Windows parental controls run through Microsoft Family Safety. Once a child account is linked to your family group, you can manage screen time, app limits, game ratings, web filtering, and activity from your own device.
This applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11 and requires Microsoft accounts for both parent and child.
Does This Affect You?
Use Family Safety when you want account-based controls that follow a child across Windows devices and Xbox, rather than settings tied only to one PC.
Create a Family Group and Child Account
- Go to
account.microsoft.com/familyand sign in with your Microsoft account. - Create a family group if one does not exist.
- Click Add a family member.
- Create a child account or add the child’s existing Microsoft account.
- On the child’s Windows PC, add or sign in with that child account from Windows account settings or during setup.
Set Screen Time and App Limits
- Open your child’s page in Microsoft Family Safety.
- Open Screen time and enable limits for Windows devices.
- Set daily time limits and allowed hours.
- Open Apps and games to block specific apps or set app-level limits.
- Wait for the child’s device to sync the changes online.
Turn On Content Filters
- Open Content filters for the child.
- Enable blocking for inappropriate apps and games and choose an age rating.
- Enable website filtering and add sites to always allow or always block as needed.
- Enable age-appropriate search filtering.
- Turn on activity reporting if you want weekly summaries.
Important Family Safety Notes
Requests for More Time
When a limit blocks access, the child can request more time or app access. You can approve or deny from your Microsoft account or Family Safety app.
Best Web Filtering Is in Edge
Microsoft Edge follows Family Safety filters most reliably. If web filtering matters, consider blocking other browsers through app limits.
Account-Based Controls
Limits follow the child account across supported devices, so you do not need to repeat every rule on each PC.
Not a Complete Substitute for Conversation
Family Safety does not read every message, understand every social app, or stop every workaround. Use it as a baseline with clear household rules.
Sources
- Microsoft Support: Set up Family Safety on Windows
- Microsoft Support: Manage family group screen time
- Microsoft Support: Content filters in Family Safety