A shared Windows computer needs a different browsing plan from a personal family laptop. Students may take turns on the same device, staff may need to update the list without visiting the room, and a useful lesson may depend on several related domains. An approved-site workflow can make the intended use explicit without pretending that browser rules manage all of Windows.
Start with the computer’s purpose
Write down what the computer is for before collecting domains. A reading station, elementary computer lab, library homework PC, and church kids’ room may need different lists. Include the core learning platform, library catalog, curriculum tools, accessibility services, and approved media. Avoid adding broad search or entertainment domains merely because they might be useful later.
For a small private school or homeschool co-op without dedicated IT staff, a short list that is easy to review is often more sustainable than a large list copied from an unrelated program. The goal is a working educational allow-list, not a directory of the entire internet.
Separate users when their needs differ
Use one profile for a group only when its approved domains and browsing hours are genuinely shared. Create separate age-based or grade-based profiles when, for example, early learners should not inherit the research and video services needed by older students. Profiles can keep rules, schedules, and requests easier to reason about.
For a lab with several machines, reusable templates and CSV import/export can reduce manual entry. Treat the imported list as a draft: review each domain, document why it is needed, and test a normal lesson from a student account. A domain may load embedded content or sign-in resources from another host.
Use browser controls and Windows controls together
An approved-site browser blocks unapproved navigation inside that browser. It does not stop a student from opening Chrome, Firefox, a VPN, a messaging client, or another installed application. Use a standard Windows account and the device-management or application restrictions appropriate to your organization. Network controls can provide another layer, especially for devices that leave the supervised network.
Before the first student session, test:
- an approved educational page and its sign-in flow;
- an unapproved domain and a new tab;
- video, images, downloads, and other embedded resources required by the lesson;
- the schedule at its start and end time; and
- whether another browser or bypass application is still available.
Document who can approve new domains and how staff report a broken lesson. A clear review owner prevents a request queue from turning into an unexamined permanent allow-list.
Keep the list useful over time
Review domains at the start of each term and after a curriculum change. Remove services that are no longer used, revisit sites with public comments or recommendations, and keep a small test checklist for every profile. For the operational details of adding rules and reviewing requests, see Adding Approved Sites . For larger deployments, compare the Labs plan and its batch-management workflow.
The strongest shared-computer setup is layered: a purpose-built approved-site list, separate profiles where needed, supervised Windows accounts, and a repeatable process for testing and approving changes.
Start with one Windows computer
Plan a shared Windows lab
Use Kidsplorer to organize approved-site profiles for a household, co-op, school, library, or other small lab.