Windows Tools, Help & Guides

With the many distractions available on a computer, you may want to monitor how your [insert account user type here] uses your computer. In this guide, you’ll learn how enable computer usage information collection and how to view usage reports.

This guide is included as part of the Windows Guides Vista User Accounts and Parental Controls Series. Please visit the main page if you would like to learn why this guide may be useful.

Enable Computer Usage Information Collection

1. Make sure you are logged in as the administrator of the computer
2. Press the Start button and select Control Panel
3. Under User Accounts and Family Safety, click Set up parental controls for any user
4. If prompted, (type your password and) select Continue
5. Click the account you want to add parental controls to
6. Under Activity Reporting:, ensure On, collect information about computer usage is selected
7. Press OK to save these settings

View Computer Usage Reports

To view computer usage reports, do the following:

1. Follow steps 1-5 in the previous example
2. Click View activity reports
   
3. Here you may view visited websites, file downloads, applications run and more