How to Set Up Parental Controls on an Xbox One

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

In This Guide

You'll Learn:

• What ESRB ratings are.
• How ESRB ratings relate to Parental Controls.
• Understand and setup Child Accounts on your Xbox One.
• How to change what kind of content Child Accounts can access on your Xbox One.

Before We Begin:

• Have access to your Xbox One.
• Have at least one child account under your main account on your Xbox One.

2. ESRB Ratings

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ratings provide guidance about video games and apps so that you can make informed choices about the ones you deem suitable for your family.

The ESRB is a single group, and only provides opinions on content. They are there to help give you an overview of the themes present in a game, not make decisions what is best for your child.

Parts of ESRB Ratings

• Rating Categories suggest age appropriateness.
• Content Descriptors indicate content that may have triggered a particular rating and/or may be of interest or concern.
• Interactive Elements highlight interactive or online features of a product, including users' ability to interact with each other, the sharing of users' location with other users, if purchases of digital goods or services are offered, and/or if unrestricted internet access is provided.

You can find the ESRB ratings on the front of physical games, with the content descriptor on the back.

Box Front

A small logo will be printed on the front of the game box, or prominently in the online store for the game.

Rating Pending

Games, but usually just promotional material for games, that the ESRB hasn't rated yet.

Early Childhood

Games designed for a preschool audience. No content that parents would find objectionable.

Everyone

Games that the ESRB believes to be "generally suitable for all ages". There may be infrequent mild or cartoon violence.

Everyone 10+

Games that the ESRB believes is still acceptable to everyone, but may have more mild or cartoon violence, mild language, crude humor, or suggestive content.

Teen

Games the ESRB finds suitable for teenagers. Things such as a moderate amount of violence, some language or adult themes, and crude humor.

Mature

Games the ESRB believes is generally suitable for people 17 or over. Realistic violence, strong adult themes, language, and so forth.

Adults Only

Games the ESRB believes are only suitable for adults 18 and over. Adult themes throughout, graphic depictions of adult themes, violence, and gambling with real-world money.

Content Descriptor

On the back of the box, a more expanded list of information about the rating, and a small list of why the rating was given is shown.

The primary information is repeated, here, just like the logo on the front. To the right, further information detailing what, exactly, gave it that rating. This is so you can make a more informed decision for your child.

ESRB
For further information, as well as to check the ratings before leaving home, you can always check the ESRB Website.

• ESRB Ratings (External)

3. Child Account Check

Account TypesTo use Parental Controls on the XBox One, you must have "Primary" or "Adult" account, and a "Child" account as part of your Family.

Xbox Family Account

This is the account that represents everything you and your family do with your Xbox. It contains the billing information, your main Xbox games list, etc. Adult accounts control this information.

Even with only one account, there is an Xbox Family Account; it just happens to hold a single Adult account inside it.

Adult Accounts

Adult accounts will always have full, unrestricted access to all games, features and services of the XBox. This cannot be changed; you won't be able to 'lock down' an Adult account, as you'd be unable to modify any Child accounts, after.

Child Accounts

A Child account is still part of the same Family. Payment options, even some games can easily be accessed and swapped between all members of the Family. The difference is the Adult accounts can always modify what a Child account has access to.

4. Set Passkey on Adult Account

In order to use many of the features of Parental Controls, as well as to keep your Xbox account secure from other people in your home, it's best to set a passkey on your account.

After setting up a passkey, whenever you switch to the account will require you to enter that passkey. This makes it harder for other members of your family to access your account and make changes.

Set Up Account Passkey

1. Sign on to your account.If you intend to use this for Parental Controls of any sort, make sure you're signed into your Adult Account.
2. Press the Xbox button to bring up the guide.
   

1. Select Settings.
   

1. Select Account on the left.
   

1. Select Sign-in, security & passkey.
   

1. Select Create my passkey.
   

1. Enter a six-digit passkey that you will remember.
   

1. Select Change my sign-in & security preferences.
   

1. Select Ask for my passkey or Lock it down.
   

1. Ask for my passkey

1. You'll be asked for your passkey when you:
2. Sign-in to your account
3. Buy DLC or games
4. Change your settings
5. Lock it down

1. You'll need your passkey for virtually any changes.

5. Parental Control Options

The Xbox One allows you three ways to restrict or limit access of Child Accounts.

Ratings Control

This lets you restrict what kinds of games a player can open, based on the ESRB Ratings guidelines.

Screen Time Limits

Screen Time Limits allow you to control how long each Child player can play games for, before the Xbox will simply not allow them to play any longer.

Purchase Approval

This makes it so the Child Accounts have limits on how much they can purchase; either in-game items or other games on the Online Store.

Web Filtering

An extremely restrictive filter that blocks everything, except only what a parent allows the Child account to see when browsing web pages with the Xbox One.

6. Ratings Control

1. Press the Xbox button to bring up the guide.
   

1. Select Settings.
   

1. Select Account on the left.
   

1. Select Family settings on the right.
   

1. Select Manage family members on the left.
   

1. Select the Child account you wish to manage.
   

1. Under Privacy & content restrictions, select Access to content.
   

1. Here, you'll see a list of the ratings available to the account right now. Select Access to content & apps to make a change.
   

1. Select the level appropriate for the age of the gamer you're working with.
   

7. More Family Information

For more information:
You may always visit Xbox support online for more information about your Xbox Family account.

• https://support.xbox.com/en-US/browse/xbox-one/security

8. Limit Screen Time

In order to change the screen time limits on your child accounts, you will need to log into your Adult Microsoft Account using your computer.

1. Open your preferred browser.
   

1. In the address bar at the top, type in account.microsoft.com/family and press Enter or Return.
   

1. Select Already set up? Sign in now >.
   

1. Sign in using your Adult Microsoft account.
   

1. Under your Child's account, select More options, then Screen time.
   

1. Under Device limits, turn on the switch for Xbox One.
   

1. Select one of the days of the week schedules to edit it.
   

1. Enter a time to start allowing, and stop allowing your child, and add it to the schedule below. When done, select Save.
   

1. Repeat this process for each day.

9. Purchase Approval

Xbox One handles purchase approval by simply removing payment options from the account. With no default payment option, your child will need to ask you to make a purchase each time, or you can purchase Xbox Live gift cards for them to make their own purchases on a budget you can control.

1. Sign on to your account.Make sure you sign into the account you don't want to make payments. This is usually the Child account.
2. Press the Xbox button to bring up the guide.
   

1. Select Settings.
   

1. Select Account on the left.
   

1. Select Payment & billing.
   

1. Remove any payment options listed here.
   

10. Web Filtering

The Web Filter for the Xbox One requires two parts to setup; first creating a White List of sites you want your child to be able to visit, then enabling it on the Xbox One.

No filtering technology is 100% perfect. The best solution is active, engaged parenting; working with your child to ensure they develop good habits through your instruction and guidance.

On Your Computer

1. Open your preferred browser.
   

1. In the address bar at the top, type in account.microsoft.com/family and press Enter or Return.
   

1. Select Already set up? Sign in now >.
   

1. Sign in using your Adult Microsoft account.
   

1. Under your child's account, select More options > Content restrictions.
   

1. Scroll down to Web browsing, and switch it On.
   

1. Two new options are shown.
   

1. Always allowed
2. Websites you specify here will always be able to be viewed by your child. You can also choose to only allow your child to see the websites listed here.
3. Always blocked
4. Websites you enter here will always be blocked.
5. Common adult-oriented websites will always be blocked with this option turned on.

On Your Xbox One

1. Press the Xbox button to bring up the guide.
   

1. Select Settings.
   

1. Select Account on the left.
   

1. Select Family settings on the right.
   

1. Select Manage family members on the left.
   

1. Select the Child account you wish to manage.
   

1. Select Web filtering.
   

1. On the left, select the web filtering option.
   

1. Select Allow list only or Basic communication.
   

1. Allow list only
2. Only allows your child to see websites you specified in the Always allowed list you setup on the computer earlier.
3. Basic communication
4. Your child can chat with friends, use email, and surf most websites, with the SafeSearch filter turned on, as well as any sites you listed in Always blocked will be blocked.

11. Create Child Account

1. Press the Xbox button to bring up the guide.
   

1. Select Settings.
   

1. Select Account on the left.
   

1. Select Family settings on the right.
   

1. Select Manage family members on the left.
   

1. Select Add to family.
   

1. Select Add new.
   

1. Existing Account
2. If you already have a Microsoft account setup for the Child account you're creating, enter it at the top.
   

1. New Account
2. If your child does not have a Microsoft account yet, select Get a new email.

1. Carefully follow the instructions on screen to setup your Child's account.