Windows Live Family Safety Filter How to Remove it

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Windows Live Family Safety Filter How to Remove it

Ok so now I ve finished testing it, there is one downside that I ve found that might make it a little more difficult for me as an IT Pro. During testing I ve found a few times that the Windows Live Family Safety Filter will prevent me from doing some basic testing (Pings etc) unless it is signed in. Now given I am administrator on my laptop it s not an issue for me to circumvent this when I need to. however now that I ve done my testing I decided that I want to remove the Windows Live Family Safety Filter. The only problem was that I could not find it in my programs list. After much digging I found it buried under the Windows Live Essentials option.

To remove Windows Live Family Safety Filter on Windows Vista, go to Control Panel > Programs and Features > Windows Live Essentials, and right click on it to select Uninstall/Change

The select Uninstall from the Windows Live screen.

Select Family Safety to remove it.

Once it s all done you get the following dialog box. As a precaution, I decided to reboot my computer even though it did not ask for it.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, April 18th, 2009 at 12:24 pm and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

35 Responses to “Windows Live Family Safety Filter How to Remove it”

Jen H Says:
April 18th, 2009 at 10:54 pm

Seriously. I was having the same trouble. Very much obliged.
Anonymous Says:
April 22nd, 2009 at 9:39 am

it was a program nazi to get rid of.. thanks alot.
Antonius STANCIU Says:
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:35 pm

Dear Sir,

If it is for some consolation to you, your huge waste of time was a blessing for me. Basically, I had the same problem which I could not solve. It is very frustrating when the solution given by the author (Microsoft) does not match what one have on his/her computer (http://help.live.com/help.aspx?project=oc_family_safety&market=en-us&querytype=topic&query=pc_proc_uninstall.htm). Instead, your instructions worked exactly as you described, saving me a lot of time. I really cannot understand why Microsoft decided to make this application (although useful when kids have unattended access to a computer) almost like a virus, not documenting even how to get rid of it, when it is not necessary.
Chapeau!
Afghan Smart Says:
April 24th, 2009 at 1:15 am

Hi guys,
i want to hear from you, that how can i uninstall/remove RWLFSF from Windows XP.
I tried it didnt work, LIKE I WENT TO CONTROL PANEL+WINDOWS LIVE ESSENTIALS+UNINSTALL+CHECK MARKED THE RWLFSF. Not worked ANY IDEA?

Thansk
Hamid Raza Says:
April 24th, 2009 at 7:07 am

Thank u very much man, This family safety program is a big headache.
Bob Says:
April 24th, 2009 at 9:24 pm

You saved me a lot of headache! Thank You!
Maggie Says:
April 26th, 2009 at 9:37 am

Using the control panel I found Windows Live Essentials but though I left or right click to uninstall, I still return to “Windows Live Essentials”. I cannot pull up the screen “Uninstall or Repair Your Windows Live programs”.
I am the administrator for my computer so I don’t know why I can’t get rid of this pesky family safety thing. (Only my 75 year old husband and I use this computer.)
Felisha Says:
April 28th, 2009 at 12:52 pm

I’m having the same problem. I right clicked Windows Live Essentials to uninstall, but nothing happens. The “Uninstall or Repair Your Windows Live Programs” doesn’t come out. This Family Safety is driving me crazy. Please help!
sado0og Says:
April 28th, 2009 at 7:21 pm

i don’t have windows essentials

but i can’t turn off my google search filter

plz help
Mike - Malaysia Says:
April 29th, 2009 at 1:08 am

HELP !!! I’m having the same problem on my Windows Vista except I’ve tried all the prescribed solutions and none of them worked. I could not even remove Windows Live Essential !!!
Mike - Malaysia Says:
April 29th, 2009 at 1:29 am

HELP !!! I’m having the same problem on my Windows Vista except I’ve tried all the prescribed solutions and none of them worked. I could not even remove Windows Live Essential !!!
Anonymous Says:
May 12th, 2009 at 2:49 am

this program is really killing me and i tried many ways to uninstall it but FAILED.. finally i get rid of it! THANKS! =)
Anonymous Says:
May 14th, 2009 at 4:26 am

YOU ARE A GENUIS!!!
homunkulus Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 7:14 pm

I also straggled and wasted many hours to get rid of it. This is really strange that creator of program don’t provide relevant information to turn it off or uninstall it as user wants it. These kind of problems make people paranoid towards any programs, updates, renewals etc. This is much like a trap as you should seek help elsewhere.
Jen Says:
May 21st, 2009 at 8:16 am

What would myself and others do without your ADVISE lol….That family safety was and NO DOUGHT will allways be an annouance to many…If it was not for me finding this page, My computer would of been on my garden lawn. But again thank you…and THANK YOU FOR SAVING MY COMPUTER LOL
Anonymous Says:
May 28th, 2009 at 9:41 pm

thank you so much. you saved me alot of time searching for a solution myself.
Anonymous Says:
June 11th, 2009 at 7:04 pm

thank you soooooo much, brill!
Anonymous Says:
June 16th, 2009 at 12:48 am

Finally it s done
Thank you very much!
Anonymous Says:
June 16th, 2009 at 11:44 pm

remove windows live family safety from desk top now
J Says:
June 17th, 2009 at 1:11 am

I really need help into this problem as well. I try to uninstall this painful software. But I am not getting any response after i click “Uninstall/Change” . Basically, i couldn’t get to the second screen shot you have.
Please help
Anonymous Says:
June 20th, 2009 at 5:14 pm

Stupid program was driving me nuts. As others have said, Microsofts own instructions on uninstalling didn’t work.

Thanks so much for posting this, I’d never have found it in Windows Essentials myself.
I was dying, THANK YOU Says:
June 23rd, 2009 at 11:52 pm

Thanks, man. this also works for XP if you go to MY Computer>Add or remove programs> Windows Live Essentials
or:
Start>Control Panel> Add or remove programs> Windows live essentials
keera Says:
June 26th, 2009 at 11:49 pm

That thing popping up everytime i wanted to get onlne was getting SOOOOOOOOOOOO ANNOYING! i was ready to uninstall everything just to get rid of it. Windows live is cool with the excepton of famiky safety which i don’t have anymore
Anonymous Says:
July 21st, 2009 at 2:46 am

Thanks alot , thats stupid family safety filter is sooo annoying!!
Anonymous Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 6:37 pm

Thankyou SO MUCH!!! The family safety filter was a royal pain in the scrot from the beginning (not to mention the fact it came as an unwanted extra when i installed the new internet explorer), and then today when i tried to log on it started telling me some error code had occurred, and thus, i could no longer use the internet on my own computer… so i tried going through the help etc etc only to read that “there is no support offered for this service.” Woot. But anyways long story short followed your instructions too easy. Thanks again!
KM Says:
July 31st, 2009 at 8:15 am

I was having a major issue with this, not being able to do anything on the net, until my good wife got this info, and we were able to get rid of it in 2 mins…..thank you for sharing…..not many people around like you….bless you…
Anonymous Says:
August 2nd, 2009 at 12:44 pm

how do i reinstall it?
Mel Says:
August 4th, 2009 at 9:38 am

Your a champ, Thanx for your great advise, That program was like a pimple on the ass of my pc! lol . Again ur a champ and thanx!
Kristina K Says:
August 6th, 2009 at 9:35 am

OMG i was freakin out!!! I tried to uninstall it several times but i couldn’t find it…that program is such a pain in the a..
THANKS ALOT!
ZasH Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 9:21 am

Thank you sir, really thank you
Anonymous Says:
August 15th, 2009 at 4:59 am

Thanks so much! That thing has been driving me crazy for months, we don’t even have any kids that are old enough to use the internet and I have no idea hor the damn thing even ended up on the PC in the first place. One things for sure, there are no automatic updates set for our PC now!! Thanks again and bless you!
Ivonne Acosta Says:
August 16th, 2009 at 8:54 am

It is sooooo frustated to have that program in the computer
It is amazing how they can take over your computer.
Thanks again : I
Luis Says:
August 19th, 2009 at 11:36 am

My computer it was not working at all and I we having the same problems thank again
PC Computer Repair Says:
December 15th, 2009 at 5:40 am

What template is this? I would like to use it on my site, did you make it?
Wayne Small Says:
December 15th, 2009 at 11:12 am

This is a custom template that I had designed by a graphic designer and then coded into Wordpress by a wordpress guru.. Sorry it’s copyright to me – you can’t use it I’m happy to refer you to the people who helped design and code it though it you like.

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