Xbox parental controls: the Family Settings app
By Lewis C. Checked against Xbox's and the ESRB's guidance on 1 October 2026. We wrote this from the official guide and haven't yet checked every screen on our own device. Spot a menu that doesn't match? Tell us.
Quick answer
Give your child their own child account in your Microsoft family, then get the free Xbox Family Settings app on your phone. Set a screen time limit, turn on content restrictions for their age, switch on Ask to Buy, and decide whether they can add friends and play online. Requests for more time or new friends come to your phone.
Step 1: a child account
Controls only apply when your child is signed in to their own Microsoft account with an Xbox profile, added to your family. Set it up in the Family Settings app or on the console.
Step 2: screen time
- Set how long and when they can play.
- Pause screen time from your phone when it's tea.
- Check the daily and weekly activity reports to see which games they play and for how long.
- They can send you a request for more time, which you answer from the app.
Step 3: content restrictions
In the app, pick your child, open Content Restrictions, turn on Filter Inappropriate Content, and choose Allow Content Suitable for Age with your child's age. Games rated above that age won't open.
Step 4: spending
- Turn on Ask to Buy. Your phone gets a request whenever they try to buy a game, app or in-game item they can't pay for.
- See their balance, top it up, and check their spending history in the app.
Step 5: friends and online play
- Turn on Ask a parent for new friends, and remove anyone from their list.
- Decide whether they can play online multiplayer at all.
Games like Fortnite and Roblox also have their own chat and spending controls. See our Fortnite and Roblox guides. The app also has its own setting for Minecraft.
Questions parents ask
How do I set parental controls on an Xbox?
Add your child to your Microsoft family with their own child account, then install the free Xbox Family Settings app on your phone. From there you set screen time, content restrictions, spending and who they can play and chat with. The console has the same settings under Settings, then Privacy and online safety.
How do I stop my child buying things on Xbox?
Turn on Ask to Buy. When your child tries to buy a game, app or in-game item they haven't got money for, you get a request in the app to approve or refuse. You can also see their balance and spending history.
Can I limit how long my child plays Xbox?
Yes. The Family Settings app sets screen time limits, shows daily and weekly activity reports, and lets you pause screen time. Your child can send you a request for more time.