Windows PC

Microsoft Family Safety covers Windows, Xbox and Edge from one dashboard.

Menu names shift between software versions and between phone makers. If a name here does not match what you see, look for something close by rather than assuming the setting is gone.

1. 1

   Create a child account in your family group

   The foundation for everything else.

   family.microsoft.com

   1. Go to family.microsoft.com and sign in with your Microsoft account.
   2. Add a family member, choosing the child option, with their correct date of birth.
   3. On the PC, sign them in with that account and make sure they’re not using yours.

   Who holds this: You set this from your own account, and your child cannot change it back.

   Already done this?

   If the account has an adult birthday on it, you can convert it and lose nothing. Edit the date of birth at account.microsoft.com while it is still classed as an adult, then a family organiser adds them at family.microsoft.com as a Member, then you give consent at login.live.com by choosing I'm a parent or guardian. It stays the same account, so the gamertag, game licences, Game Pass and any Minecraft entitlements all carry over. The one thing that trips people: they have to leave any existing family group first. And Microsoft is explicit that a child cannot edit their own date of birth.

2. 2

   Set content filters

   Blocks adult sites in Edge and sets age ratings for apps and games.

   family.microsoft.com → [your child] → Content filters

   1. Turn on Filter inappropriate websites and searches.
   2. Turn on Only use allowed browsers, which blocks Chrome, Firefox and others.
   3. Under Apps and games, set the age rating limit.

   Recommended by age

   Under 7	Age rating 7, allowed sites only
   7–11	Age rating 7, allowed sites only
   11–12	Age rating 12, adult sites blocked
   13–15	Age rating 12–16, adult sites blocked
   16–17	Age rating 16–18, adult sites blocked

   Who holds this: You set this from your own account, and your child cannot change it back.

3. 3

   Set screen time

   You can set different limits per device, which helps if homework happens on the same PC.

   family.microsoft.com → [your child] → Screen time

   1. Set a schedule for the Windows device.
   2. Add separate app limits if a specific game is the problem rather than the PC itself.

   Who holds this: You set this from your own account, and your child cannot change it back.

4. 4

   Require approval for purchases

   Stops surprise Microsoft Store and game purchases.

   family.microsoft.com → [your child] → Spending

   1. Turn on 'Needs organizer approval to buy things'.
   2. Turn on email notifications for purchases.
   3. Remove any saved card, or use a balance instead.

   Who holds this: You set this from your own account, and your child cannot change it back.

5. 5

   Turn on activity reporting

   A weekly summary is a better conversation starter than a live feed.

   family.microsoft.com → [your child] → Activity reporting

   1. Turn on activity reporting and weekly email summaries.
   2. Tell your child it’s on. Reports work better as a shared thing.

   Who holds this: You set this from your own account, and your child cannot change it back.

Menus move. If something on screen does not match these steps, check the official link above.