sabinscabin

Q: parental controls settings won't save

I just installed El Capitan. In Parental Controls / Web, there are three radio buttons: 1) Allow unrestricted access to websites 2) Try to limit access to adult websites 3) Allow access to only these websites. Right now, the second option is selected (I selected it previously). However, I'm trying to change to 3). I click radio button 3), then exit out of the parental controls, but when I come back, radio button 2) is still selected. I tried many combinations of clicking the "lock icon", restarting the computer, using different user accounts to do this, but for some reason every time I come back it is always radio button 2) that is selected.

 

I am successfully entering my administrator password multiple times the entire time, and not getting any error messages saying that I don't have permissions or anything like that. The radio button is just quietly always moving back to 2), whether I select 1) or 3), whether I "click the lock to prevent further changes", whether I restart the computer, whether I'm standing on my head wearing a chicken suit when I'm doing all these things, etc. etc.

 

Anyone know how to fix this problem?

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Oct 10, 2015 9:42 AM

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Q: parental controls settings won't save

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  • by virtub,

    virtub virtub Mar 5, 2016 6:47 AM in response to pizdets17
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Mar 5, 2016 6:47 AM in response to pizdets17

    I had this same problem, and what worked for me is to turn off parental controls on the affected managed account, quit preferences, go back in, and turn it on again for that account.

  • by PHL07,

    PHL07 PHL07 Mar 14, 2016 10:52 AM in response to virtub
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Mar 14, 2016 10:52 AM in response to virtub

    This thread has been running a year+ now and there is still no resolution.  I have been pulling my hair out with the El Capitan Parental Controls.  Examples of how this does NOT work:

     

    1.) Set simple finder with specific apps that the user can run.... Log into user account and find NO app folder in the simple finder.  Nothing.  Just a finder icon at the bottom.  Or...sometimes get an app folder with numerous duplicates of apps that were granted access.  Or, even worse, sometimes you try to launch an app that was given permission and it says permission denied!

     

    2.) Set specific web sites to access.  Log back into parental controls and the setting is back to all web sites (middle option)

     

    This is completely unacceptable as a feature and it's clear Apple doesn't give it enough attention.  They should just as well remove the feature all together in the next OS update unless they get it fully working as intended.  I guess I'll be going to Net Nanny.

  • by DeeeMmmm,

    DeeeMmmm DeeeMmmm Mar 27, 2016 9:15 AM in response to sabinscabin
    Level 1 (39 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 27, 2016 9:15 AM in response to sabinscabin

    Had the same problem.

     

    The way to solve it is to delete temporary files - I needed help to do this.

     

    Called Apple and they talked me through deleting a series of temporary files. Tried all of the sequences and combinations to see the settings and eventually had to call them.

     

    This solved the problem.

  • by Dan Delaney,

    Dan Delaney Dan Delaney Apr 6, 2016 6:09 PM in response to DeeeMmmm
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Apr 6, 2016 6:09 PM in response to DeeeMmmm

    Thanks DeeeMmmm. Can you please tell us exactly what temporary files they had you delete?

  • by DeeeMmmm,

    DeeeMmmm DeeeMmmm Apr 6, 2016 10:40 PM in response to Dan Delaney
    Level 1 (39 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 6, 2016 10:40 PM in response to Dan Delaney

    HI Dan,

     

    Sorry I don't recall. There were about 15 folders of files with hard-to-remember names. Apple support talked me through it Without charge.

     

    Good luck.

  • by r2sj,

    r2sj r2sj Jun 2, 2016 8:41 PM in response to JCW33
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 2, 2016 8:41 PM in response to JCW33

    I have been having the same issue for a year now.  Tonight after spending so much time trying to save changes, I broke the keyboard by slamming it so hard.  Apple has become such a piece of crap company.  Without parental control, I decided that I can't let my son to use this shiny mac anymore. 

  • by ***In2Ndo***,

    ***In2Ndo*** ***In2Ndo*** Jul 24, 2016 8:23 AM in response to r2sj
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 24, 2016 8:23 AM in response to r2sj

    I hope this helps.

    I think I finally got it to work.  Here is what I did.

    Created a managed profile,  in that profile I opened or tried to open every app that I wanted the user to use or be blocked from.  went back to the admin and changed one app. locked the parental control, "switch" to the managed account and tried using the app. the change had saved.  logged out of the managed profile and back to the admin and repeated the action one app at the time. 

    All the changes saved.  all the changes initiated straight from the parental screen not from the users screen.  and when I logged in to the managed profile. I used the switch user feature not logging out of the admin acc.

  • by JetCity Woman,

    JetCity Woman JetCity Woman Sep 25, 2016 6:38 PM in response to r2sj
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 25, 2016 6:38 PM in response to r2sj

    I'm having the same issues and it is very frustrating. I particularly have a child who goes into system preferences and changes settings so they can get onto the computer in the middle to night without us parents "butting" in. It's at the point where I have to lock down ALL devices (mac and IOS) overnight so this doesn't happen and I have a cranky kid the next morning due to lack of sleep. Other programs focus on blocking internet and other internet usage. But, I'm looking for a program that'll block the kids from using programs on the mac (since parental controls that comes with OS X seems to be a waste of time) such as system preferences. Anyone know of a something I can use that'll block apps/programs as well as filter out websites and still have time limits too?

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Sep 26, 2016 2:57 AM in response to JetCity Woman
    Level 6 (12,436 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 26, 2016 2:57 AM in response to JetCity Woman

    As a technology fan, I can relate to the frustration of something clearly having bugs that prevent it from being used as it was designed for.

     

    As a parent, though, I am more than a bit saddened by the notion that it is like a tech war between parents and children.

    I never had to even learn to use this feature of the OS, and my children (now young adults) have grown up with macs in their house, and used them from a very young age on. Never once I have lost sleep trying to block anything. Try talking to them, setting clear rules. "Trust but verify" is a very good lemma. Also, try Sierra if you absolutely need to use parental controls. I hear that most of the bugs were fixed for this release. I did not try to confirm it. You may want to verify...

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