How to Block Games on Windows 11 (Roblox, Minecraft and others)

The cleanest way to block a specific game is Microsoft Family Safety's app and game limits, which require Microsoft accounts for the parent and the child. If you use a local Windows account, use a standard user for the child, uninstall the game so it cannot be reinstalled without an administrator password, and optionally block the game's executable with a Windows Firewall rule. No method survives a child who has administrator rights.

This guide covers four practical methods, what each one actually blocks, and where it fails. It is written for a parent who wants fewer fights, not a hidden surveillance tool.

Method 1: Microsoft Family Safety app limits (best for a specific game)

Family Safety can limit a particular app or game, not just total computer time. It works with Microsoft accounts: the child signs in to Windows with the account that is in your family group.

1. Open the family settings. Sign in at family.microsoft.com with the parent account and select the child.
2. Open Apps and games. Find the game in the list. If it is not listed, use the option to add an app by name and choose the installed game.
3. Set the limit. Set a zero or very small time limit for that game, or use the block option if your account shows one. The exact wording depends on the Microsoft account and region.
4. Sync the child's PC. The child must be signed in with the Microsoft account, the PC must be online, and the change must reach the device. Sign out and back in if the change does not appear.
5. Test it. Open the game as the child. You should see the limit or the block. If nothing happens, see the Family Safety troubleshooting guide.

Method 2: A standard account and uninstall the game

This is the simplest local-account method. A standard user cannot install software or change system settings without an administrator password.

1. Make the child a standard user. Settings → Accounts → Family & other users → change the account type to Standard user. The parent account stays an administrator.
2. Uninstall the game from the child's account. Use Settings → Apps → Installed apps. For a Microsoft Store game, uninstall it from the Store library.
3. Do not give the child the administrator password. Without it, the child cannot reinstall the game or change the account type.
4. Check for browser versions. Some games have a web version. A system-wide site filter or a DNS filter covers those; a game uninstall does not.

This blocks installation, not every possible copy. A portable game on a USB stick, a browser game or a game on another device can still be used. Combine it with a total time limit for the PC.

Method 3: A Windows Firewall rule (stops online play)

Windows Firewall can block an app's internet access. For an online game such as Roblox, that usually stops the game from connecting to its servers. It does not stop an offline game, and a child with administrator rights can disable the rule.

1. Open Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Advanced settings.
2. Choose Outbound rules → New rule → Program.
3. Select the game's executable. For Roblox this is usually RobloxPlayerBeta.exe in the Roblox version folder. For Minecraft Bedrock it is usually Minecraft.Windows.exe; for Minecraft Java, blocking javaw.exe may also affect other Java programs.
4. Choose Block the connection, apply it to all profiles, give the rule a clear name and save it.
5. Test the game. If it still connects, the game may use another executable or a launcher; check the rule and the game's current install folder.
6. Remove or disable the rule when you want to allow the game again.

Method 4: A total time limit for the whole PC

Sometimes the goal is not "block Roblox forever" but "no games before homework" or "one hour a day". A device-level time limit is easier to explain and harder to argue with than a per-game block.

ScreenRhythm's free plan sets a daily limit, breaks, a weekly schedule and a screen lock for the whole Windows PC. The child sees the countdown; Pro adds extra-time requests, the site filter and the phone panel. It does not block one specific game — it limits total computer time. If per-game blocking is essential, use Family Safety app limits or a firewall rule together with it.

Which method should you use?

What actually works in practice

• Keep the child on a standard account. This is the foundation. Without it, every other rule is optional for the child.
• Use two layers. A per-game limit plus a total time limit is harder to bypass than either one alone.
• Explain the rule. A block that appears without warning creates a workaround contest. A visible schedule and an agreement reduce it.
• Check the other devices. A PC rule does nothing if the game is also on a phone, tablet or console.

Questions

ScreenRhythm is our product. We describe Microsoft Family Safety and other options honestly, including where they fit better. This article is general information, not legal advice. Microsoft changes its settings and wording; check the current Microsoft documentation if a screen looks different.