Microsoft Family Safety review

Microsoft Family Safety is the free control panel for homes built around Windows PCs and Xbox consoles. Its product page lists device screen time limits for Windows 10, Windows 11, Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S, plus app and game limits that also reach Android. When time runs out, the child can send a request and the parent decides whether to add more. Content filters block mature apps and games and limit browsing to kid-friendly sites, and parents get a notice when a child asks for a more mature title in the Microsoft Store. The filter has a catch: it works in Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft blocks other common browsers so that it can work. The bigger gap is Apple devices. Screen time limits are not listed for iPhone or iPad, so a child with an iPhone needs Apple Screen Time alongside it. Weekly activity summaries round out a free, focused tool.

Who it is for

families with Windows PCs and Xbox

Price

Free.

Free
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• Device screen time limits on Windows 10, Windows 11 and Xbox
• App and game time limits on Windows, Xbox and Android
• Web and search filters in Microsoft Edge, with other browsers blocked
• Blocks inappropriate apps and games and sends requests for mature Microsoft Store titles
• Weekly activity summaries and requests for more time

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: One account covers a child's Windows PC and Xbox console
• Strength: Children can request more time and parents approve from the phone
• Strength: Parent app runs on both Android and iPhone
• Weakness: Screen time limits do not apply to a child's iPhone or iPad
• Weakness: Web filters work only in Microsoft Edge, and other browsers get blocked
• Weakness: No location feature is listed on Microsoft's current product page

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Screen limits: Windows, Xbox (devices); Windows, Xbox, Android (apps and games)
• Web filter: Microsoft Edge on Windows, Xbox and Android
• Parent app: Android and iPhone

Where it ranks

Microsoft Family Safety is No. 3 in our Best Free Parental Control Apps verdict.