Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteApple Screen Time is the better fit for managing a child’s Mac itself. Google Family Link can supervise a child’s Google Account and apply some web controls in Chrome on a Mac, but those Chrome controls stop applying if the child signs out, switches Chrome profiles, or uses another browser. Families can use both: Screen Time for Mac controls and Family Link for Google-account settings.
What can parental controls on a MacBook actually cover?
On a Mac, Apple Screen Time can manage Mac use through schedules, app limits, website access controls, activity summaries, and content and privacy restrictions. Google Family Link has a narrower role on this computer: it manages a supervised Google Account and can apply certain web settings in Chrome while the child is signed in.
The practical distinction is the scope of control. Screen Time is intended for a child’s Apple devices, subject to feature and account setup. Family Link’s Mac-specific controls are for Chrome—not for the whole computer. [Apple’s parental controls overview; Google’s Chrome guidance]
What Apple Screen Time can do on a Mac
Apple recommends setting up a separate Mac user account and Apple Account for a child. A parent or guardian can manage the child’s Screen Time through Family Sharing, or configure Screen Time from the child’s Mac account if the family does not use Family Sharing. [Apple: Set up a Mac for your kid]
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →#1 Best Overall
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
Depending on the child’s account, whether App & Website Activity is enabled, and the family’s software and device setup, Screen Time can let a parent:
- Set schedules for when apps are available and time allowances for app use.
- Limit access to apps and websites, while keeping selected apps available during paused periods.
- Review usage summaries and adjust or pause use.
- Restrict content, purchases, downloads, privacy settings, apps, or device features.
- Use supported features for managing communications and enabling Communication Safety.
Apple notes that available Mac Screen Time options depend on Apple Account sign-in, App & Website Activity, and whether a parent or guardian manages the child through Family Sharing. Controls and cross-device continuity also vary by feature and supported device. [Apple: Change Screen Time settings on Mac; Apple: Explore parental controls]
Rank #2
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
What Google Family Link can do in Chrome on a Mac
A child can sign in to Chrome on a Mac with a supervised Google Account. Family Link can then try to block explicit sites, allow or block specific websites, and manage some website permissions. Google cautions that no explicit-content filter is perfect. [Google: Chrome & your child’s Google Account]
Those settings are conditional on the child using the supervised account in Chrome. Google says that on Windows, Mac, and Linux, signing out of Chrome, switching profiles, or using another browser takes the child to a browsing experience where Family Link’s Chrome settings do not apply. [Google: Chrome & your child’s Google Account]
Rank #3
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
Family Link can manage Google Account settings and Google services such as Chrome, Search, YouTube, and Play. On supported devices, it can also approve or block Google Play apps, set screen-time limits, remotely lock a device, and provide device location. These device-level features should not be treated as Mac controls: Google lists Android, Chromebook, and compatible Fitbit devices—not Mac—for full device supervision. Google also says parents cannot remotely listen to a child’s calls or see the child’s screen. [Google: Manage parental controls; Google: Get started with Family Link; Google: Set up supervision to continue using your Google Account]
Screen Time vs. Family Link on a Mac
| What you need | Apple Screen Time on Mac | Google Family Link on Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Limit general Mac app use or schedule downtime | Documents schedules and app limits, with options dependent on account and feature setup. [Apple] | Mac guidance covers Chrome controls, not full-device app limits or device locking. [Google; Google] |
| Filter websites | Provides app and website access controls and content restrictions on supported Apple devices. [Apple] | Can filter or manage sites in Chrome while the child uses the supervised account; other profiles, browsers, or signed-out sessions are outside that setting. [Google] |
| Manage a Google Account and Google services | Not Screen Time’s main purpose. | Manages the supervised Google Account and supported Google-service settings. [Google] |
| Manage settings across family devices | Family Sharing supports parent or guardian management for a child; supported settings can extend to supported Apple devices, depending on feature and device. [Apple; Apple] | Full device supervision depends on using a supported Android, Chromebook, or compatible Fitbit device; Mac is not listed as a fully supervised device. [Google] |
Which one should you use?
- Choose Screen Time for Mac-wide limits. It is the relevant option for schedules, app and website restrictions, and content or privacy settings on a child’s Mac.
- Use Family Link for Google-account supervision. It manages the child’s Google Account and can apply web controls in Chrome on the Mac when the child is signed in to the supervised account.
- Use both when the family needs both scopes. Set up Screen Time for the computer and Family Link for Google services, without assuming Family Link covers other browsers or the Mac’s general apps.
How to set them up
Set up Apple Screen Time
- Create or use a separate Mac user account and Apple Account for the child, as Apple recommends.
- Use Family Sharing if you want a parent or guardian to manage the child’s Screen Time, or configure Screen Time from the child’s Mac account.
- Review the available settings on that Mac. Options can depend on Apple Account sign-in, App & Website Activity, and Family Sharing setup. [Apple: Set up a Mac for your kid; Apple: Change Screen Time settings on Mac]
Set up Family Link for Chrome on a Mac
- Make sure the child has a supervised Google Account.
- Sign the child into Chrome on the Mac with that account.
- Configure Chrome and web controls in the Family Link app, and treat them as Chrome-specific settings—not controls for every browser or Mac app. [Google: Chrome & your child’s Google Account; Google: Manage parental controls]
Feature availability and interface labels can change with macOS, Chrome, account configuration, and region. Check the current setup screens and eligibility requirements for your family’s devices.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- FAST RUNS IN THE FAMILY — The 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro or M5 Max chip brings next-generation speed and powerful on-device AI to personal, professional, and creative tasks. With all-day battery life, double the starting storage,* and a breathtaking Liquid Retina XDR display, it’s pro in every way.*
- BUCKLE UP — Along with a next-generation CPU, faster unified memory, and up to 2x faster SSD storage,* M5 Pro and M5 Max feature a more powerful GPU with a Neural Accelerator built into each core, delivering faster AI performance and on-device training capabilities. So you can blaze through demanding workloads at mind-bending speeds.
- BUILT FOR AI — Apple silicon, and every major component that powers it, is designed to run demanding on-device AI workloads like LLM inference and training. And Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
- ALL-DAY BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Pro delivers the same exceptional performance whether it’s running on battery or plugged in.*
- MACOS RUNS APPS FAST — All your go-to apps run lightning fast in macOS, including built-in apps like FaceTime and Messages. Plus, built-in virus protection and free software updates help keep your Mac running smoothly and securely.
Rank #4
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
