Microsoft Family Safety
Key takeaways
Microsoft Family Safety can help you:
- Control which websites your child can visit
- Set limits on how long your child can use their device
- Help your child build healthy online habits
Microsoft Family Safety is a free parental control tool from Microsoft that helps keep your child safer online.
If your child received a laptop from The Smith Family, Microsoft Family Safety should already be installed on the device.
If you need it on another device, you can download it from the Microsoft App Store.
Before you start
You will need:
If you don’t use Windows, you can explore other parental control options instead.
If you need it on another device, you can download it from the Microsoft App Store.
Before you start
You will need:
- A Windows device
- An internet connection
- Microsoft Edge installed on the device
If you don’t use Windows, you can explore other parental control options instead.
Step 1: Create a Microsoft account (Skip this step if you already have one)
To use Microsoft Family Safety, you need a Microsoft account.
Microsoft has a simple guide to help you:
Microsoft has a simple guide to help you:
Tips:
- You will need to create a separate Microsoft account for each child you want to add to Microsoft Family Safety.
- Choose a username and password you can use for a long time, for things like school and email.
- Write these details down and keep them in a safe place. You may also like to read our article on creating strong passwords.
- Once you have a Microsoft account, you’ll also get access to tools like Outlook, Teams and OneDrive. Learn more in our Microsoft Suite article.
Step 2: Set up Microsoft Family Safety
Once your account is ready, you can set up Microsoft Family Safety and add your child.
Microsoft’s step-by-step guide:
Microsoft’s step-by-step guide:
Tips:
- You do not need to “Add money” (step 5) to set up Microsoft Family Safety
- If you received a laptop from The Smith Family, the app should already be installed
- You can change settings using a web browser or the Microsoft Family Safety app
Step 3: Set up child safety features
Once setup is complete, you can choose which safety features to use.
Please note that changes to these settings may take up to 24 hours to apply.
Please note that changes to these settings may take up to 24 hours to apply.
Screen time
Screen time lets you:
- Set limits on how long your child can use their device each day
- What times of the day the device can be used
Content filtering
Content filtering helps block unsafe or unsuitable websites.
Important:
Content filtering only works when using Microsoft Edge. If your device uses a different web browser, websites will not be blocked.
You can follow these instructions to set Microsoft Edge as your default browser.
Watch: Microsoft Family Safety: Content filter and App limits
Important:
Content filtering only works when using Microsoft Edge. If your device uses a different web browser, websites will not be blocked.
You can follow these instructions to set Microsoft Edge as your default browser.
Watch: Microsoft Family Safety: Content filter and App limits
Step 4: Make your account more secure
To keep your account safe, add at least one way to verify your identity:
- A phone number, or
- An email address
Need help?
If you received a laptop from The Smith Family, our partner WorkVentures will contact you to help set up Microsoft Family Safety.
You can also contact the Learning for Life Contact Centre if you need support.
You can also contact the Learning for Life Contact Centre if you need support.
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