PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

PCMag UK

Microsoft Family Safety for Windows 10

Neil J. Rubenking
 & Neil J. Rubenking Principal Writer, Security

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS
Microsoft Family Safety offers parental control for your Windows and Windows Phone devices, but not for any other platforms. This and other limitations make it a poor choice for parental control. - Microsoft Family Safety (for Windows 10)
2.0 Subpar

The Bottom Line

Microsoft Family Safety offers parental control for your Windows and Windows Phone devices, but not for any other platforms. This and other limitations make it a poor choice for parental control.

Pros & Cons

    • Free for users of Windows and Windows Phone.
    • All configuration handled online.
    • Can schedule screen time and set a daily limit.
    • Can limit games and other content based on age.
    • Can locate child's phone.
    • No support for other non-Windows mobile or desktop platforms.
    • No details about categories blocked by content filter.
    • Content filter only works with Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge.
    • Forces parents to create email account for even the youngest kids.

Why bother paying for parental control when it's built into your Microsoft account? Microsoft Family Safety offers basic parental control for users of Windows (especially Windows 10) and Windows Phone. Specifically, it blocks inappropriate Web content, controls screen time for your kids, and lets you limit their access to apps, movies, and games. However, unless you're a strictly Microsoft household, you're not likely to find this free tool useful.

Like ContentWatch Net Nanny 7, Qustodio Parental Control, and Symantec Norton Family Premier£14.99 for the First Year, One Device at Norton UK, Family Safety handles all configuration online, enforcing rules via a local client on supported devices. Unlike the others, Family Safety only works with Windows and Windows Phone. Norton supports Windows, Android, and iOS, while Net Nanny works on Windows, Mac, and Android. Qustodio has the broadest reach, supporting Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Kindle.

View All 10 Photos in Gallery

Final Thoughts

Microsoft Family Safety offers parental control for your Windows and Windows Phone devices, but not for any other platforms. This and other limitations make it a poor choice for parental control. - Microsoft Family Safety (for Windows 10)

Microsoft Family Safety for Windows 10

2.0 Subpar

Microsoft Family Safety offers parental control for your Windows and Windows Phone devices, but not for any other platforms. This and other limitations make it a poor choice for parental control.

About Our Expert

Neil J. Rubenking

Neil J. Rubenking

Principal Writer, Security

My Experience

When the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That’s how I met PCMag’s editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I’ve become PCMag’s expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces.

Before my current security gig, I supplied PCMag readers with tips and solutions on using popular applications, operating systems, and programming languages in my "User to User" and "Ask Neil" columns, which began in 1990 and ran for almost 20 years. Along the way, I wrote more than 40 utility articles, as well as Delphi Programming for Dummies and six other books covering DOS, Windows, and programming. I also reviewed thousands of products of all kinds, ranging from early Sierra Online adventure games to AOL’s precursor Q-Link.

In the early 2000s, I turned my focus to security and the growing antivirus industry. After years of working with antivirus, I’m known throughout the security industry as an expert on evaluating antivirus tools. I serve as an advisory board member for the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), an international nonprofit group dedicated to coordinating and improving testing of anti-malware solutions.

The Technology I Use

Much of the testing I do, particularly testing with real-world ransomware, is just plain dangerous. To perform such tests safely, I sequester them inside virtual machines managed by VMWare Workstation. For cross-platform testing, I use a MacBook Air, a Google Pixel 4, and a 6th-generation iPad.

I rely on my Delphi coding skills to create and maintain small applications. These include programs to check whether an antivirus correctly handled the malware it detected, launch dangerous URLs and record the security program’s reaction, and analyze the malware that I collect for use in testing. I also wrote a tiny browser and text editor for use in testing security apps that have predefined reactions for known products.

I do my writing and research on a Dell OptiPlex desktop, relying on Microsoft Word (my fingers know all the shortcuts). Many of my articles include charts and analysis; Excel is my go-to for those. When work hours end, though, I escape the bounds of Microsoft and Windows. There’s an iPhone in my pocket, I relax with my oversized iPad, and my Kindle Oasis is always loaded with the best science fiction and fantasy.

Read the latest from Neil J. Rubenking

Read full bio