Articles on: Chromebook and Chromebox

Install Safe Surfer with secure DNS on a Chromebook

Safe Surfer makes it easy to block porn and other harmful online content on a Chromebook. This guide will show you how to install Safe Surfer protection.

This guide demonstrates the alternative protection method (that is, with no app). If you would like to use the normal app-based protection, you can find out how to do so by clicking this link.

IMPORTANT: This method won't work if you're attempting to protect a user account connected to either Google Family Link or a school-based system. If this is the case, you'll need to use the app-based protection instead, where you can find out more by clicking this link. In addition, due to how Chromebook devices work, installing protection is per-user, rather than device-wide. You will need to repeat this guide for all applicable user accounts that you would like to protect.

Step 1: Visit the Safe Surfer dashboard

After logging in to the Chromebook user account to be protected, visit the Safe Surfer dashboard (https://my.safesurfer.io) and log in to your account. Click the Devices menu on the left-hand sidebar. On the right-hand side, select the user or area that you would like to assign this Chromebook to, then click the "Create device" option.

Click the "Chromebook and Chromebox" option.

Enter a name for this Chromebook, then click the Accept button.

Step 2: Install protection

Click the "Copy link" button.

Open the Settings app. Click the "Privacy and security" menu, then click the drop-down box found next to "Select DNS provider". Select the "Add custom DNS service provider" option.

Once you've selected the custom option, click the URL box with two fingers on the touchpad (that is, to right-click), then click the Paste option.

Once you've pasted the connection link, click away from the URL box. After this has been completed, you can close the Settings app.

If the box mentions in red, "Please verify that this is a valid provider", click the URL box and click away from it again, which should resolve the issue.

Back on the Safe Surfer dashboard, click the Done button.

Click the account drop-down box at the upper-right corner, then click the "Log out" option.

Step 3: Change account management features

Open the Settings app. Click the "Privacy and security" menu on the left-hand sidebar, then click the "Manage other people" menu.

Turn off the "Guest browsing" feature, then turn on the "Limit who can sign in" feature.

If you see an icon mentioning, "This setting is managed by the device owner", you'll need to change these settings inside the user account that was first signed in to this Chromebook. You can do this by signing out of the current user account and clicking the arrow found next to each user account on the lock screen. If the account is the owner, it will mention this next to the email address.

Step 4: Set up Google Play Store parental controls (optional)

Setting up Google Play Store parental controls can help hide listings that contain sexually suggestive content. If the device user is older than 13 (that is, not using Google Family Link), you can find out how to set this up by clicking this link.

If you are aware of any apps that have already been installed (that is, any apps classified above the age rating you want available), they will not be removed by changing the Play Store parental control settings. If this is an issue, you can uninstall the applicable apps, and they will then be unavailable for download once you have finished this step. Apps that remain on the device will still continue to receive updates through the Play Store.

Protection complete

This Chromebook is now protected. To start monitoring protected devices, visit our easy-to-use online dashboard.

If you have any other Chromebook 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: 07/09/2026

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