Microsoft

Microsoft Family Safety app comes to Android and iOS in early beta

Damien Wilde | May 12 2020 - 5:08 am PT

The public beta for the recently announced Microsoft Family Safety app is now up and running for those on Android and iOS.

As part of the new Microsoft 365 subscription service, the Family Safety app is able to track family member usage across a number of apps and services. The tools look great for the busy family, allowing you to locate family members, check-in on screen time, and even manage and configure time limits and filters for services like Xbox Live, and Microsoft’s Chromium-based Edge browser.

Currently, the app is still in the early phases of development. This does mean that features will be fleshed out over the course of the beta program.

With families working and learning from home, many of us are spending more time on our computers and phones and are looking for ways to ensure our loved ones are safe. Microsoft Family Safety helps you to facilitate a dialogue with your kids about the time they are spending on their devices and type of content they are viewing.

The app provides transparency on where everyone is spending time online and allows you to create flexible schedules to carve out more time for things like online learning. Additionally, it helps you stay connected even when you’re apart with location sharing. Our team is committed to bringing you additional physical safety features in the coming months, like safe driving, so as we go back to a new normal you can help protect your family across your whole life.

From what we can tell so far, the Microsoft Family Safety app works sort of like a connected version of Google’s own Digital Wellbeing platform. Although this lives within your Microsoft account rather than solely on your Android device.

If you are interested in giving the Family Safety app a trial period, it’s worth noting that there is “limited availability” for public beta sign-ups on both Android and iOS. You will also need to have a fully configured Microsoft family group. Once you have done so, you can sign-up after completing a relatively short survey here. When the beta phase is complete, the app will be launched as a free download on both Android and iOS.