Microsoft fixes a long-standing browser bug in Windows 10

There is a known bug in Windows 10 that breaks parental controls for third-party browsers. Microsoft is now rolling out a fix for that.

Microsoft ended mainstream Windows 10 support last year, but the operating system still has some known bugs and issues that require patching. One of the bugs is related to parental controls, particularly to how the operating system handles third-party browsers. In June 2025, Microsoft acknowledged a problem with accessing third-party browsers when Web Filtering is enabled, and almost nine months later, the company is finally rolling out a fix.

Web Filtering allows parents or guardians control what kind of content their kids can access in Microsoft Edge. It works as it should if kids use Microsoft Edge, but for every other browser, the system requires parental consent to even launch Chrome, Vivaldi, or something else. The problem was that a newer version of a certain browser could appear temporarily unblocked, giving children unrestricted access.

Now, Microsoft has a fix for that issue. The company has updated its official documentation to clarify that a server-side fix resolved the problem. Server-side fixes usually do not require any action from end users, other than connecting to the internet to receive the patch (they usually do not even require installing a Windows update). Here is what Microsoft says:

Temporary access to unsupported browsers: This issue has been resolved through a service‑side fix. The rollout began early February 2026 and should reach all affected devices over the coming weeks. If your device presented this symptom, please let it connect to the internet to receive the resolution. No other action is required.

Problems with third-party browsers on parent-controlled systems are not the only issue that Microsoft fixed for Windows 10 users. The latest Patch Tuesday update for Windows 10 resolved the problem with certain PCs not being able to shut down or hibernate properly. You can find more details about that here.

Interestingly, as of right now, the only Windows version without a single known bug is the new Windows 11 version 26H1. However, that operating system is not for your PC, as it is only meant for certain devices with new hardware.