Microsoft’s new Family Safety app was one the many things the company announced during its Microsoft 365 digital event, along with the new Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions. While the latter launched on April 21, the new Family Safety app will be available in preview for select iOS and Android users today.
The app will require you set up a family in your Microsoft account settings, where you can add parents and kids with their respective Microsoft accounts. Here’s how to get signed up. While setting a Microsoft Family already provided you a lot of control about what your kids could do with their devices, the Family Safety app will be able to give you that power and more on the go.
“Microsoft Family Safety helps you to facilitate a dialogue with your kids about the time they are spending on their devices and type of content they are viewing. The app provides transparency on where everyone is spending time online and allows you to create flexible schedules to carve out more time for things like online learning. Additionally, it helps you stay connected even when you’re apart with location sharing,” the company explained today.
The Family Safety app can keep track of the time spent in Windows, Xbox, and Android apps and games, and parents can also use it to set screen time limits across Windows PCs and Xbox consoles. There are granular controls for individual apps and games, and parents can also use content filters to restrict apps and games downloads, as well as web searches.
If the app already supports location sharing, Microsoft said today that it’s working on additional physical safety features including safe driving. The company has started sending invites for the limited preview today, and you’ll need to fill this form to get the chance to be selected. “We are looking for families with children of all ages to join the preview. We ask that users participating in the preview actively provide feedback to help us learn from your experience,” the company said today.
