Short answer: On a computer, go to google.com/safesearch and choose Filter. For Bing, open the menu at the top right, then Settings, then More, choose Strict and Save. On YouTube, click your profile photo and turn on Restricted Mode. Each one is a setting you can switch off again yourself, and none of them covers the rest of the web, so the second half of this guide covers what they miss and how to make the setting stick.
Menu names change over time. The steps below were checked against the official Google and Microsoft help pages on 11 Oct 2026.
Google SafeSearch has three states on its help page: Filter, Blur, and Off.
What each does, per Google: Filter blocks all explicit results. Blur blurs explicit images, though explicit text and links can still appear if they are relevant to the search. Off shows all results, which may include explicit content. Available options can vary by country or region.
On a phone or in the Google app, Google's page points you to your profile picture or initial at the top right of the search results, where the SafeSearch setting can be managed. Exact menu names differ between Android and iPhone and between app versions, and we could not confirm them on Google's page, so look for SafeSearch there rather than trusting a fixed path.
If you see a lock icon at the top right of the SafeSearch page, someone else manages the setting and you cannot change it. That is how Google describes the lock. For child accounts managed with Family Link, Google says the default is Filter and only a parent can change it in the Family Link app.
Microsoft describes SafeSearch as a Bing setting that filters out inappropriate web content. Choose Strict if you want the most filtering.
On a computer:
YouTube's help page lists several limits. Restricted Mode may not catch everything, because it relies on signals such as titles, descriptions, and metadata. You cannot view comments on videos while it is on. And it works at the browser or device level, so you must turn it on for each browser, and for each profile, that you use. The mobile app steps were not on the page we could read, so check the YouTube Help article for your phone.
Google says plainly that SafeSearch does not affect content on other search engines or on other websites. So:
SafeSearch is worth turning on because it is free and it removes the easiest routes. Treat it as the first layer, not the whole plan.
A setting you can change alone is easy to change in a weak moment. There are three free ways to take that choice out of your hands.
How do I turn on SafeSearch on Android?
Open Google Search results, tap your profile picture or initial at the top right, and look for the SafeSearch setting. Names can differ by app version, so we do not give a fixed path. On a computer the steps above are certain.
Why is SafeSearch locked?
A lock icon means someone else, such as a Family Link parent, a school, or a network administrator, manages the setting.
Does SafeSearch block porn sites?
No. It filters explicit results from search. Google states it does not affect other websites or search engines.
Do I need to turn it on for each browser?
For YouTube Restricted Mode, yes: YouTube says it works per browser and per profile. For Google and Bing, check the setting on each browser and device you search from.
Everything above works without any app. Mamori is one more layer, not a cure, and it handles the part SafeSearch cannot: the sites themselves.
Honest limits: Android allows only one VPN at a time, so another VPN or blocker that takes the slot can switch Mamori's filter off. For a child's phone, use Screen Time or Family Link as the base layer, since Mamori is built for adults who want to block it for themselves.
There is a 7-day free trial on the monthly and annual plans, plus a one-time lifetime option. No account, no tracking.
Last checked 11 Oct 2026. This guide is general information, not medical advice.