Microsoft Family Safety is Microsoft’s parental control and family management service. It connects family members’ Microsoft accounts in a family group. Parents can then set screen time limits, filter web and app content, manage children’s spending and review how devices are used. The Microsoft Family Safety app runs on Android, iOS and Windows. The Microsoft account family page lets users manage the same settings in a web browser. The controls themselves act on Windows PCs, Xbox consoles, Android phones and the Microsoft Edge browser.
Family groups and the organizer role
Everything in Family Safety starts with a family group. Family organizers are the group’s administrators. Organizers invite other people, remove members, and set limits and permissions. They also give or withdraw parental consent for a minor’s account and view activity for members whose reporting is turned on. A group can have more than one organizer.
Members can be any age. For a child, the controls only take effect once the child’s device is connected to their Microsoft account. On a Windows PC the child is allowed in from the family section of Windows account settings. The child then signs in, preferably as a standard user rather than an administrator. On Xbox the child’s account is added to the console. On an Android phone the child installs the Family Safety app, signs in and grants the app’s permissions. Members can then use the app to ask for more time or request approval for a purchase.
Device and app time limits
Microsoft Family Safety handles screen time at two levels. Device limits set how long and during which hours a child can use a Windows PC, an Xbox console or an Android phone. For each day, the organizer chooses time ranges and a total number of hours. The organizer then copies the schedule to other days or to every day. Organizers configure limits per device. On Xbox, time counts whenever the child is signed in to the console, even if someone else is playing.
App and game limits target individual programs on Windows, Xbox and Android. An organizer picks an app or game and sets a daily allowance and permitted hours. They can apply one rule to every day or a separate schedule for each day. These limits do not cover websites, so an app’s settings include an option to block the websites related to it. When a child runs out of time, they can send a request and the organizer decides whether to grant more.
Web, search and app filters
Web and search filtering in Family Safety works through Microsoft Edge. With the filter on and the child signed in to their Microsoft account, Family Safety blocks mature websites by default. It also filters Bing searches. Family Safety blocks other browsers on the device to prevent bypassing the filter. An organizer can unblock one manually if needed. Organizers can keep their own lists of always-allowed and always-blocked sites or switch to an allow-only mode. This mode limits children to approved websites and includes an option to always allow educational sites.
App and game filters apply an age limit to each family member on Windows and Xbox, so content rated above that age needs approval. When a child wants a mature app or game from the Microsoft Store, the organizer gets a request. Organizers can also block individual apps outright from the Apps, features, and games list on the member’s Windows, Xbox or Mobile tab. This includes AI assistants such as Copilot. Organizers must repeat this for each app, platform and child.
Spending controls
Parents can add money to a child’s Microsoft account for Microsoft Store and Xbox purchases such as games, movies and in-app items. A child without a payment card can spend only that balance and cannot overdraw the account. If an organizer adds a card to the child’s payment methods, a Require approval for every purchase switch decides whether each card purchase needs sign-off. Purchases above the child’s age limit always need approval. Requests arrive as phone notifications and in the app’s notification feed. An optional setting sends a notice for every purchase the child makes.
Activity reports
Activity reporting shows organizers what happens on a child’s connected Windows, Xbox and Android devices. Reports show which apps and games a child used and for how long. They also list websites visited in Edge, terms searched with Bing, and attempts to open blocked sites or apps. Daily and weekly screen time summaries show when and how long the devices were used. Only organizers can turn on or view reporting. They turn it on separately for Windows, Xbox, Web safety and Mobile. Activity in browsers other than Edge cannot be reported.
Location features being removed
Microsoft’s Family Safety help pages state that the app’s location and driving safety features are going away. These include saved places and alerts when a family member arrives or leaves.
