For Windows devices, once you have installed protection inside the Safe Surfer app, we have already performed the following additional protection steps for you:

• If the protection installation is modified while protection is meant to be running, Safe Surfer will automatically recover it as quickly as possible, typically within 10 seconds. (This is the default for all protection installations as of late July 2026.)
• Disabling private browsing windows (and the deletion of browsing history wherever supported) for most web browser apps.
• Offering to block Windows VPN and proxy features, which can stop filter evasion.
• Blocking hundreds of web browser VPN extensions, which could be used to evade filtering.
• Blocking Tor Browser, a filter evasion app (which requires the Safe Surfer app blocking feature to be running).

To get the best experience, you will also need to set a PIN (if you haven't already) and change the user account settings for the device. This makes sure that Safe Surfer is locked down as much as possible. We'll show you how to stop Safe Surfer protection from being uninstalled on a Windows computer.

Step 1: Review app PIN settings

If you connected an account during the protection installation, the Safe Surfer Windows app will have offered you to set a PIN. If you proceeded with setting a PIN, you can skip to step 2, but if you need to manage the PIN settings, you can do this by opening the Safe Surfer app > enter your PIN if applicable > click the Settings cog icon at the upper-right corner of the window.

We recommend performing step 1 in all cases, and also step 2 if this device has any tech-savvy users.

Step 2: Lockdown for tech-savvy device users

Lockdown involves changing the user account settings for this device. This means that each applicable user account on this device will not be able to remove the protection installation without the password of the device administrator (being you). The device user(s) might need you to enter your admininstrator password on occasion, as some apps require these permissions to be opened and/or make system changes. Most apps don't need these permissions.

In most cases there will only be one user account that needs changing, but in some cases there will be separate user accounts for each device user. We will now perform the following:

1. Create a new administrator account
2. Set all applicable user accounts to standard-level permissions

Click the Start menu button.

Click the Settings app.

Click the Accounts menu on the left-hand sidebar.

Click the Other users menu.

Under Add other user, click the Add account button.

Click the option labelled "I don't have this person's sign-in information".

Click the option labelled "Add a user without a Microsoft account".

Call the user account "Admin" and enter a password. Make sure to use a memorable password, along with setting security questions that only you know. Once you're done, click the Next button.

Click the Admin user account listing.

Under Account options, click the Change account type button.

Under Account type, click the drop-down box.

Click the Administrator option.

Click the OK button. You can now close the Settings app.

Open the Start menu, then click the user account section.

Click the three-dot button at the upper-right corner of the account card.

Click the Switch user option.

When you reach the lock screen, enter your password for the new Admin user account. Windows will take a moment to prepare the user account. Once it's finished, proceed through the privacy settings and click the Next button.

Once you've reached the desktop for the Admin user account, open the Start menu and click the Settings app.

Click the Accounts menu on the left-hand sidebar.

Click the Other users menu.

Click the user account listing that belongs to the person being protected. We'll repeat these changes for any other applicable user accounts later.

Under Account options, click the Change account type button.

Under Account type, click the drop-down box.

Click the Standard User option.

Click the OK option. Repeat the account type change for any other applicable user accounts. Once you’ve done this, you can close the Settings app.

Open the Start menu, then click the Power icon at the lower-right corner. Click the Restart option.

Protection complete

Great work! This device is now fully protected. If you have any other Windows devices you would like to protect, visit our Windows guides page.

Updated on: 31/08/2026