If you’re like me, you want to make sure your kid is safe online whether you are staring over his shoulder or not. As much as we may want to be everywhere our kids are, it’s just not practical. As our children get older, they want more freedom. But how do we keep them safe in this digital world?
When my husband and I decided to get our son a computer for his birthday, I knew I wanted to be able to monitor his activity and have some control over his usage of the computer. Fortunately, I was able to try Microsoft Family Safety. Microsoft Family Safety is a tool that you can download to your child’s computer to help you not only manage screen time but also content availability.
Step 1: Get Started with a Microsoft Account
First, you will want to set up an account for yourself and your child. If you don’t already have an account, head over to the Microsoft account sign-up page and create one. It’s free and pretty straightforward.
Step 2: Download the Microsoft Family Safety App
Next, you want to download the Microsoft Family Safety app on your smartphone. You can find it on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. After the app is installed, sign in with your Microsoft account.
Step 3: Create Your Family Group
Now, create your family group. Open the app and tap on “Add a Family Member.” You’ll need to enter their email address or phone number to send an invite. If your kids don’t have email addresses yet, you might need to set those up first. I haven’t used the one for a phone but, hopefully, it is straightforward as well. Once your kid accepts the invitation, they’ll be part of your family group.
Step 4: Set Up Screen Time Limits
Now that the accounts are all set up, you can start taking advantage of the Microsoft Family Safety features. You can set screen time limits for Windows devices and Xbox consoles. To set up screen time limits, tap on your child’s name in the app, then under the “Screentime” section, select “Manage” for the device you want to set time limits for. Now you can set daily limits for their device. This is great if you want to manage how long your child is on the computer.
Step 5: Configure Content Filters
One of the things I was concerned about, was my son stumbling upon the wrong type of content. Fortunately, Microsoft Family Safety allows you to set age restrictions on the type of content your child can access. This also includes age limits on the types of apps downloaded. In the app, under your child’s name, you can scroll down to “Content Filters” and select “Manage.” You can toggle the selection for “Web and Search Filters.” This option helps protect your child from accessing mature content if they use Microsoft Edge. Also, when you turn on this filter, other frequently used browsers will be blocked because you must use Microsoft Edge for this feature to work.
Additional information
You can also see your child’s web and search activity in the app. There is also a feature where you can add money to your child’s account for purchases. If you want to add a credit card to the account, there is an option that requires your approval for every purchase using credit cards.
Limitations of the App
Android tablets are not supported at all by Microsoft Family Safety, and iPhones and iPads can only use the location-sharing features of the app.