The Xbox Console is part of many families, and managing it from the console is a tough job. That’s where the Xbox Family Settings app comes into the picture. Similar to the Microsoft Family app for PC, this Xbox App allows you to manage settings for your kid. In this post, we look at how the app works, its benefits, and its drawbacks.
How to use the Xbox Family Settings app
I have been using Windows Family features for a long time. It allowed me to ensure that the inappropriate content didn’t reach his computer and that he didn’t overuse it. It gives a detailed analysis of what he has been using and where he has been going. There are a few drawbacks, but it works out in the end.
Xbox is a bit hard to manage because everything is deep in the menus and settings. It’s a console, not a PC, so things are not straightforward. That’s where the Xbox Family Settings app rolls in.
1] Setup
While it loads up Family Settings as soon as you sign in, even if you are doing it for the first time, you can add kids’ accounts right from the app. However, adding him here will not add him to Xbox; that is something you will have to do on the console. Whenever you do that, it will instantly apply all your settings here.
You can set screen time and manage what games to play and their spending. There are more, which we have talked about in the features section.
Having done that, the dashboard will offer your list of kids in the account along with their gamertag, current usage, and the organizers. You have quick access to notifications and settings.
2] Managing Kids using the app
Tap on the kid’s account, and it will instantly display three things—Screen time, Content Restrictions, and Friends.
Screen Time: The progress bar shows the total usage of both Xbox and Windows. Right under the progress bar is the schedule, which displays the amount of time set for the account. You can tap on it to set the days of the week, time limit, and time range for the console usage.
Note: You cannot set a limit for PC from here. You will have to use Family Safety App.
Content Restrictions: This section allows you to configure the content based on age, followed by list individual games that have been allowed based on age or on the console. There is a small problem here. You cannot block individual games from here.
Next, if you click on the cog icon at the top right, you can configure social, multiplayer, cross-network play, an option for clubs, and so on.
Friends: This feature makes sure kids don’t fall into strangers’ tap. You can choose who they can accept and if they can play online games with them.
Grant Screen Permission: It was one of the most requested features which I always wanted for PC. Usually, the kids needed to make a request, which sent out an email that you needed to confirm; there were too many steps. Now you get a request in the mobile app, and you can proactively grant your child more screen time.
3] Features of Xbox Family Settings
Here is a summary of the list of features you get with Xbox Family Settings:
- Accept or decline friends
- Screen time limits can be set differently for every day
- Content filters based on age allow kids to play games without much of a permission issue
- Play and communication settings such as multi-layer, cross-network
- Activity reports let you view daily and weekly activity reports for each child to understand how they are spending their time on Xbox
Conclusion and Drawbacks of Xbox Family App
There was no need for the Xbox Family App when the Microsoft Family Settings app does most of the heavy lifting. I do get that not everyone has a PC or an Xbox, but this is something easy to detect. As soon as I logged into Xbox App, it can figure out child accounts as it is connected to Microsoft Family.
The Xbox App also shows PC usage, which is pointless. If I don’t use a PC and only use a Mac, then I would not need it. The app doesn’t allow me to block games; instead, I need to use the Family Safety app to block them. Simply put, Microsoft should merge the apps and have a dedicated Xbox and PC section.
While it’s great to have the Xbox Family App, it is still work in progress. If nothing else, you can quickly grant permission without leaving your bed or from anywhere you wish. Download it from Microsoft.
