You can see what your children can’t. Although there are websites for every niche and interest, that doesn’t necessarily mean the content is safe to access, especially if you share your device with children. You will need to have a filter installed if you don’t want them to have unlimited access to search results. Google SafeSearch will automatically block explicit content.
SafeSearch blocks content it deems unsafe for children. Although it isn’t perfect, SafeSearch can help children and young people search the internet in a safer manner. To disable SafeSearch, go to the Google search settings menu of your device.
Disabling Google SafeSearch for PC or Mac
It’s easy to disable SafeSearch filtering if you use Google to search on your Mac or PC. This will show you all search results, including explicit ones, for any query you have.
These steps are applicable to any desktop platform provided you use a web browser to search Google. This applies to Windows, Linux, as well as Mac devices.
- Open your browser to the Google Website and then do a search with any query. After the search results have been displayed, click the Settings option button below the search bar.
- Select the Search Settings option from the drop-down menu.
- Make sure you uncheck the SafeSearchcheckbox in the Search Settings This will disable SafeSearch filtering.
- After you have unchecked SafeSearch, scroll down to select Save to save your settings.
The SafeSearch filtering is deactivated immediately. However, you can still check by making a search query that would likely produce explicit results. SafeSearch can still be used if the results are not there.
SafeSearch isn’t foolproof. Occasionally explicit results might still be found in search results. You can verify that SafeSearch is correct by entering any query and checking the top-right corner for search results.
Google labels filtered results pages with a SafeSearchlabel. To disable this listing, follow the steps below.
Disable Google SafeSearch for Mobile Browsers
Google’s mobile search experience is different from that of a PC or Mac user. The search interface and results are optimized for mobile devices. SafeSearch can be disabled for mobile searches. However, it is possible to turn SafeSearch off depending on the way you conduct the searches.
These steps will apply if you are using Google search with your mobile browser. This applies to all Android, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touches users. Google Search app users may need to follow these steps to disable SafeSearch.
- Open the mobile browser of your device to go to the Google website. To search for any query, use the search engine and load a page with search results. Once the hamburger icon has been loaded, click on it at the top-left.
- Select the Settings option from the menu.
- To disable Google SafeSearch filtering, go to the Search Settings menu and click the Show explicit Resultsradio link. This will disable filtering in your browser. To verify that you have disabled filtering in Google Search, you’ll need the steps below. Select the Hide explicit Resultsoption if you want to re-enable SafeSearch.
- After you have disabled Google SafeSearch scroll down and click the Save link to save your settings.
Double-checking that SafeSearch has been turned off on mobile is possible by performing a Google search likely to produce explicit results. These results mean that SafeSearch has been turned off on mobile. Search results will remain uncensored.
Disable Google SafeSearch from the Google Search App for Android
This disables Google SafeSearch in mobile web browsers. It may also apply to Google search results queried via the Google app, depending on whether you are signed in or not.
You can also disable SafeSearch on your Android phone if you prefer to use Google’s app. This works for users who don’t have Google installed on their browsers and wish to disable filtering within the mobile app.
- Android users can open the Google app on Android. Click the More button at the bottom-left to get started.
- Select the Settings option from the Google app menu.
- Select the General option from the Settings
- To disable SafeSearch, click the SafeSearchWhen SafeSearch is turned off, the slider will change to gray.
The settings you make in the Google app settings menu are saved automatically. To check if SafeSearch is turned off, tap back to use the main Google search bar. This will allow you to enter a query likely to produce explicit results.
Google SafeSearch will turn off if the results are clear and uncensored. This allows you to perform unrestricted searches.
Disable Google SafeSearch from the Google Search App for iPhone and iPad
Android device owners can follow the above steps to disable SafeSearch within the Google app. However, for iPhone and iPad users the steps are slightly different.
- Open the Google app on your iPhone/iPad to get started. Tap the profile icon at the top-left of the screen to access the settings menu.
- Select the Settings option from the pop-up menu.
- Select the General option from the Settings menu.
- Select the Search Settings option from the General Menu.
- The pop-up menu will display Google search settings. To disable SafeSearch filtering, tap the Show explicit resumption or Hide explicit result to enable it. To confirm your changes, tap Save.
After you have changed the query, go back to Google Search and use the search bar for an explicit query. SafeSearch will turn off if the results include explicit results. This gives you a complete and unrestricted listing of results for your queries.
Stay Safe Online
You can increase your online safety by leaving Google SafeSearch on. You can switch SafeSearch off but you need to take additional precautions to protect your children. There are apps that allow you to track online activity, and features that lock down your mobile devices.
However, online searches may not be the best way to allow children to surf the web safely. You can switch to a privacy-focused search engine if you are concerned about online tracking. This will limit online tracking and hopefully reduce explicit results.