Safe Surfer makes it easy to block porn and other harmful online content on a Mac. This guide will show you how to install Safe Surfer protection. We demonstrate this with a Mac running macOS 27 Golden Gate (released in late 2026), although the steps will be similar if you are installing on a different kind of Mac.

Getting started

Before we begin to install protection, it's a good idea to check if your child has any VPN apps installed, as this will help make sure that Safe Surfer can work uninterrupted. (We'll show you how to prevent VPN apps from being downloaded later on.) You can find out how to do this by clicking this link.

Step 1: Install protection

On the device to be protected, save work in any open apps, then close them all and restart the Mac. Once you've done this, visit the Mac app download page (https://safesurfer.io/mac), then click the Download for Mac button.

Once the app installer has downloaded, open the Finder app. Click the Downloads folder on the left-hand sidebar, then double-click the Safe Surfer installer.

Proceed through the Safe Surfer installer until you get to the app. The Mac will soon ask for permission to record the screen and audio (which is for the Safe Surfer screen monitoring technology). When you see the Screen Recording prompt, click the Open System Settings button.

Turn on the switch found next to Safe Surfer Helper. Once you've done this, close out of the System Settings app.

Click the Close button on the installer.

On the prompt that appears, click the Move to Bin button.

In the Safe Surfer app, click the Continue button.

Enter a name for this device so that it can be identified later, then click the Next button.

Sign in with your account details.

You can assign this device to a person, or you can click the Skip button to do this later.

Click the Finish button.

Once you reach the Protection menu, the Mac will ask for permission to directly access the screen and audio. These prompts will go away once you've finished the protection installation. Click the Allow button for now (and repeat this if needed).

On the Internet Protection section, click the Setup option.

Click the Enable Protection button.

Click the OK button on the prompt that appears.

Click the Open Profiles Settings button.

Double-click the pending profile to review the installation.

Click the Enrol button.

After a moment, you should see three profiles appear together, which means that the protection installation was successful.

Back in the Safe Surfer app, click the Done button.

Step 2: Prevent uninstallation

In the System Settings app, click the Users & Groups menu on the left-hand sidebar, then click the Add User button. When asked, you'll need to enter the password for the user account.

Create a new administrator account using the following options:

• New User: Administrator
• Full Name: Admin
• Account Name: admin

Set a password and verify it, then click the Create User button.

We've now created a new administrator user account. Next, we'll change each applicable user account to have Standard-level permissions, where this stops Safe Surfer protection from being disabled or uninstalled.

Click the Apple icon at the upper-left corner, then click the Log Out option. On the prompt that appears, click the Log Out button.

Log in to the Admin account, and skip through the setup options. When you're asked about signing in with an Apple account, click Other Sign-In Options > Sign In Later in Settings > Skip. If you're asked about Age Range, click the Adult option, as this account is for administrative purposes.

Once you've reached the desktop, open the System Settings app, then click the Users & Groups menu on the left-hand sidebar. Click the "i" icon found next to your child's user account. (We'll repeat this for any other applicable user accounts later on.)

Turn off the switch for "Allow this user to administer this computer". When asked, you'll need to enter the password for the Admin user account.

On the prompt that appears, click the OK button.

Click the OK button.

Once you're done, all applicable user accounts should be set to Standard permissions.

Once you're ready, click the Apple icon at the upper-left corner, then click the Restart option. On the prompt that appears, click the Restart button.

Step 3: Additional protection settings

There are some additional settings that we recommend changing for the best protection experience. (We'll repeat this for all applicable user accounts.)

Communication safety

Log in to your child's user account, then open the System Settings app. Click the Screen Time menu on the left-hand side, then click the Communication Safety menu.

Turn on the Communication Safety feature.

Content & Privacy

Back on the Screen Time main menu, click the Content & Privacy menu.

Turn on the Content & Privacy feature.

Click the App Store, Media, Web & Games menu.

Set the Access to Web Content option to Limit Adult Websites (where this will disable Private Browsing mode in Safari). We also suggest turning off the Allow Music Profiles option. Once you're ready, click the Done button.

Back on the Content & Privacy menu, click the Siri menu.

We recommend using the following options (however, the list might look different if you're protecting a device running a version older than macOS 27):

• Siri: Siri Classic or Don't Allow Siri
• Broad World Knowledge / Web Content Search: Off
• Image Creation: Off (This also disables Realistic Images.)
• Sensitive Topics: Off
• Explicit Language: Off
• Extensions: Off

Once you're ready, click the Done button.

Back on the Content & Privacy menu, click the Store Restrictions menu.

We recommend using the following options:

• Movies: Don't Allow, or M (that is, PG-13 or the equivalent for your region)
• TV Shows: Don't Allow, or M (that is, PG-13 or the equivalent for your region)
• Apps: Don't Allow (Strongly recommended to stop VPN evasion apps from being available in the App Store. This won't affect any apps already installed on the device.)
• Allow Explicit Books: Off
• Allow Explicit Music, Podcasts and News: Off
• Allow Music Videos: Off

Once you're ready, click the Done button.

Back on the Screen Time main menu, turn on the Lock Screen Time Settings option and set a passcode.

Protection complete

Great work! This device is now fully protected. To start monitoring protected devices, visit our easy-to-use online dashboard.

If you have any other Apple Mac devices you would like to protect, simply start again from the top of the guide. If you would like to protect a different kind of device, visit our installation guides article.

Updated on: 25/09/2026