How it works
Games are available for free and to purchase through the Microsoft Store or by buying physical discs. The consoles also provide access to popular entertainment apps for watching TV, films and sports or listening to music. Users can browse the internet too on Xbox.
Players can play online with other people. They can share ‘captures’ (screenshots and recordings) of their game play with other Xbox players or livestream their gameplay to video sharing apps.
Parental controls or safety settings available
Parents can set a pin to manage parental controls on the Xbox. There is an extensive range of privacy and safety settings that can be applied to their child’s data and communications. For example, parents can:
• Prevent other people from seeing their child’s real name, Xbox profile bio (description), location, when their child is online, their followers, their game and app history and what TV, videos or music they’re watching or listening to
• Manage whether their child can add friends and followers, share their Xbox content and livestream, join multiplayer games and voice/text chat with other gamers inside or outside of the Xbox network
• Prevent children accessing age-inappropriate games and apply a web filter to block inappropriate online content
• Block mature content in messages and media sent to their child
Additional settings include the ability to require a pin to be entered for purchases or opening the Edge web browser. Parents can prevent Xbox apps accessing their child’s personal data such as location, name, photo, contacts and the ability to access the webcam or microphone.
The Xbox Family Settings mobile app can be used to manage parental controls on the Xbox. Parents can also supervise their children’s online activities and manage screen time through the Microsoft Family Safety app (also accessible on a web browser). This app enables parents to apply parental controls to their child’s Microsoft accounts on the Xbox and across other devices and Microsoft services their child uses.
