Some search engines are more aggressive than others; Bing's Strict setting filters more content than Google's Safe Search.
Safe Search is not foolproof. Some adult content may still appear in results, especially if you use specific search terms. Conversely, some legitimate educational or medical sites may be blocked. If you find that Safe Search is blocking content you need, you can temporarily disable it, or you can use a different search engine with less aggressive filtering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enable Safe Search for just one user on a shared computer?
Yes, if each user has their own account. On Windows, each user account can have its own browser settings and search engine preferences. On Mac, you can set up separate user accounts and enable Safe Search in each one independently. If you want to enforce Safe Search across all accounts on a device, use parental controls or family management tools like Microsoft Family Safety or Google Family Link.
Will Safe Search work if I use a VPN or proxy?
Safe Search works through your search engine or browser, not through your internet connection, so a VPN or proxy will not interfere with it. However, if you use a VPN that routes your traffic through a different country, some search engines may apply different filtering rules based on that country's laws.
What if I forget the PIN I set to lock Safe Search?
On Bing, you can reset your PIN by signing into your Microsoft Account and going back to Safe Search settings. On iOS, you can reset Screen Time restrictions by going to Settings, Screen Time, and following the account recovery process. On Android with Family Link, you can change settings from the parent account. If you cannot remember your account password, use your search engine or device's account recovery option.
Does Safe Search slow down my searches?
No. Safe Search filtering happens on the search engine's servers, not on your device, so it does not affect search speed or performance. You will not notice any difference in how fast results load.
Can Safe Search be bypassed?
If Safe Search is not locked with a PIN or password, anyone using the device or account can turn it off. If it is locked, someone would need the PIN to disable it. No filter is completely bypass-proof if someone has physical access to the device and time to work around it, but locking Safe Search makes it much harder for casual users to disable.