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Parental controls are a convenient way to let your child enjoy playing video games without making it a problem or at the expense of their studies. If your child has Xbox, you can access this balance using the Xbox Family Settings app.


Here’s how to set up and use it.


Set up a family account

You can set up a family account in the Family Settings app. Think of the family account as the hub of you and your family members’ individual accounts, all linked under one.

You must first install the Xbox Family Settings app on your smartphone and add family members to your family account. And then do the following:

  1. In the Xbox Family Settings app, navigate to the Family tab.
  2. Tap Add child.
  3. Tap either Create a new account or Add existing account.
  4. For existing accounts, simply enter the email address or phone number of the account you want to add, then tap Send invitation. The recipient must agree to join your Xbox Family.
  5. Tap on . to create a new account Next and enter the desired email address. Type your desired password and follow the on-screen instructions until you press Send invitation.

To join your family, the recipient must accept the invitation via their email address. Sometimes this can be a bit buggy so you are encouraged to try several times and if you still have no luck contact Xbox Support.

to download: Xbox Family Settings for Android | iOS (free)

Set content restrictions

Video games can have themes beyond what a child can process and understand, so you may want to set limits on how long your child can play and what types of games. To do this:

  1. Open the Xbox Family Settings app and navigate to the Family tab.
  2. Tap your child’s Member account.
  3. Tap Content Restrictions.
  4. Tap Allow age-appropriate content [user’s age] and then set the age rating you want to give. You can leave your child’s age or let him play games 18+ in advance. Just be sure to trust them with this, if so.
  5. You can also control who can see your child’s community creations (photos, videos) from – Everybody, Friends onlyor Blocked.

There are even more options on the Settings tab of the Content Restrictions section. You can decide whether your child can add friends or join parties without approval.

You can also use filters on their posts for more control over their posts. There are many more features in this section that you can control to keep your child safe online.

Not all video games have to be violent and inappropriate; there are some healthy choices such as video games that you can play with your parents and that you can also play with your kids to share the fun they have with gaming.

Manage your child’s expenses

You can use the Xbox Family Settings app to manage your child’s spending habits. The user interface makes this very easy and accessible, and you can do it in the following steps:

  1. Open the Xbox Family Settings app and navigate to the Family tab.
  2. Tap your child’s Member account.
  3. Scroll down and tap expenses.
  4. Next Account Balancetap Add money to give your child a budget to spend.
  5. Next expensestap Ask to buy until on using the toggle bar. This means that your child must have purchases approved by you when they need help.
  6. Finally, on the Expense history section, tap [Name]’s Settings and turn Activity reports until on.

With this setup, you have more control and supervision over the money your child spends on Xbox. If you have extended family members, learn how to share games on Xbox One to see if sharing your game libraries can save you and your family members.

Keep in mind that they can still buy with money in their Microsoft account, but you’ll be notified for something else. If they’re the crafty type who likes to undermine parental controls, having activity reports can help you keep track of their spending habits.

Request management and online interaction

You can use the Xbox Family Settings app to track your child’s online friends and interactions. Your child may also request that you send more screen time or buy a game, which can make it easier for you to interact with your app.

These come through as notifications, where you can allow the request they ask or deny it.

Use the family settings app to keep your child safe online

The Xbox Family Settings is a great way to use parental controls to keep your family members safe while playing online. It is a very accessible app and easy to pick up.

Setting up this app is one of the few things you should do before giving your kids an Xbox One. Between this app and Xbox’s privacy settings, your child should have no issues online.