restrict user to run only a few applications Windows Home edition

Hi. I created a user name titled "Visitor". How can I (without a lot of registry changes) allow Visitor to run only 5 or 6 applications. I have created a unique desktop for Visitor with only those icons. Visitor is not a family member.

Or can I create a unique start menu that only shows the 5 or 6 applications to Visitor?

I found out how to restrict Visitor to one application but not more than one. Windows 10 Home edition.

Thanks!

Hi there

If the Visitor is a casual user a possible scenario would be to create a Virtual Machine and simply install those applications you want the user to run -- this is probably the safest way but could be a bit of overkill.

Another way would be to install a HOME VPN and only present the relevant desktop to your user - also a bit overkill - but both these would be great learning tools !!!!.

Other than that I can't really suggest anything here -- Windows by its nature is a single user system which makes this type of stuff a bit tricky -- I'm sure some Windows Gurus might be able to come up with something.

Windows HOME edition IMO seems a bit basic once you want to do anything a bit more complex than just run typical programs from your own user id.

Controlling Internet is easier -- even just setting up a proxy server for "Visitor" -- plus there's all sorts of options in your Router and Windows Firewall -- but that's a totally different issue.

Cheers
jimbo

dalchina said:

I think using an appropriate security suite is a neat option...

Hi there

actually that's probably a HIDEOUS solution as you are depending on 3rd party software which often fails after update - and to even THINK of installing Mcafee on any HOME computer --'nuf said.

Incidentally instead of PAYING for a security suite to achieve this solution - I think you'd be better off upgrading to W10 PRO and then use standard Group Policy editor.

The trick of getting it to work on W10 HOME - referred to in an above post is neat - but there again those sorts of tricks are likely to stop working at any time after updates etc.

Cheers
jimbo

Thanks very much for your suggestions. What about this idea: move all the entries from the public start menu to that of the administrator start menu. Then add just a few entries into the start menu of the Visitor.

If I understand this correctly, the public start menu entries flow down to all the users. But the users can have additional start menu entries too. I know this works with desktops. If the public start menu has few entries and Visitor's start menu has a few more, would Visitor only show those few apps in its start menu?

I'll give it a try and see what happens. Thanks, again! ~mark

dalchina said:

(Win 7 had a parental control feature that supported this- I believe it was withdrawn in '10- vague memory).

The nearest equivalent is family settings, I believe?
Family Settings - Manage for Child in Windows 10

But seemingly it doesn't allow control on what software can be run, except by age rating.
Plus the user being restricted needs a Microsoft account, which is probably no good for a general Visitor login.