Secure screen time for their children is something which bothers many parents round the world. Taking this into account, Microsoft has followed the path of Google and Apple by rolling out per-app and per-game time limits in its parental control software. This will help parents monitor and regulate the amount of time their children spend in front of the screen, even if they change the device.
Through Microsoft Launcher, the company had already provided access to the screen limit feature to parents across Windows 10, Xbox One, and Android, however, guardians still could not control the amount of time their child could invest in a specific game or application.
Since education today involves a fare amount of screen time, limiting it completely was not considered to be a good option. However, with the existing system parents could only allot a set amount of screen time to the children, which was completely at the child’s discretion to manage.
But with today’s launch, the company has provided a more flexible and customizable option through which parents will be able to administer the amount of time their child spends on addictive and non productive apps, while they are supposed to be working on educational needs.
In the absence of this feature, a child always had the leverage of spending the provided screen time on games and compelling apps such as TikTok and Instagram.
Apple was the first to come up with this feature by including screen time controls in iOS12. Google recently updated its Family Link software as well, which will go preinstalled in new Android sets, to include the same feature. And with this launch, Microsoft is the newest member of the league.
The feature is being launched in preview, within existing Microsoft family settings. In order to use this, parents will be required to create a family group along with Microsoft accounts for each kid.
Once the setting is enabled, the child will get a screen time warning before 15 minutes, and then again before 5 minutes of the screen turning off. In case the child needs and asks for additional time, the parents may extend their screen time via email or a Microsoft Launcher notification which they will receive on their smartphones.
Announcing the feature, Microsoft said:
Ultimately, our goal is for the app and game limits feature to provide flexible and customizable tools to meet each family’s unique needs. You as parents know what’s best for your children — no technology can ever replace that — but we’re hoping these tools can help you to strike the right balance.
