Xbox
Our age is 13, with controls. Caution because of open voice chat in online games and many M-rated titles.
Checked October 2026.
- Our rating
- Use Caution
- Controls
- Xbox Family Settings
- Made by
- Microsoft
- Setup
- 10 stops, about 20 minutes
Do these three first
- Add your child to your Microsoft familyfamily.microsoft.comAdd a family memberCreate a family group with you as organizer and your child as a member.
- Choose who can chat and play with your childSettingsAccountFamily settingsYour childPrivacy & online safetyXbox privacyView details & customizeCommunication & multiplayerSet multiplayer, voice and text chat, and friend approval.
- Turn on Ask to BuyXbox Family SettingsYour childAsk to BuyFree-to-play games still sell in-game currency, so keep Ask to Buy on.
About Xbox
What is Xbox?
Xbox Series X/S is Microsoft's latest gaming console, known for Game Pass (a subscription service with hundreds of games), integration with Windows PCs, and the Xbox Family Settings app. It offers comprehensive parental controls that sync with Microsoft Family Safety across all Microsoft devices.
Pros for Child/Teen Use
Xbox Family Settings App
One of the best parental control apps in gaming.
Microsoft Family Safety Integration
Settings sync across Xbox and Windows PCs.
Game Pass Content Filters
Filter Game Pass library by age rating.
Activity Reports
See what games your child plays and for how long.
Cons for Child/Teen Use
Many Mature Games
Large library of M-rated games available.
Voice Chat Concerns
Online multiplayer includes voice communication with strangers.
Web Browser Access
Microsoft Edge can reach any website unless Family Safety web filters are on.
Cross-Play with PC
Playing with PC players may expose to more toxic behavior.
Key Safety Features
Dedicated smartphone app for parental controls.
Manage screen time, content restrictions, friend requests, and spending from your phone.
Unified parental controls across Microsoft devices.
Same settings apply to Xbox and Windows PCs using the same Microsoft account.
Age Recommendations
Ages 10-12: Only with strict controls, E/E10+ games only, no online multiplayer with strangers.
Ages 13-15: Appropriate with controls, games up to Teen (T) rating, friends-only communication.
Ages 16+: Broader access with case-by-case M-rated decisions.
The complete guide includes:
- Xbox Family Settings app setup
- Microsoft Family Safety integration
- Content restriction levels explained
- Communication and voice chat controls
- Age-specific configurations
Talk about it
- Who are your friends on Xbox, and how do you know them?Opens a calm talk about who can message and chat with them in online games.
- If someone in voice chat makes you uncomfortable, what will you do?Practices the plan: mute, block, report, and come tell you.
- How much should we spend on games and add-ons each month?Setting the amount together makes the spending limit feel fair rather than strict.
- How much gaming time on a school night feels right to you?Kids who help choose the screen time in the Family Settings app are more likely to stick to it.
The full route: 10 stops, about 20 minutes
- Add your child to your Microsoft family
- Add your child to the Xbox
- Set an age limit for games
- Set screen time limits
- Choose who can chat and play with your child
- Turn on Ask to Buy
- Install the Xbox Family Settings app
- Check activity reportsoptional
- Add a passkey to your own accountoptional
- Test your settings
Start the setupFree to follow. With Family, your progress is saved for each child.
The complete Xbox parent guide, with age-by-age settings, is part of the Family plan.
The full guide
Xbox parental controls run through your Microsoft family group. You manage them with the Xbox Family Settings app, Microsoft Family Safety (the app or family.microsoft.com), or on the console. This guide covers Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Understanding Xbox Parental Controls
Xbox controls work through a Microsoft family group:
- Family organizers: you and any other adult you make an organizer
- Members: your children, each with their own Microsoft account
Family Safety settings belong to your child's Microsoft account. Screen time and content filters can also cover a Windows PC or Android device your child signs in to.
Setting Up Your Family
Your Microsoft Account
If you don't have one, create a Microsoft account at account.microsoft.com.
Add Your Child
Open Family Settings
On the web, go to family.microsoft.com and sign in, or open the Xbox Family Settings app.
On the Xbox, press the Xbox button, then:
Add a Family Member
Choose to add a family member, then create a new account for your child or invite their existing account. Use their real birth date, which sets the starting restrictions.
Add Them to the Xbox
On the console, sign in with your child's Microsoft account:
Xbox Family Settings App
The free Xbox Family Settings app (iPhone and Android) is the easiest way to manage an Xbox from your phone.
What It Does
- Set screen time and see activity reports
- Answer requests for more time or to add a friend
- Set content restrictions, and since July 2026 block or time-limit individual games and apps (App Blocks & Limits)
- Ask to Buy, account balance and spending history
- Manage friends, online multiplayer and cross-network play
Screen Time
Setting Limits
In the Xbox Family Settings app, select your child, then Screen Time. On family.microsoft.com, select your child, then Screen time.
Set:
- Daily limit: how long the console can be used each day
- Time range: the hours when play is allowed
You can use one schedule every day or vary it by day. Starting points many families use:
- School days: 1 to 2 hours
- Weekends: 2 to 3 hours
When Time Runs Out
Your child sees a warning before time is up and can send you a request for more time. You approve or decline it in the app, and you can also add time or pause screen time remotely.
Content Restrictions
Age-Based Filtering
In the Xbox Family Settings app: your child, Content restrictions, then choose the age under Apply age filters. On the console: Profile & system, Settings, Account, Family settings, Manage family members, your child, then Access to content. Anything rated above that age needs your approval.
You pick an age, and games rated above it are blocked. In the US this follows ESRB ratings:
| Age setting | Allows up to |
|---|---|
| 6 to 9 | E (Everyone) |
| 10 to 12 | E10+ (Everyone 10+) |
| 13 to 16 | T (Teen) |
| 17 and up | M (Mature 17+) |
Fortnite and many other popular online games are rated T. Minecraft is rated E10+.
Allowing or Blocking Specific Games
When your child tries a game above their age setting, they can ask you for it. You can also block a specific game even when it's within the age setting.
Online Communication and Safety
Multiplayer and Communication
On the console, sign in as a parent and go to Settings, Account, Family settings, select your child, then Privacy & online safety, Xbox privacy, View details & customize. The same settings are in the Xbox Family Settings app.
Under Communication & multiplayer:
- Join multiplayer on Xbox Network: Allow or Block
- Join cross-network play: Allow or Block (playing with people on other platforms)
- Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites: Everyone, Friends or Block
- You can communicate outside of Xbox Network with voice & text: Allow or Block
Open voice chat lets strangers talk to your child. Friends or Block is a good choice for children under 13.
Friends
You can require your approval before your child adds a friend. Requests arrive in the Xbox Family Settings app for you to approve or decline.
Profile and Content
In the same privacy settings you can choose who sees your child's profile, online status, game activity and friends list, and whether they can see content other people create.
Spending Controls
Ask to Buy
In Microsoft Family Safety (the app or account.microsoft.com/family), open your child's Manage spending and turn on "Require approval for every purchase" (in the Xbox Family Settings app, Ask to Buy). Each purchase then needs your OK, by email or in the app.
Account Balance
Your child can still spend money already on their account, from gift cards or money you add. Adding a set amount is a simple way to give a budget.
Keep Ask to Buy on and don't save a payment method to your child's account.
Web Filtering
Microsoft Edge is the browser on Xbox, and Family Safety web filters apply to it.
In Microsoft Family Safety on the web: your child, then Web and search (in the Family Safety app: Web and search, then Content filters). Turn on Filter inappropriate websites and searches, or use Only use allowed websites for younger children. The filter covers Bing searches too.
Activity Reports
Activity reports show screen time and which games were played. You see them in the Xbox Family Settings app and in Microsoft Family Safety, by day or by week.
Console Settings
Passkey on Adult Accounts
Add a passkey to your own profile so your child can't sign in as you:
Screen time on the console needs the Xbox to be online to stay in sync, so keep it connected.
Streaming Apps on Xbox
YouTube
Turn on Restricted Mode in the YouTube app's settings, or have your child sign in with a supervised Google account.
Netflix, Disney+ and Others
Use each app's own profiles, maturity settings and PINs.
Xbox Game Pass
Online multiplayer in most paid games needs Game Pass (Xbox Live Gold was retired in 2023). Essential is the lowest tier that includes online console multiplayer ($9.99 a month); Ultimate costs $22.99 a month in the US since April 2026. Free-to-play games such as Fortnite and Roblox don't need a subscription for online play. Content restrictions still apply to every game in the Game Pass library.
Common Issues
Child Can't Play a Game
- Check the game's rating against their age setting
- Look for a block on that game
- Approve their request in the app if you're comfortable with it
Time Limits Not Working
- Make sure the Xbox is online
- Check your child is signed in to their own account
- Check your own account has a passkey
Child Getting Around Controls
- Look for a second account
- Add a passkey to adult accounts
Age-Based Recommendations
We suggest Xbox from 13, with family controls on. If your child already plays younger, these are the settings to tighten for their age.
Ages 10 to 12
- Age setting 10 (up to E10+)
- Communication: Friends or Block
- 1 to 2 hours on school days, 2 to 3 on weekends
- Ask to Buy on
- Friend requests need your approval
Ages 13 to 15
- Age setting 13 (up to T)
- Communication: Friends
- 2 to 3 hours a day
- Ask to Buy on, or a small balance
Ages 16 to 17
- T or M-rated games, case by case
- Friends recommended for voice chat
- Flexible time limits
- Ongoing conversations about what they play
Quick Setup Checklist
Additional Resources
Your Xbox is configured. Use the Xbox Family Settings app to adjust controls from anywhere.