Michael Guy
Digital wellbeing
You probably don’t need us to tell you that kids love gaming. With an estimated three-quarters of US under-18s playing video games weekly, chances are your child enjoys playing games on their console, PC, or mobile too. Playstation and Xbox lead the way for console gaming with Xbox having approximately 100 million users worldwide; 10% of which are children.
Now, gaming has evolved a lot over the last 20 years. Most mainstream games today boast incredible, life-like visuals and offer fully immersive experiences that can keep children entertained for days, weeks, or even months. The online nature of modern gaming allows your child to play their favorite games with friends and make new ones around the world.
However, parents need to be aware of the potential dangers of gaming online and use parental control tools like the Xbox Family Settings app to ensure their children have a fun and safe time.
To help you, we’ll go through our top tips to get the best out of the Xbox Family Settings app.
What is Xbox Family Settings?
The Family Settings app was launched by Xbox in 2020 to create a safer gaming experience for families. It helps parents manage and safeguard their child’s Xbox activities by allowing them to set daily limits for their child’s playing time, see activity reports, filter access to mature content, limit online communication, and more, from their mobile devices.
How to use Family Settings to keep your child safe on Xbox
1. Download the app and create an account
The app can be downloaded to your (the parent’s) mobile device for free from the Google Play Store and App Store. You’ll then have to create an account or sign in to an existing Microsoft account.
2. Add your child
Now you need to add your child to your Microsoft Family. You can create a child account or invite them to your Family if they already have an account.
Make sure you enter their birthdate correctly so it registers as a child account!
3. Create screen time rules
You can now set a gaming schedule for your child by customizing each day of the week with different time ranges. You can change these settings on the fly to allow more or less screen time, and even pause your child’s gaming instantly.
With activity reports, you’ll get an overview of your child’s gaming activity so you can see which games they are playing and how much time they’re spending on them.
4. Set restrictions on inappropriate games
By default, your child will only be able to access games and other content with a rating appropriate for their age. You can change this as you see fit in Settings > Content restrictions.
You can also choose to allow or block multiplayer gaming. If you choose to block, there’s an option to make an exception for Minecraft.
5. Monitor your child’s interactions
With online gaming, one of the biggest fears for parents is that their child might interact with strangers and become a victim of cyberbullying or predation.
To safeguard your child, Family Settings allows you to:
- View their friend list and block problematic users
- Prevent them from adding friends without your approval
- Choose who they can communicate with on Xbox Live (Everyone, Friends only, or No one)
- Filter the content of their messages based on your preferences.
6. Manage your child’s spending
In recent years, there have been a slew of stories of kids spending massive amounts of their parents’ money on mobile games without them knowing; one 13-year-old girl in China racked up a $64,000 bill in 4 months!
On Xbox, your child can buy games, DLC, and other in-game items in the Microsoft Store with just the funds in their account. The Family Settings app allows you to see your child’s balance and spending history, and add more money to their account.
Another useful feature is “Ask to Buy”. By activating this, you’ll get a notification when your child wants to buy something but doesn’t have enough money in their account.
Gaming allows your child to exercise their problem-solving, creativity, and even social skills. But while gaming can be rewarding, there are dangers that parents need to be aware of and take action when appropriate. The Xbox Family Settings app is a good solution and has features that can help safeguard your child from online threats and support their digital wellbeing.
