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Xbox Parental Controls

Xbox parental controls run through a free Microsoft family group. Once your child has their own account in your group, you can set screen time, block games above their age, approve purchases and decide who they can talk to. You can manage it on the console, on the web, or from the Xbox Family Settings app on your phone. Here’s how to set it up.

By the CITA Editorial TeamUpdated October 5, 20265 min read

Fast Facts About Xbox Parental Controls

  • A Microsoft family group is free, and it covers Xbox consoles and Windows devices.[1]
  • In the US, Xbox treats ages 8 to 12 as Child and ages 13 to 17 as Teen, each with its own default settings.[3]
  • Kids can see their own privacy and online safety settings, but only an organizer in the family group can change them.[4]
  • With Ask to Buy on, you get a notification when your child wants to buy something they don’t have the money for.[2]
  • The Xbox Family Settings app works with Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.[2]

Step 1: Create a Child Account in Your Family Group

Your child needs their own Microsoft account in your family group. If they’re under the age of majority where you live, the account has to be linked to an adult’s account to use Xbox.[3] On the console:[3]

  1. Press the Xbox button to open the guide, select Profile & system, and sign in.
  2. Go to Profile & system, then Settings, then Account, then Family settings, then Manage family members.
  3. Select Add to family, then Add new.
  4. Enter your child’s email, or select Get a new email to create one. Enter their name, a password and their real date of birth.
  5. Approve the new account as the organizer, on this Xbox or by following the email sent to you.

The date of birth matters. Xbox uses it to decide whether your child gets Child or Teen defaults.[3]

Step 2: Set Privacy and Online Safety

These settings control who can see your child’s profile, who can communicate with them and how others can interact with what they share.[4]

  1. Sign in on the console with your organizer account.
  2. Go to Profile & system, then Settings, then Account, then Family settings, then Manage family members, and pick your child.
  3. Select Privacy & online safety, then Xbox privacy.
  4. Choose the Child, Teen or Adult defaults, or select View details & customize to change each setting.

Your child needs to sign out and back in on the console before the changes apply. You can make the same changes on the web at Xbox.com: select your gamertag, then the More actions button, then Xbox settings, then Privacy & online safety, and pick your child’s gamertag. Select Submit before you leave each tab, or the changes won’t save.[4]

Step 3: Set Screen Time Limits

In the Xbox Family Settings app, you can create a schedule for each child with different hours for each day of the week, and pause their game time temporarily.[2] You can also limit time for specific games and apps, have a notification warn your child before time runs out, and see daily and weekly activity reports.[1][5] Limits you set through your Microsoft family group are shared across your Xbox consoles and Windows devices.[1]

Step 4: Filter Games by Age

You can filter games and apps by ESRB rating, from Everyone up to Adults Only. If your child wants something that’s blocked, they can send a request for you to approve or decline.[1] For what each rating allows, see ESRB ratings explained.

The Family Settings app also lets you make an exception for Minecraft even if your child’s other settings would block it.[2] Our guide to whether Minecraft is safe for kids covers its own chat and server settings.

Step 5: Control Spending

  • Ask to Buy: turn it on, and you’ll get a notification in the app when your child asks to buy a game, an app or something inside a game that they don’t have the money for.[2]
  • Allowance: add money to your child’s account from the app. You decide how much they can spend, and it can go toward games, in-game items or apps.[2]
  • Purchase history: keep track of what’s been bought through your order history.[1]

Many games sell items with real money. Read our guide to loot boxes and game spending before you add an allowance.

Friends, Chat and Multiplayer

You can allow or block your child’s ability to join online multiplayer games, create and join clubs, broadcast their gameplay, add friends and chat. You also choose who can communicate with your child and who can see what they’re watching or playing.[1]

  • Friend requests: let your child “Ask a parent” before adding a friend, or remove friends they follow.[2]
  • Problems with other players: your child can mute or block other players and report bad behavior.[1]

Settings like these only work if your child tells you when something feels wrong. Promise that telling you won’t cost them the console, so they don’t hide it. For the warning signs, see our guide to online grooming.

Take the 2-Minute Game Danger Check

Pick the game your child plays most and answer a few questions about chat, voice and spending. You’ll get a risk score and the settings to change. Start the Game Danger Check

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Xbox Family Settings free?

Yes. A Microsoft family group is free, and the Xbox Family Settings app is a free download for iPhone and Android.[1][2]

What ages count as Child and Teen on Xbox?

In the US, Child is ages 8 through 12 and Teen is ages 13 through 17. The ranges vary by country.[3]

Can my child change their own Xbox settings?

No. Kids can see their privacy and online safety settings, but only an organizer in the family group can change them.[4]

How do I stop my child from buying things on Xbox?

Turn on Ask to Buy, so purchases they can’t pay for come to you for approval, and add only the allowance you want them to spend.[2]

Can I limit Xbox time from my phone?

Yes. In the Xbox Family Settings app, you can set a schedule for each day of the week and pause game time.[2]

Do Xbox settings cover Minecraft?

Minecraft uses the same Microsoft account, and the Family Settings app can allow Minecraft even when other content is blocked.[2] See our Minecraft guide for its own settings.

Sources

  1. Xbox. (n.d.). Xbox family settings: Peace of mind for parents. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  2. Xbox. (n.d.). Xbox Family Settings app. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  3. Xbox Support. (n.d.). Create a child account and add family members on Xbox. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  4. Xbox Support. (n.d.). Manage Xbox online safety and privacy settings. Accessed October 4, 2026.
  5. Xbox Support. (n.d.). Xbox Family Settings app. Accessed October 4, 2026.

About this information

Xbox, Microsoft, Minecraft and other product names mentioned on this page are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. We are not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by those companies, and we use their names only to identify the products we discuss. This information reflects our understanding, based on public sources, as of the last update to this page.

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