Windows: the parent’s setup guide

Microsoft Family Safety

Windows uses Microsoft Family Safety. Create your child a Microsoft account (with a birthdate that triggers the under-18 flow), then add them to your family at family.microsoft.com.

Setup

1. On the Windows PC, Settings › Accounts › Family › Add a family member. Choose “member” and enter their Microsoft account.
2. Sign the kid in to Windows with their account (don’t use your admin account).
3. Install the Family Safety app on your phone.
4. Set screen time, app/game limits, and content filters.
5. Turn on activity reporting (weekly email to parent).

What Family Safety controls

• Total daily screen time and per-day schedule.
• App and game limits, by name and age rating.
• Microsoft Store purchase limits and approvals.
• Edge browser content filtering (adult-site blocking). Only works in Edge — not Chrome or Firefox.
• Location on Windows Phone / iOS / Android Family Safety app.

The browser problem

Microsoft’s content filtering only covers Edge. If your kid can install Chrome or Firefox, they can bypass it. Options:

• Block Chrome / Firefox installation in Family Safety › Apps and games.
• Apply filtering at the router/DNS level so the browser choice doesn’t matter.
• Use a cross-platform tool like Qustodio or Mobicip.

Admin vs standard user

The single most important Windows setting: the kid’s account must be a Standard user, not Administrator. If the kid is an admin, they can bypass almost everything. Check: Settings › Accounts › Family › select kid’s account › verify “Standard user.”