Most parents with an Xbox at home never open the Family Settings app on their phone. That's a missed opportunity. Once you set it up—which takes about 10 minutes—you can control screen time limits, block purchases, restrict who your child can message, and see what they're playing. You don't need to sit over their shoulder. You just need the app.
Why Family Settings matters
Xbox is social. Your child can message friends, join group chats, and stream what they're playing. They can also spend money on games, skins, and season passes without asking. If you're paying the bill or buying the console, Family Settings lets you stay in the loop without being in the room.
> Set it up once, check it once a month, and you'll catch problems before they become expensive or concerning.
It's not surveillance—it's a guardrail. And it's built into the system, so there's no app to buy or extra steps to learn.
What you can control
Family Settings lets you:
- Set daily screen time limits — for instance, 2 hours on school nights, 3 hours at weekends.
- Block purchases entirely or require your approval — so a £15 game skin needs your permission before it goes through.
- Restrict who they can message — friends only, no group chats, or friends of friends.
- Filter content by age rating — block anything rated for ages 16+ if you choose.
- See what they're playing — a monthly report shows their top games and total playtime.
- Set curfews — the console turns off at a set time each night.
You control all of this from your phone, even if you're not at home.
How to set it up
On your phone
- Download the Xbox app from your phone's app store (iOS or Android). It's free.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account. (If you don't have one, create one—it takes 2 minutes.)
- Tap Family at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Create a new member.
- Choose Child account (not adult).
- Enter your child's name, date of birth, and email address. The email doesn't need to be checked regularly; it's just for the account.
- You'll be given a joining code (usually 8 digits).
On the Xbox console
- At the Xbox home screen, press the Xbox button on the controller.
- Go to Settings → Account → Add or manage family members.
- Select Add to family.