eero's parental controls are Profiles. All eero users can create Profiles: on the Home tab scroll to Profiles, tap Add a Profile, name it, pick devices and tap Done. A device can belong to only one profile, so give a shared device such as the family TV its own profile. From a profile you can schedule pauses, pause manually with Pause profile and Resume profile, and track data use. You can pause a single device too by locating it and tapping Pause device. A paused device still connects to the wifi and shows online, but cannot browse and shows a pause page in a browser; a blocked device cannot join the network at all, even with the right password. Deleting a profile leaves its devices unassigned and unpauses them.
The checks in more detail
eero Plus adds content filters and blocking of apps and sites, and Unassigned Device Control applies filters to guest and unrecognized devices, including phones that rotate their MAC address for privacy. Some Profiles features do not work in bridge mode. If a filter is not working, check that the device is in the profile, that the schedule is enabled and that a VPN or private DNS is not bypassing it. Start with schedules rather than blocking: a bedtime pause for children's tablets is simple, effective and easy to explain. Give each child a profile named for them, add all of their devices, and check the app after adding a new phone, since new devices arrive unassigned.
Talk to the family about the rules so the pause does not look like a fault.
Differential
Likely causes of “eero mesh wifi parental controls or schedules are not working”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The device is not in a profile
What separates it The schedule does not apply because the device has not been added to the profile
How to confirm Add the device to the profile, since a schedule only affects the devices in its profile
- 2
A device rotates its MAC address
What separates it The filters miss the device because it rotates its MAC address regularly
How to confirm Use Unassigned Device Control with eero Plus, which applies filters to unrecognized devices
- 3
Bridge mode
What separates it Profiles are limited because the eero is running in bridge mode
How to confirm Switch the eero back to Automatic, so that it routes the traffic and can apply profiles
- 4
A schedule is off
What separates it No pause happens because the schedule for the profile is switched off
How to confirm Enable the schedule in the profile, and check its days and its times
- 5
A VPN or private DNS
What separates it The filters are bypassed because a VPN or private DNS on the device hides its traffic
How to confirm Turn the VPN off on that device, or set it up so the eero can still see its traffic
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The profile and the devices that are in it
- The schedule that you set and the time zone of the home
- Whether eero Plus is active on the network
- Whether the network is in bridge mode
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCreate a profile
ReversibleCreate a profile by going to the Home tab and choosing Add a Profile, then name it.
Add devices
ReversibleAdd devices to the profile, remembering that each device can belong to only one profile.
Set a schedule
ReversibleSet a schedule for the profile, which pauses its devices on a repeating basis that you choose.
Pause manually
ReversiblePause the profile manually with the pause button, if you want to stop the internet at once.
Check Unassigned devices
ReversibleCheck Unassigned devices, which you can filter with eero Plus, for devices not in any profile.
Test
ReversibleTest a paused device, by trying to browse on it, and check that the schedule works.
Adjust
ReversibleAdjust the profile by resuming it or editing it, whenever your plans for the household change.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Bridge mode
- eero says some Profiles features do not work in bridge mode.
- eero Plus
- Content filters and app blocking need an eero Plus subscription.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models eero Pro 6E, eero Pro 6, eero 6, eero Pro (2nd generation), eero Outdoor 7.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a paused device still browses, check for a VPN and its profile
- !If Profiles are missing in the app, update the app to the newest version
- !If content filters need Plus, subscribe or use another method
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Creating profiles and adding devices.
Pause profile, pause device and blocked devices.
Scheduling pauses.
Filtering unrecognized devices.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What are Profiles?+
Groups of devices for scheduling and filtering.
Can a device be in two profiles?+
No, a device can be in only one profile at a time, so choose the right one.
What is the difference between pause and block?+
A paused device joins but cannot browse; a blocked one cannot join.
Do Profiles need eero Plus?+
Basic Profiles do not; content filters do.
What is Unassigned Device Control?+
It applies filters to guest and unrecognized devices.
Do they work in bridge mode?+
Some features do not work in bridge mode, so use Automatic mode for full profiles.
What happens when I delete a profile?+
Its devices become unassigned and unpaused.
Can I pause one device?+
Yes, you can pause one device, by choosing Pause device in the app.
How do I schedule?+
Use schedules in Profiles, which pause the profile's devices at times that you choose.