Beyond just blocking ads, AdGuard Home is an incredibly powerful parental control tool. You can enforce Google Safe Search and block specific apps (like TikTok or YouTube) entirely at the network level.
Overview
The best part of using AdGuard for parental controls is that it happens invisibly on the router level. You don't need to install restrictive MDM software on your child's iPad that they can figure out how to bypass; if they are on the Wi-Fi, the rules apply.
Step 1: Identifying the child's device
If you turn on Parental Controls globally, it will apply to your phone too. We need to create a specific "Client" inside AdGuard for your child's device.
Find the IP address or MAC address of your child's device (you can usually find this in the device's Wi-Fi settings).
Log into the AdGuard Home dashboard.
Go to Settings > Client Settings.
Click Add Client.
Name it (e.g., "Timmy's iPad").
Enter the device's IP address or MAC address in the Identifiers box.
Click Save.
💡 Tip: Using the MAC address is better than the IP address, because IP addresses can change when the router reboots. The MAC address is permanently tied to the physical device.
Safe Search forces Google, Bing, and YouTube to filter out explicit content, regardless of what settings the child has chosen in the browser.
In the Client Settings list, click Edit next to "Timmy's iPad".
Scroll down to the Settings section.
Check the box for Enforce safe search.
Check the box for Block adult websites (this uses a built-in AdGuard list of millions of adult domains).
Click Save.
Step 3: Blocking specific apps
AdGuard makes it a one-click process to block massive platforms like TikTok, Roblox, or Discord.
While still editing the Client ("Timmy's iPad"), scroll down to the Specific services section.
Check the boxes next to any app you want to block entirely.
Check TikTok to prevent the app from loading videos.
Check YouTube to prevent the site/app from loading entirely.
Check Roblox to prevent the game from connecting to servers.
Click Save.
The block takes effect immediately. If the child opens TikTok on their iPad, it will simply say "No internet connection" or fail to load videos, even though the Wi-Fi is connected.
⚠️ Warning: Remember that these rules only apply while the device is connected to your home Wi-Fi. If your teenager simply turns off Wi-Fi and uses 5G cellular data, the AdGuard rules will be bypassed.
