How to Use Parental Controls in Your Google, Apple, and Microsoft Accounts

You can, for example, ensure that only important apps like the Phone app are available after a certain time at night. Screen Time works across Apple computers and mobile devices, so settings carry over, and of course you can adapt these settings at any time as your kids grow.

Microsoft

The Microsoft account you use to sign in to Windows can form the basis of a family group that lets you keep tabs on your kids. These features work across Windows, Android, and Xbox, and to a limited extent on iOS (again, Apple doesn’t really allow other software the necessary access to apps for phone monitoring).

In this case, there is some noise between old and new equipment. The best place to start is the Microsoft Family Safety website. From there you’ll be able to specify your family members (families can have up to six people, including you), and access the Microsoft Family Safety app on the web, AndroidAnd iOS.

You can manage your Microsoft family on the web and on mobile.

Photo: David Nield

All regular features for your family can be accessed through web and mobile apps Select one of your kids and you can see where they are on a map (based on the location of their Android device), see how much time they’re spending on their device, and set limits on screen time, app usage, and web access.

Like Google and Apple, kids 13 and older can have their own Microsoft account, and you can create accounts for kids younger than that. Apps and games on Windows and Xbox can be filtered by age appropriateness, while web and search limits can be set through the Microsoft Edge browser. Apps can be blocked on Windows, Xbox or Android.