Microsoft’s recently announced Family Safety app for Microsoft 365 Family is now available in preview. Users can download the application on both Android and iOS, although a Microsoft 365 subscription is needed and at the moment it is invitation only.
This new application makes it simple for family members to stay up to speed with their digital usage. It works on Windows 10, Xbox, iOS and Android, and users can see which applications are used the most and how long they’re used for.
Importantly, account owners can set screen-time limits on these apps. So, if Junior is spending too much time on Fortnite, you can shut him down for the night. Microsoft says it has protected the privacy of kids if parents want to shut off the feature. Interestingly, Family Safety also lets you find out where iOS and Android users are.
Microsoft says the Family Safety application is still being developed. However, it already has features like location sharing and filters. Below is the full feature list for the app at launch on iOS and Android:
Features
- “App and game filters
- Web and search filters
- Content filter requests
Screen time limits: Set screen time limits that work across devices. If you know your kids will be on devices longer for online learning, you can set limits on specific apps or games instead.
- App and game limits (Xbox, Windows, Android)
- Device limits (Xbox and Windows)
- Screen time requests
Activity reporting: Get insights on your family’s digital activity and have a conversation about what it means. Parents and kids can both view kids’ activity reports of screen time, top websites visited, and terms kids are searching for online.
- Activity summaries
- Weekly email reports
Location awareness: Stay connected even when you’re apart. See loved ones on a map with location sharing and save places they visit most to know where family members are at a glance.
- Location sharing
- Saved places
Availability
Microsoft says the preview of the app is limited. There are 10,000 spaces on Android and 10,000 spaces on iOS. People from all over the world can apply, apart from China, Japan, and other nations with languages that move from right to left.
Users accepted to the preview will be sent an email from Microsoft with a download link to the app. Invitations are sent in a staged rollout over the coming weeks.
If you want to try the Family Safety app, you can get the preview by creating a family group and filing Microsoft’s Family Safety form.
