On June 3, 2025, users began reporting that Microsoft Family Safety’s recent update was causing Google Chrome to crash or fail to open on Windows devices with parental controls enabled. This issue has significantly impacted educational institutions and families relying on Chrome for daily operations.
Issue Emergence and Scope
The problem surfaced when users noticed that Chrome would briefly appear on the screen before closing without any error messages. Attempts to restart or reinstall Chrome did not resolve the issue. Other browsers, such as Firefox and Opera, remained unaffected. The issue has been reported across various platforms, including Reddit, Microsoft forums, and Google support communities. Notably, the blocking behavior affects users who have not configured Family Safety controls, suggesting an automatic activation of restrictions. ([tomsguide.com](https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/windows-operating-systems/windows-parental-controls-are-crashing-chrome-heres-the-workaround?utm_source=openai))
Technical Analysis
Microsoft Family Safety’s web filtering system is primarily designed for Microsoft Edge. When the Filter Inappropriate Websites setting is enabled, it automatically blocks non-Microsoft browsers like Chrome to prevent circumvention of content filters. This design flaw explains why users across different Windows versions, including Windows 10 and Windows 11, suddenly lost access to Chrome without warning. ([tomsguide.com](https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/windows-operating-systems/windows-parental-controls-are-crashing-chrome-heres-the-workaround?utm_source=openai))
Impact on Educational Institutions
Educational institutions have been severely affected by this issue. School districts report that thousands of student devices are unable to access Chrome browsers, forcing immediate transitions to alternative browsers like Microsoft Edge or Firefox. The Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) configurations that many schools rely on for centralized Chrome deployment and management have become ineffective due to the Family Safety override. Technical support teams are finding that standard administrative bypasses, including modifications to the Windows Registry entries, are not resolving the issue. The Family Safety service appears to maintain its own protected registry hive that supersedes traditional policy configurations. ([tomsguide.com](https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/windows-operating-systems/windows-parental-controls-are-crashing-chrome-heres-the-workaround?utm_source=openai))
Available Workarounds
Several temporary solutions have emerged from the user community:
1. Disabling Web Filtering: Turning off the Filter Inappropriate Websites setting via the Family Safety app or web portal can resolve the issue. However, this disables protection measures, allowing unrestricted web access. ([tomsguide.com](https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/windows-operating-systems/windows-parental-controls-are-crashing-chrome-heres-the-workaround?utm_source=openai))
2. Renaming the Chrome Executable: Renaming the Chrome executable file (e.g., to Chrome1.exe) has allowed users to run the browser while keeping the content filter active. ([tomsguide.com](https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/windows-operating-systems/windows-parental-controls-are-crashing-chrome-heres-the-workaround?utm_source=openai))
3. Switching to Local Accounts: Switching from Microsoft accounts to local accounts bypasses Family Safety restrictions. ([pupuweb.com](https://pupuweb.com/how-to-fix-devastating-microsoft-family-safety-chrome-crash-bug/?utm_source=openai))
4. Enterprise Solutions: Adjusting web filtering settings through Microsoft Entra ID or Endpoint Manager for institutional environments. ([pupuweb.com](https://pupuweb.com/how-to-fix-devastating-microsoft-family-safety-chrome-crash-bug/?utm_source=openai))
Microsoft’s Response
Microsoft has acknowledged the issue through their Family Safety support channels but has not yet provided a definitive timeline for resolution. Temporary workarounds include disabling Family Safety features entirely through the Microsoft Account Family Settings portal or utilizing Chrome’s –disable-web-security launch parameter in conjunction with administrative overrides. However, these solutions compromise the intended security benefits that Family Safety provides. Educational institutions are advised to monitor Microsoft’s Service Health Dashboard for official updates while implementing alternative browser strategies to maintain operational continuity. ([tomsguide.com](https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/windows-operating-systems/windows-parental-controls-are-crashing-chrome-heres-the-workaround?utm_source=openai))
Conclusion
The recent update to Microsoft Family Safety has inadvertently blocked Google Chrome, causing significant disruptions for educational institutions and families. While temporary workarounds exist, they often compromise security measures. Users are encouraged to stay informed through official Microsoft channels for updates on a permanent solution.
