aka.ms/familyverify – family activity reporting for Windows

aka.ms/familyverify

aka.ms/familyverify : Members of your family group can get reports on their actions. You can learn how to turn activity reporting on or off. For example, if you only want to look at the report online, you can turn off email notifications.

Having trouble with reporting on activities? Here are some things you could try:

Check that your family member’s Microsoft account didn’t expire on their device

Tell them to sign in on their device with their Microsoft account. Start, then go to Settings, then Accounts. Click “Verify” and follow the on-screen instructions to verify their account. If you don’t see the “Verify” button, open Microsoft Edge on their device and go to aka.ms/familyverify to verify their account.

Check the privacy settings on your family member’s device

• Make sure the diagnostic data level is set to Enhanced or Full by going to Start > Settings > Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback.
• If you think the device usage data needs to correct, remember that idle time count as screen time but not as usage.

Try rebooting your family’s devices

• Click Start, then Power, and then Restart.

Make sure your family’s devices have the latest Windows updates

• Start, then Settings, then Update & Security, then Windows Update. Check for updates, and if there are any, install them. We’re always making changes for the better.

See your child’s device and app use with activity reports – aka.ms/familyverify

View device and app use with activity reporting

Connect family members’ devices through Microsoft Family Safety to allow activity reporting and learn more about how they use the Internet. This feature lets family organizers see what a family member does on the web, in apps, and games.

The Family Safety app or a web browser can use to access this information. You can also get weekly emails with information about what family members did on Microsoft Edge, Xbox, and Windows devices. Organizers can only see what’s going on from devices that are connected.

Turn on activity reporting – aka.ms/familyverify

Troubleshooting Microsoft Family Safety – aka.ms/familyverify

Here are some of the most common problems with family safety features and what you can do to fix them.

For Windows devices: aka.ms/familyverify

General troubleshooting

• Check to see if Windows has the latest update: Start, then Settings, then Update & Security, then Windows Update. Check for updates, and if there are any, install them.
• Try restarting your family’s devices: Click Start, then Power, and then Restart.
• Set their account to be a regular user. Your child’s account might be set up as an Administrator. As administrators, they can change the Family Safety settings or break them. Choose > Settings > Accounts > Family & Other Users > Choose the account for your child > Change the type of account > In the dialogue box, choose Standard user and click OK to save the change.
• Sign in: Make sure your child’s Microsoft account is on their device.
• Ensure your child’s Microsoft account has enough time: Tell them to sign in on their device with their Microsoft account. Start, then go to Settings, then Accounts. Click “Verify” and follow the on-screen instructions to verify their account. If you don’t see the “Verify” button, open Microsoft Edge on their device and go to aka.ms/familyverify to verify their account.

Activity reporting

• Your child might have turn off activity reporting: Kids who are 13* or older can choose not to share their user data with adults in their family by “opting out.” Check their activity reporting settings at family.microsoft.com or on the Family Safety app. If activity reporting has been turn off, your child has chosen not to use it. Before you can turn it back on, you will need to get their permission again.

*In the U.S., 13 years old. Depending on the rules in each country, this age may be different in other places.

• What I see in real life doesn’t match what is shown: Time limits enforce based on when they are signed in, even when they aren’t doing anything. However, idle time should be included in the report of how the device is used. For example, if your child’s limit is two hours and they sign in but don’t do anything, they will lock out after two hours, even though the device usage report may only show that they used the device for one minute.

Also, if your time zone is set wrong, your device use may show up in your activity report under a different day. You can check your Microsoft account’s time zone to ensure that activity reports show the right amount of use.

Screen time limits

• Automatically, requests for screen time are granted: If you think you might be going over your screen time limits, your kids may be signing into your Microsoft account themselves. Make the password for your Microsoft account hard to guess.
• Limits on screen time don’t work: Time limits are enforced based on when they are signed in, even when they aren’t doing anything. However, idle time isn’t included in the report of the device’s use.
  • For example, if your child’s limit is 2 hours and they sign in but don’t do anything, they will lock out after 2 hours, but the device usage report may only show 1 minute of use.
• Using multiple apps simultaneously may also lead to a lot of device use. The time we spend on each app may not add to the total time we spend on our device.

For Xbox consoles: aka.ms/familyverify

General troubleshooting

• Make sure everyone signs in the right. Xbox lets more than one person sign in at the same time. It can help ensure that each user signs in with a PIN (so those family members can’t use another user’s login information to get around the settings).
• Use content restrictions. When your child’s time is up, and they are signed out, they will still be able to use some apps and games. Use the Signed-out content restrictions feature to limit what they can do when no one is signed in.

Age filters

• Age restrictions for the youngest child: If more than one person is signed in, the age restrictions for games will base on the youngest child or family member. A parent can get around the limit or sign out the account of the youngest family member.

Activity reporting & Screen time

• Sign out to save screen time. When a child is signed in, their screen timer is counting down, even if a game is paused or they are not actively playing while someone else is. They will need to sign out when they’re done to save their screen time.