Xbox parental controls
Solid controls, in the wrong place: the settings parents most want are in a phone app and on the web, not on the console in front of them.
- Time
- 18 minutes
- Difficulty
- Straightforward
- Where
- The Xbox Family Settings phone app, or account.xbox.com
- Checked
- 2026-08
Before you start: An adult Microsoft account and a child Microsoft account in the same Family Group.
Do this
- Install the Xbox Family Settings app, or open account.xbox.com/settings
- Sign in with your adult Microsoft account
- Add your child to your Microsoft Family Group if they are not in it
- Choose the child, then set screen time, content and communication limits
The settings that matter
| Setting | Younger child | Teenager |
|---|---|---|
| Screen time schedulesPer-day limits and allowed hours across Xbox and linked Windows PCs. | Set per-day windows rather than one weekly total | Agree the schedule together, then set it |
| Content restrictionsFilters games and apps by age rating. | Match to their actual age, not the age of the games their friends have | Set the rating ceiling and discuss exceptions |
| Online safety and communicationControls multiplayer access, chat, and who can send friend requests. | Friends only, voice off | Friends only is still the right default |
| Ask to buyRequires your approval for purchases. | On | On |
What this does not do
- Microsoft states plainly that the Family Settings app has no web content filter — it filters by age rating only.
- Controls follow the Microsoft account, so they reach a Windows PC only when the child is signed in to the same account there.
What people get wrong
- Trying to set screen time from the console. It cannot be done there — it is app and web only.
Checked against Xbox screen time support
in 2026-08. Platforms change these settings often — if what you see does not match, the platform’s own
page is the authority, and we would be glad to be told.