Leave a Review Microsoft Family Safety
Limited Controls
This app really only appears to be good for allowing parents to give their child more time on their devices. But even this function is very limited. On the website, you can allow eight hours, while on the app, only up to three.
My main complaint is that there is no audio alert to a request from my kids. I get a visible banner, but unless I look at my phone, I have no idea they asked for more time. My boys have started sending the request, and then sending me a text message so my phone rings and I look. Why is there no audio alert?Show less1001WordsPhoto
Keeps getting better
New improvements are good. Less buggy than before.
- Setting limits on individual pc apps such as minecraft and seeing that progress is great.
- Adding and removing folks working well.
- Much better than the web version.
Keep up the good work MicrosoftThegingerninja nz
Not encountered the problems others have
I’m pretty happy with the app. It does what I need it to and can control whether my son can use his PC for homework or games. Hint: turn off the MS Store and forbid websites except for those you approve.
It would be useful if I could switch between sets of approved apps/games and turn them all on or off with one button. Thus I could flip the computer into homework and free time modes.Show lesswhelkboy
Works well but...
This app works well for ease of adjusting the parental controls. However, the fact that anyone can open the app if they have my device without entering a pin of some sort to make the adjustments is frustrating. Especially when children are able to adjust their own time because there is no backup when the app opens. This app would receive 5 stars for being more complete. Even other devices require the account password or other pin to even open the app. I hate having to log out in order to keep my crafty kids from accessing their settings.Show lessyenca615
Website is still better
I was hoping to see and respond to requests from my kids quickly and easily using an iOS app. Unfortunately it’s not helpful yet. The problem is that when you get a request you can only unblock the app completely. On the website, you get an option to give access for a specific number of minutes or hours. If I’m goi to unblock all the apps, why bother using Family Security at all? Also an issue is that when the notification pops up and you tap on it, it opens the app but doesn’t show the newest request.
Once again, it’s clear Microsoft doesn’t use the products they make. I discovered this issue the first time I used the app. I used to be a big Microsoft fan, but they have gone downhill in the last couple of years. I’ve slowly started moving to all Apple products, but my kids need these machines for schooling.Show lessShawnZzzzzzzz
Unintuitive, useless app
This app is simply terrible. Unintuitive, hard to find functions you’re looking for. And no way to give just one hour of extra time for one day — you have to change the time allocation permanently, then change it back later.
Maybe it will let you do this when the child requests extra time (like the web site does), but why should you have to wait for that request first? And when you do get the request in your email, and click on the link, it doesn’t open the app — instead it asks if you want to download the app (which of course I already have installed). Completely useless.Show lessSStygimoloch
Needs a PASSWORD, please!
I love the convenience of the app and not having to login, etc. The app is new and obviously needs some improvement but I’ve seen some good changes since it launched so I trust it’ll get there. The only thing it NEEDS right now is the option to ask for a PIN, password (I love how you can open the Nintendo app with Face ID) cause once your kids discover the app they can easily unblock apps, websites and remove limits. My sneaky 9 and 7 already figured it out and it’s not fun!Show lessKlaudia Fisher
Screen time usage vastly inaccurate
The app does not show how many time a kid has spent on a device or totally, unlike the website version.
Also the per app breakdown is vastly inaccurate. This morning the app showed me that the kid has spent almost 3 hours using Microsoft Edge and Firefox, but the total time used reported by the website version is only 20 minutes. How can a child spend 3 hours on an app when the total time using the device is 20 minutes?!Show lessNarwhal Hispanic Legend
Not accurate at all
We live in South Carolina and have only been using the app for a couple of weeks now. Three times already, it has shown my family members to be somewhere in Michigan. It also sometimes shows the most recent location as three days ago, when it should be current. Even when we’re in town, the location is sometimes off by several miles.
My husband relic hunts in fields and woods several counties away at times and I would like to know where to send someone to search if he ever goes missing, gets lost, etc. This definitely wouldn’t help. I also have a 9 year old and would want to keep up with him if he was ever away from home.Show lessonetyger
Great, but needs one key improvement
I’ve been wanting this to be an app for ages. Logging in via website took too long so I love that there is an app version. The only detail missing is the ability to log into the app with a password / thumbprint / Face ID. We can set up parental controls but the kids can update their settings if the phone is unlocked.Show lessVeg
