Kids can access more entertainment, information, and many ways to connect with their friends and teachers through eLearning apps and tools than ever before. Thanks to this open access, parents are more concerned about how to keep their children safe online, and many of them resort to blocking sites with parental control software, using apps to spy on their online activities.
While this is a good way to keep your kids safe from unwanted websites or content, one of the best ways to keep up with what your kids are doing online is by using account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family
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This guide explains how to set up and use a account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family account to make it easier and safer for your family to interact with each other across platforms and devices.
What is a Microsoft family account?
A account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family account helps families stay connected by keeping kids safe on Windows 10 PCs, Android devices with Microsoft Launcher, and Xbox One devices.
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This is one of the benefits you have if you have a Microsoft account, as it is already built into your Windows 10 and Xbox devices, so it doesn’t require software installation to work. In addition, you can receive reports on your child’s activities, check their location, set screen time limits, manage privacy settings, and limit purchases / expenses. You can also set web filtering restrictions for games or websites that they have access to.
How to set up and manage your Microsoft family account
To create a account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family account, you will need a Microsoft account for yourself and any other adult or child who will be part of the Microsoft family.
- If you don’t have one. for a Microsoft account, go to account.microsoft.com, select Sign In and click Create!
- Select “Get a new email address”, if you would like to create a new email address, click “Next” and follow the instructions to create an account.
account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family Account?”/>
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Once you’ve got your account, sign in and go to family.microsoft.com Click Create Family Group and follow the instructions to set up a Microsoft family account.
How to add members to a family group
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Now that your account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family account is ready, you can use your PC or Xbox One to invite members to join.
Each person you invite will receive an email or text message asking them to accept the invitation to join your family group.
- Sign in to your Microsoft account and click the green Create Family Group button as shown above.
- Under “Add Family Member” in the pop-up window, select “Member” or “Organizer”.
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- Enter the email address or phone number of the person you are adding and click Send Invitation. If the person belongs to a different family group, they must first be removed from that group before they can join yours, or get a new Microsoft account for your family group.
account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family Account?”/>
- Click Finish.
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- If the invitee did not accept your invitation from the text or email you received, you can click Accept next to Pending Member in the Notifications section. This action will log you out so that the other person can sign in to their account and accept the invitation.
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Note. The child will need to click “My parent can sign in now” before they can join the group. Follow the instructions to sign in to your child, select Continue and set up parental controls such as screen time limit, event scheduling, activity reports, website filtering, and more.
How to remove members from a Microsoft family account
How to remove members from your Microsoft family account
You can remove a member from your account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family account if you have an adult account and have given consent. The member’s email address will still exist, but without the restrictions or benefits they had during their time in the group.
- If you’re removing a child, sign in to your Microsoft account and select Manage my child’s profile information.
- Click View Your Family Settings in the Manage Permissions window.
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- In the new window, select a child and click the Remove Consent button for that child’s account.
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- Go back to your family page, click More options> Remove from family under the child’s name and confirm. Do the same to remove the adult to that person’s name.
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- If you are the only adult and want to log out of the family account, first remove the children, find your name, and click Leave Family Group.
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Activity report
account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family Account Features
Report Activity
From your Microsoft family account, you can receive weekly email reports on your child’s device usage and online activity on Windows 10, Xbox One, or Android devices with Microsoft Launcher.
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You can also browse it online at family.microsoft.com and keep track of things like their browsing history, the games and apps they use, the websites they visit, the terms they searched for in search engines. and time spent behind the screen.
Screen Time
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With a account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family Account, you can balance screen time on your child’s smartphone and other activities and get a breakdown of how much time they spend on their devices during the week or by day.
Content filtering
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Content filters help you determine what content your child can receive from the sites they visit, what games they can play, and whether they need your approval before buying from the Microsoft Store. If your child wants exceptions for certain types of content, they must send you a request, and you can respond using their Microsoft family account or email.
Limit apps, games and media
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This feature allows you to set age limits for apps, games, and media so that your child doesn’t end up using inappropriate apps or playing media and games that are rated above their age limit, otherwise they will need your approval.
Block inappropriate websites
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Protect your child from viewing inappropriate adult content on the Internet when using web browsers. After you set an age limit for content, Microsoft automatically blocks many sites, and you can also whitelist or choose which ones to block. You also have the option to only allow your child to visit sites you approve.
Manage Microsoft Store purchases
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Children tend to be impulsive when they see what they like and want to get it right away. To prevent your child from making any purchases in the Microsoft Store without your consent, you can change the spending or purchase preferences in their Microsoft family account and follow their shopping habits, payment methods, and add money to their account on the same platform.
Find your child
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When your child uses a Windows 10 phone or Android device running Microsoft Launcher (version 4.10 or higher), you can see their location at home or on the road and track them remotely. It also shows you their last known location and time, and lets you relax knowing that they are safe and where they should be.
Pros and Cons of account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family Account
The account.microsoft.com/family/about?lang=en-gb&ru=https:%2F%2Faccount.microsoft.com%2Ffamily%3Flang%3Den-gb” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Microsoft Family account is free, but it can restrict access to detailed information about children’s online activities. If you need more parental control software, check out our roundup of apps you can use to spy on your kids’ internet use.
Pros
- Free to use for Windows and Xbox One users.
- Configuration is managed online.
- Can find the child’s device, current and last known location
- Can schedule and set screen usage times and daily limits.
- May block inappropriate media, websites, apps and games based on age.
Pros
- Free to use for Windows and Xbox One device users
- Configuration is managed online
- Child’s device, current location and another can be found Well-known site
- Can schedule and set screen time and daily restrictions
- Can block inappropriate media, sites, apps, and games based on age
Cons
- No support for iOS devices.
- Content filtering is browser agnostic – works with Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer.
- Parents have to create email accounts for children regardless of their age
Cons
- No support for iOS devices
- Content filtering is not browser independent – works with Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer
- Parents have to create Email accounts for children regardless of their age.
Are you using a Microsoft family account? Share your experience with us by leaving a comment in the section below.
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