Xbox Family Settings 4+

Conscious of the amount of time my son spends on his Xbox has always been a concern. This app not only helps me set time restrictions, but also helps me to rewards good behaviour with allowing you the option to give extra screen time. There is even a facility to block playing time altogether!
From a simple touch of a button on your phone via this application you are more in control.

This app is what I’ve been praying for for! There were so many issues with keeping track of the x boxes on the Microsoft family safety app. I have 5 x boxes in the house and trying to manage them all was utter torture. This new app solves all those issues! The privacy setting are now easy to find! ( The hours I’ve spent) and I absolutely love that you can pause screen time, give extra time without having to log in each time and there is also the option to take back extra time. The timer is also a great addition. The only thing I’d like to add that would make gamer parenting better is to have the option to manage accounts on the x box remote. It’s taken me hours to figure the settings out to lock down the parent and guest account so they can’t just skip sign in and ultimately bypass screen time. This app has seriously made my life sooo much easier though im not even kidding.
Great job guys!

…which means you have to create accounts for everyone (thus locking them into the MS ecosystem nice and early), to even be able to access the app! You want to implement just a basic “lock the console after 1hr” restriction? Sure. Just create a full blown Microsoft account for your underage son or daughter real quick and you’re good to go.

I even opened a support ticket to ask them if I could set my wife as an organiser so her account could be setting restrictions on my account (which is the one my kids use to play) and they said nope that’s not possible either (because the console owner account has organiser rights by default. Good luck to you I guess if you’re wanting to put limits for yourself to, for example, manage an overly active gaming habit).

Anyway… back to a timer on my phone I guess it is for me. Maybe when my kids are older I’ll use this, but in the meantime thanks for nothing Microsoft. Really wish you’d look at how Nintendo does this stuff. A company that *means* family when it says family.