Xbox Account for Kids: Setting Up a Child Account

The right Xbox account for kids is a Microsoft child account linked to a parent's account in an Xbox family group, which you can create from the console in a few minutes. Once it exists, the parent, called an organizer, controls age limits for games, screen time, spending, chat and multiplayer from the console, the web or the Xbox Family Settings app for phones.

We checked every step here against Xbox Support's family group, content limit, screen time, purchase and privacy articles, plus the Microsoft Services Agreement, in November 2026.

What Microsoft Counts as a Child Account

Xbox Support defines a child account as any Microsoft account linked to an adult's account when the child or teen is below the age of majority for their country or region. In that case the child must be linked to an adult Microsoft account to use Xbox services. The console then splits young players into two groups based on the birth date entered at signup and the rules of their country.

• Child (United States): ages 8 through 12.
• Teen (United States): ages 13 through 17.
• Other countries: the age bands can differ by country or region.

Family groups have two roles. An adult account is an organizer, and a child account is a member. Organizers manage settings; members can see but not change their own. The Microsoft Services Agreement backs this up from the legal side: a parent or legal guardian of a minor accepts the terms on the child's behalf and is responsible for all use of the account, including purchases. That responsibility is the main reason not to let a child use an adult account, even your own.

Creating the Child Account on the Console

You can do this entirely from an Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One. Sign in with your own adult account first, then:

1. Press the Xbox button and go to Profile & system > Settings > Account > Family settings > Manage family members.
2. Select Add to family > Add new.
3. Enter the child's existing email, or select Get a new email to create an Outlook address for them.
4. Enter their name, a password, their date of birth and a security proof to protect the account.
5. Agree to the Microsoft Services Agreement and Privacy Statement.
6. Approve the account as organizer. Choose This Xbox to consent on the console, or Their phone/PC to get an email with consent steps.

Two practical notes. If the child already has a Microsoft account that belongs to another family group, they must be removed from that group before you can add them. And enter the real birth date, because Xbox uses it by default for content limits and the Child or Teen privacy presets. The child will also be asked to pick a gamertag; their first change later is free, as our guide to changing an Xbox gamertag explains.

Setting Age Limits for Games and Apps

Content limits decide which games, apps, movies and shows a member can open. By default, a member's limit matches the birth date on their Microsoft account, but organizers can adjust it.

1. Press the Xbox button and go to Profile & system > Settings > Account > Family settings.
2. Select Manage family members and choose the member.
3. Under Access to content, select the age level you want.

When a child tries to open something rated above their limit, they can ask for permission. An organizer approves or denies the request on the console or in the Family Settings app, choosing Always or Just this once. Choose carefully: Xbox Support says an Always exception is permanent and cannot be revoked. Content must be bought, downloaded and installed before an exception can be granted.

One rule surprises parents. When an organizer and a member are signed in at the same time, the console enforces the limits of the youngest member, so a mature game can stay blocked even for you until the child signs out. If that happens, go to Profile & system > Sign out and sign the child out before trying again.

Screen Time Limits That Actually Work

Screen time is managed from the web or the Xbox Family Settings app, not from the console itself. On the web, an organizer signs in to the Microsoft family site, picks the member, opens the Screen time tile and turns limits on for each device type. A single schedule can cover all devices if you prefer.

• Time limits come in 30-minute increments, and you can also allow a full 24 hours or block a day entirely.
• Time ranges let you start play only after school, for example.
• Time counts down whenever the member is signed in, so teach kids to sign out when they stop.
• Extra-time exceptions cannot be paused or removed, and they run alongside the remaining time rather than adding to it.

Two gaps are worth closing. Some free or trial games can be played without signing in, which bypasses screen time; Xbox Support suggests an access PIN and offline content limits to block them. And if a child knows your password or can reach the phone that receives requests, they can approve extra time themselves. Keep your own account secured, and if you are ever locked out of it, our walkthrough on unlocking a locked Xbox account will help you regain control quickly.

Purchases and Spending

The fastest way to avoid a surprise bill is the Ask a parent setting, which requires your approval for anything the child wants to buy in the Microsoft Store:

1. Press the Xbox button and select Profile & system > Settings > Account.
2. Select Family settings > Manage family members, then the child.
3. Select Privacy & online safety > Xbox privacy > View details & customize.
4. Select Buy and download, then set Ask a parent to On.

Xbox Support's other spending advice is straightforward. Do not add a credit card to an account if you do not want that person making purchases. Organizers can add funds to a member's account and still require approval before each purchase, and gift cards are an option too. A PIN on your own profile stops anyone using your account, and your card, from the shared console.

Chat, Multiplayer and Privacy

The Xbox Family Settings app on Android and iOS puts the social controls in one place. From the member's Settings, organizers can:

• Use the Social tile to set who the child can communicate with and whether they can follow other players.
• Use the Multiplayer tile to allow or block online multiplayer, and approve one-off requests to play a specific game online.
• Use the Cross-network play tile to allow or block play with people on other services.
• Use the Clubs tile to allow or block clubs.

On the console, organizers can apply Child, Teen or Adult default privacy settings to a member, or customize them, under Profile & system > Settings > Account > Family settings > Manage family members > Privacy & online safety > Xbox privacy. The member needs to sign out and back in for changes to apply.

Organizers can also see a member's enforcement history, and case reviews for a child's enforcement must come from an organizer, so check our guide to Xbox ban status if your child's chat suddenly stops working. For a positive side of the profile, kids often love watching their achievement total climb, which our Gamerscore explainer covers.

Fixing a Wrong Birth Date or Closing the Account

If the birth date was entered wrong, an organizer can fix it: sign in to the Microsoft family site, select More options next to the member, choose Manage consent, then Edit this child's personal info, correct the Birthdate and select Save. Xbox Support says changes can take up to 24 hours. If you want to delete a child's account, use the close-account form while signed in with the child's credentials. Microsoft waits 60 days before permanent deletion, and signing in during that window cancels the closure.

If you are setting everything up in one evening, this order covers the essentials without much back and forth:

1. Create the child account with the correct birth date and approve it as organizer.
2. Check the content age limit and turn on Ask a parent for purchases.
3. Set a screen time schedule on the web or in the app.
4. Choose communication, multiplayer and cross-network settings.
5. Turn on web filtering, which lets you block or approve websites the child can visit.
6. Add a PIN to your own profile so the child cannot sign in as you, and set up a guest account for visiting friends who do not have a profile.

Revisit the settings every birthday. The Child and Teen presets follow age, but your own judgment about chat and multiplayer may change faster or slower than the defaults.

A Word on Pre-Owned Accounts

Parents sometimes ask whether an older account with games already on it would save money. The store's Xbox accounts page does list accounts from marketplace sellers, but a pre-owned account carries someone else's birth date and personal details rather than your child's, so the age-based protections described above would not match the person actually playing. The Microsoft Services Agreement also says account credentials cannot be transferred to another user, which is why a fresh child account is the route Microsoft supports for kids.

Frequently Asked Questions