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Microsoft Family Safety brings parental controls and more for Android and iOS

Microsoft has launched a new app called Family Safety, bringing cross-device parental controls for Android, iOS, Windows, and Xbox.

After being in beta testing for a few months, this week Microsoft, via The Verge, has officially launched their new parental controls and family management app, Family Safety. Traditional parental controls take center stage in the Android and iOS app, allowing parents and guardians to filter what their child is and is not allowed to see and do on their devices.

Family Safety’s web filter is able to protect the Microsoft Edge browser on Windows, Android, and even Xbox. Similarly, the app can put time limits on both individual devices and apps themselves, syncing between devices. That means games that are available on both Xbox and Android, like Fortnite, share the same time limit. Kids are, of course, allowed to request extensions on their screen time.

On the safety side of things, Family Safety allows you to see where your family members are, and the app is even able to tell when two or more family members are in the same place.

The Verge also notes that Microsoft Family Safety has more features on the way which will be exclusive to Office 365 subscribers. One such feature allows you to get notifications when family members leave from or arrive at a particular destination. Another subscriber exclusive will focus on making you and your family better drivers through “insights on driving behavior.”

Microsoft Family Safety is available now on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, though the iOS app

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Avatar for Kyle Bradshaw Kyle Bradshaw

Kyle is an author and researcher for 9to5Google, with special interests in Made by Google products, Fuchsia, and uncovering new features.

Got a tip or want to chat? Twitter or Email. Kyle@9to5mac.com

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