Microsoft''s Family Safety App is now Accessible to everyone

It shouldn''t come as a surprise that children are spending more time playing on their phones during the COVID-19 pandemic. But how can you tell if they''re finding the right balance between remote learning, social media and Fortnite? Microsoft''s Family Safety app is the answer. The announcement in March of the free application was made public and is now available for download by anyone with an iOS/Android device.

You can use the app to set up custom time limits for specific Android, Windows and Xbox applications, including games that require video, such as Minecraft. You have the option to extend your child''s time limit by 15 or 30 minutes or one, two, or three hours. The Family Safety app can also be set up to send an email each time they wish to purchase something from the Microsoft Store, and set up various web and search filters in the (now Chromium-based) Edge browser.

The app can be set to send out an email each week with an activity report that will break down the time your child spends on screen based on application and device. The idea is to notify you when there''s an issue and to have a chat with your loved one. TOP TOP BLOG The app also has tracking of your location that allows you to know exactly the location where your family members are in real-time. Microsoft 365 Family subscribers will be able receive notifications whenever a family member leaves or enters a specific location in the near future. The premium plan will provide some kind of habit tracking for driving safety, beginning in the US, Canada and Australia.

These tools are not very innovative and will be of no benefit to your family members if they spend most of their time on iPads, iPhones, and iPads. If everyone is involved in the Microsoft ecosystem, this could be a useful dashboard - or a first point of contact, at the very least, to ensure that they''re in good health both online and in the real world.

Microsoft''s Family Safety app is now available to all