Xbox Family Settings Reviews

by Kriplej23

Setting are clumsy and terrible to navigate. If for some reason a game is filtered on the Xbox by the settings it won’t tell you what filter is holding back the settings it tells you just what general area of XboxFamilySettings it is in, like go to “privacy and online settings to allow” but without telling you which privacy setting is the issue. Kind of ridiculous if you ask me. Not everything is manageable from XboxFamilySettings either.. a lot of it needs to be brought up from a browser which defeats the purpose. Now I’m not tech genius but I do have a degree in computer networking and I still struggled with XboxFamilySettings at times. It should honestly be a really simple process and able to filter content by game; like if I want to let my kids play among us but not GTA, a pop up on the phone app when the game is attempted to be opened on the Xbox saying: “grant all permissions, custom permissions or deny for (insert game)” would make this 1000 times easier. Will update rating when app is better but knowing Microsoft menus… I don’t think that’s going to happen.

by Fygar

Hey, want to add a child to your family account? Sorry, we’re going to force you to create an entire separate account with a separate email address before you can even start! So, your child now has a garbage MS email address that spammers and scammers can send emails to.

And, wait, that’s not all! Then, we’re going to bury half of the settings in a maze and require logging in over and over again until you want to pull your hair out. Want to redeem a gif card or Robux card? Maybe you can do it, maybe you can’t. Ask help and get no answers!

I’ve been a long-time 15+ year Xbox user, but this makes me want to defect.

by ImmortalBuilder

So I have a few problems with XboxFamilySettings. First is the limiter. There is barley a warning when it kicks you off, and it doesn't even my kids a chance to save. It also counts everything as time, when they are on the title screen, in a game, or even if the system is simply turned on. Second is the whole adding time thing. I am constantly bugged about it, and when you add time it is the amount of time from the moment you add it, so if you add an hour, an hour later they get kicked off. I just wish that you had an option to tell them to get off, instead of forcing them off. You should also be able to make it so the limiter only counts when they are in a game. Overall, it’s ok.

by Hhsgshsbgs

I was just trying to change privacy settings on another device since I do not own a Xbox and i want to do online play so it recommend XboxFamilySettings and it did not show me what I looking for and every time I go to the Microsoft page and click privacy and online settings it brings me to support and it only talks about changing the settings on Xbox and nothing about a Microsoft account on the Nintendo switch.

by TerpEE93

The concept is good, but the execution is poor. Too many issues where you get the “Something went wrong. Please try again later.” message. Also, notifications require action. They can’t be deleted, only hidden. Some notifications I just want to delete.

by THEYCALLMESiiS

The old app was better. I could add money to my sons account, limit time on specific games, and it just seemed to have a lot more options. On XboxFamilySettings I can’t do that and the old app was completely changed so now I have to go to some website to change the time allowed on my sons games. I give him a little extra time on weekends so it’s a pain to have to go through extra steps. I’d love the old app back, or combine the two to give us parents those options again.

by SurlySanta

This is much better than the Family Safety App (a nightmare). But I think you must have both apps if you want to manage your kids screen time. Clunky and counterintuitive.

Adding screen time should be easy. It’s not. You can only add time in specific blocks. For Instance:
If you want 1 hour and 15 minutes for your kid you have to select either 1 hour OR 15 minutes...then wait for your kid to shout from the basement “I thought you said 1 hour 15 minutes! My time just ended!” THEN you can add the rest of the time. Once you select a time you’re bound to it. It’s a pain and silly.

This is one example of the sloppy design.

by VoraciousV

Overall, it is a great and convenient app. However, it does not have a sound notification. Which leads me to incessantly get text messages from my 13-year-old asking for more screen time. And let me tell you, he sends a text often times right as he has requested the time. And those happen to be the times that I see the banner notification. Ugh. Again, convenient but needs a sound notification.

by Jacob And Kim

I’ve used XboxFamilySettings for a couple years and it’s been great. It helps me make sure that my son doesn’t play all afternoon and it gives me confidence that he can play online safely.
However, recently, it’s had trouble tracking his online time. It’s been missing time more and more frequently, sometimes off by half an hour to an hour! For example, I set my son’s time for 2 hours today, and he’s been on for 2 hours, but XboxFamilySettings says he’s only been playing for just over an hour. Please help!!!

by Phil Wells

I now have two separate apps - Microsoft Family Safety and Xbox Family Settings - that I can use to manage my kids’ access to their devices. I can set app-specific limits in the former, but not the latter. Other settings are available in the latter but not the former. Why have these not been consolidated into a single app that can do everything?

by Doc Ad

As others have pointed out the mechanism to add extra screen time is not intuitive. Additionally you can’t add more time once you’ve given some extra time. For instance: I gave my son an extra hour. I’d like to add another fifteen but I can’t because he’s still got two mins let’s on the hour.

Suboptimal.

by Showtime813

An option to cancel the added time or just an option to turn off the activity

by D3thm0nk3y

This time control settings are nailed on. I have all consoles and this is clearly the best implementation.
Controls screen time and content. Also actually keeps kids from seeing GTA ads when they are 5 (unlike PlayStation)
Nintendo for being a kids console actually has rubbish time management controls. XboxFamilySettings is the leader

by Kenny Kenny Kenny

Growing up as a kid I played games a lot (My wife and I still do as well as with our son)…but I also got out and played with friends physically IRL and did other activities that taught me life skills. Nowadays you almost have to force kids outside and lock the door. All in all XboxFamilySettings does what it was designed to do and helps limit these digital needle users. Just need to add XboxFamilySettings limiter to the family app itself so you don’t have to go online to edit times for individual apps. Then this will be the perfect digital methadone!

by And I Hate Buying Things

I know it may not be popular but I need an effective way to get my kids attention without physically standing between them and the TV. Please add a “pause” button for us parents!

Great app

by Stearns3

XboxFamilySettings has made great improvements. It can manage time across Xbox and Microsoft devices. Child access settings are now all included in XboxFamilySettings in one place. It’s easy to add or stop time without adjusting overall settings. You can now check balance, add money and see purchases in XboxFamilySettings . The multiple time blocks option is great, and this format is much easier to use than the website.

by Dmidgeto

Makes it a lot easier to control kids settings....would be nice to be able to add or remove family members from it though.

by Rashadrivera

The parental controls where abysmal about 2 years ago. But since then, it has become the most useful tool for the over tasked parent.

Managing 3 kids is tough enough without needing to monitor how much screen time kids have. This tool puts that burden to rest.

by Everynameisrakenhelp

I play games with my son often and this lets me control exactly what he can and can’t play on the fly all from my phone. If he ever wants to play something he doesn’t already have permission to play I can just allow it from a notification sent directly to my phone from the Xbox it’s great.

by Chadequate

Of all of the platforms that we use in our home - iOS, Switch, PlayStation and Xbox, it’s Microsoft who wins my vote for best parental control experience, hands down. I especially like the ability to quickly respond to the push notifications when my kids ask for more time. It’s all very well thought out. We’ll done 👏

by KorryV😛

I downloaded XboxFamilySettings , but once I go over to the kids profile I can’t use XboxFamilySettings anymore. I tried clicking on anything but it freezes every time. I deleted XboxFamilySettings and tried again, but same issue reoccured. Please fix this soon

by Maxthecrazycat31

Give them some privacy

by Bskeletor

App wouldn’t even let me click on anything. Didn’t load anything aside from the first page.

by NansMcAvoy

Title is self explanatory. I’ve been trying for the last hour and a half to set my son’s screen time. Still waiting to access. Ridiculous!

by Mr300zx

It doesn’t have half the parental controls at the website did when you would go to it through the original app this is just a flood mess

by Kevinkevin.11

Bad

by Manda3211

Poor, I have to try and refresh page then time off WiFi and sometimes have to reset my phone to get it to work

by AJP518

10/10
I can see my family’s time on Xbox, manage it, or deny it
Love it

by Ana's Nash

This’s actually super intelligent. Great job

by MNC Dover

A simple to use way to monitor my kids screen time without having to go to a cumbersome website. 5 stars, would limit playtime again!