On Windows 11, here's how to set up and use the Microsoft Family App.

With the Microsoft Family app, you can create a secure online environment for your children.

It's frightening to consider your children navigating the digital world without your supervision. That's why, these days, all devices include some type of family protection. Setting these up, though, can be difficult if you're not extremely tech-savvy. One of the few programmes that makes the procedure less frightening is Microsoft Family.

With the new Microsoft Family app for Windows 11, Microsoft hopes to simplify the process even more. It will be much easier to establish a safer digital environment for your family now that Microsoft Family Safety is available as an inbox app.

What is Microsoft Family?

Here's a crash course in case you're hearing about it for the first time. Set up parental controls for your children, monitor their activity and screen time, filter problematic information, and track their whereabouts with Microsoft Family Safety.

Microsoft Safety controls were previously only available on the web or through mobile apps for iOS and Android. Microsoft is making it an official desktop app with Windows 11. However, it is currently only available to Windows Insiders on the dev channel.

Features of the Microsoft Family

Here's a rundown of all the features available in the app:

Set Screen Time Limits: You can limit your children's screen time to help them build healthy digital habits and make time for other essential things in their lives. Devices (Windows and XBox) as well as apps and games can have screen time limits configured (Windows, Xbox and Android). You can select to extend your screen time when it runs out. Microsoft Family also offers activity summaries, allowing you to keep track of how your children use the device.

Filter content: You can filter out age-inappropriate content to ensure that your children don't watch anything they shouldn't. You may not only ban certain apps, games, and websites, but you can also limit it to kid-friendly content, which Microsoft Family will screen for you. When you enter the child's age, the app displays recommendations tailored to that age group, so your 6-year-old and 13-year-old won't be restricted in the same way. It filters material using Microsoft Edge on Windows, Xbox, and Android devices.

Location Tracking: Even if you're not at home, you can keep track on your loved ones with a real-time tracker in Google Maps. You can rest assured that they are safe at all times. It's also beneficial to provide information about their favourite spots. You can also get alerts for their whereabouts if you pay for a premium subscription. Receive notifications when they arrive at home or school, for example.

Family email, calendar, and OneNote: You can also use OneNote to email your family group to discuss and catch up on events, add family events to a shared calendar and receive reminders, and make grocery lists or exchange notes in a shared family notebook.

Set spending limits for your children while still allowing them to purchase items from the Microsoft or Xbox stores. You can either deposit money into their account or add a credit card to their account, which will require your approval before any purchases are made.

Note: On an iOS device, the Screen Time functions are not available. However, using the Microsoft Family Safety software on an iOS device, you can still track your whereabouts.

On Windows 11, how can I get the Microsoft Family app?

As of now, the Microsoft Family app is only accessible in the Dev channel for Windows Insiders. The app could be made available as an inbox app for all Windows 11 devices in the future.

If you're a Windows 11 Insider in the Dev channel, you should update your PC to Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22572 right now.

If you’re not a Windows Insider but still want to use Microsoft Family Safety features, you can use it from the web or Android/ iOS mobile apps.

Open the Settings app. Use the keyboard shortcut Windows logo key + i to open settings. Then, go to ‘Windows Update’ to update your PC.

Once the updates are installed and your computer restarts, go to ‘Accounts’ from the navigation menu on the left.

Then, go to ‘Family’ from the account options.

Click ‘Open Family app’ to get the app. It’ll open the app’s listing page in the Microsoft Store.

Alternatively, you can go to the Microsoft Store directly and search for ‘Microsoft Family’ and click ‘Open’ to open the app. The app will open directly without any download.

Even once you've downloaded the software, the only method to open it is from the Microsoft Store. Searching for the app yields no results. However, given that this is only the initial iteration, things should improve in the future.

How to Install and Configure Microsoft Family

To use Microsoft Family, you must have a Microsoft account. To establish up as a family, both parents and children must have Microsoft accounts. Other members of your family that you want to join the group must also have a Microsoft account.

If you’re not signed in to your Microsoft account (which isn’t very likely on Windows 11), you’ll need to sign in. Otherwise, you’ll directly reach the home page. If you’re creating the family group, you’ll be the administrator/ organizer.

Click ‘Add a family member’ to add someone to the group.

Enter their Microsoft email address and click ‘Next’.

Then, choose whether they’ll have the role of a member or an organizer. For your kids, select the former while you can select the latter for your spouse. Here, we’ll select ‘Member’ as we’ll set up a child account.

You’ll see a CAPTCHA test. Complete it to invite the person. They’ll have to accept your invitation to join the family group.

Note: If you have more than one child, you may either establish a single account for all of them and have them share it, or you can create separate accounts for each of them and set them up separately.

Joining the Family Group

Your kid will receive an email to join the family group. Open the email and click ‘Join now’.

The link will open on the Microsoft Family Safety website. Click the option for ‘Join now’.

Then, enter their details like name, date of birth, etc.

Then, click ‘Join now’ again. Your kid will join the family group and their account will appear in the Microsoft Family app on your Windows 11 PC.

Managing their account

Once your kid’s account appears in the app, click their name to open account details. You’ll have to add your kid’s devices, i.e., login to their phone, PC, or Xbox with the Microsoft account you have added. For this to work, your kid will have to stay logged in on the Microsoft Safety app on their devices from the Microsoft account.

From the navigation bar on the left, you can go to the different features. By default, it’ll open ‘Overview’. From the overview screen, you can keep an eye on everything and also navigate there.

Set Up Screen Time

Click ‘Screen Time’ to set limits for your kid’s devices. You can set a limit for a device separately, or use the same schedule for all the devices if there are more than one.

You can also set screen time for individual apps and games. Switch to the ‘Apps and games’ tab from the screen time page.

To use one schedule for all devices, turn on the

For the same, toggle. When this option is selected, the total time given is spread among all devices.

Keep that toggle off if you want to set screen time for each device separately. Then scroll down to the device you want to limit and click the 'Turn Limits on' option.

A default schedule will be created by the app. To change the timetable, click any day.

You can customise the schedule for each day. Alternatively, choose 'Everyday' from the drop-down option to create a daily schedule that is the same.

Then, to establish a time limit, change the timer slider.

You can also establish a time limit for them to use their device beneath it. Click the 'Delete' option if you don't want to set a time limit. The device can then be used at any time during the day, but only for a certain amount of time.

Make use of content filters.

From the left-hand navigation menu, select 'Content Filters.' You'll be able to view their search and website activity in this section.

Turn on the toggle for ‘Filter inappropriate websites and searches’. When this option is enabled, only Microsoft Edge browser is allowed on your kid’s device for surfing the internet. With Bing’s SafeSearch, Edge automatically filters out mature and inappropriate content on their device.

You can also add any websites you explicitly want to allow or block in the ‘Allowed websites’ and ‘Blocked websites’ sections.

Alternatively, you can also turn on the toggle for ‘Only use allowed websites’. When you enable this option, only the websites in the list will open for your kid. To open anything else, they’ll require your permission. You can use this setting for very young kids.

Go to the 'Applications and games' option on the Content filter page to manage the approved apps and games on your child's device.

You may set an age limit here to automatically filter out apps and games that are older. Microsoft will automatically add their age depending on the information you provided when creating their account. However, you may edit it manually here.

They'll need your permission to install an app or game that isn't appropriate for their age group.

The apps and games that have been blocked will appear in the blocked list. From here, you may view or remove them from the list. However, the Screen Time area is the only place where you may add other apps to this list.