How to Turn Off Microsoft Family Safety? [Step-By-Step]
Microsoft Family Safety is linked to a Microsoft family group, not just a single device. If supervision is enabled for a child account, simply turning off settings on the device will not fully disable it. You must remove or adjust settings through the main family organizer account.
There are two main roles in Microsoft Family Safety. The family organizer manages permissions and controls. The family member, usually a child account, is supervised under those controls. To completely turn off Microsoft Family Safety, either the organizer must remove the member from the family group or disable all restrictions.
The process can be completed through a browser on any device. After removing supervision, the account will function like a normal Microsoft account without restrictions.
Let’s learn the steps to turn off Microsoft Family Safety!
How to Turn Off Microsoft Family Safety?
To turn off Microsoft Family Safety, sign in to your Microsoft Family account, remove the child or member from the family group, and disable parental controls on their device. Once removed from the family group, all monitoring, screen time limits, and content restrictions will stop immediately. You can manage these settings from the Microsoft Family Safety website using the organizer account.
Step 1: Sign in to Your Microsoft Family Safety Account
The first step to turn off Microsoft Family Safety is accessing the correct account. You must sign in with the family organizer account because only organizers have permission to remove members or disable supervision.
Open a web browser on your computer or phone and go to the Microsoft Family Safety page. Use your Microsoft credentials to sign in. This should be the same account that created the family group or manages parental controls.
Once signed in, you will see the family dashboard. This dashboard shows all members added to the family group along with their activity, screen time usage, and device connections. Locate the profile of the person whose Family Safety you want to turn off.
Make sure you are using the correct organizer account. If you sign in with a child or member account, you will not have permission to remove supervision or change core settings.
Step 2: Open the Member Profile Settings
After accessing the dashboard, select the family member whose supervision you want to disable. Clicking on their profile will open detailed settings related to screen time, app restrictions, content filters, and location tracking.
This page provides full control over the parental supervision settings. Review these options carefully before removing the member from the family group. If you only want to turn off certain restrictions like screen time or app blocking, you can manually disable each setting from this page.
However, if your goal is to completely turn off Microsoft Family Safety for that account, you will need to remove them from the family group. Removing them ensures that all monitoring and controls are permanently stopped.
Scroll down within the member profile until you find the option related to account management or removal. This section usually includes choices such as removing consent or removing the member from the family.
Step 3: Remove the Member from the Family Group
To fully disable Microsoft Family Safety, you must remove the account from the Microsoft family group. Once removed, all parental monitoring and restrictions will automatically end.
Select the option that says Remove from family group. A confirmation prompt will appear asking if you are sure you want to remove the member. Confirm your choice to proceed.
If the account belongs to a child under a certain age, Microsoft may require additional verification. This step ensures that parental consent is properly handled. Follow any on-screen instructions to complete the process.
After removal, the member will no longer appear in the family dashboard. Their Microsoft account will function independently without screen time limits, content filters, or activity reports. This means Microsoft Family Safety has been successfully turned off for that user.
Keep in mind that removing a member does not delete their Microsoft account. It only removes them from the family group and disables parental controls.
Step 4: Disable Family Safety Settings on Windows Device
Even after removing a member from the family group, you may want to confirm that Family Safety settings are no longer active on their Windows device. Sometimes devices keep old configurations that need to be refreshed.
On the Windows computer, sign in with the same Microsoft account that was previously supervised. Open Settings and go to Accounts. Check the section related to family or other users. If the account is no longer part of a family group, supervision settings will not appear.
Restart the device to ensure all previous restrictions are cleared. After restarting, the account should have full access without any screen time limits or blocked apps.
If you were using the Microsoft Family Safety mobile app, you can also uninstall it from the device. This step is optional but ensures that no monitoring tools remain installed.
Step 5: Turn Off Activity Reporting and Screen Time Manually
In some cases, you might want to keep the family group but disable monitoring features. Instead of removing a member completely, you can manually turn off each control.
Open the member profile from the Microsoft Family dashboard and go to Activity reporting. Turn off activity reporting to stop tracking browsing history, app usage, and search activity. Next, navigate to screen time settings and disable all limits.
You should also check content filters and location tracking. Turn off web and app filters so there are no restrictions on browsing or downloads. Disable location sharing if you no longer want to track the device location.
Once all these features are turned off, Microsoft Family Safety will no longer monitor or restrict the account, even though it remains in the family group.
Confirm That Microsoft Family Safety Is Turned Off
After completing the previous steps, it is important to verify that Microsoft Family Safety has been completely disabled. Sign out and sign back into the member account on their device. Try accessing apps, websites, or games that were previously restricted.
If everything works normally and no screen time warnings appear, then the controls have been successfully removed. You can also revisit the Microsoft Family dashboard to ensure the account is no longer listed or shows no active restrictions.
This confirmation step helps avoid confusion and ensures that all supervision features have been turned off correctly.
Faqs
Can I turn off Microsoft Family Safety without removing the account?
Yes, you can disable specific features like screen time and content filters without removing the account. However, to completely turn off Microsoft Family Safety, removing the member from the family group is the most effective method.
Why can’t I remove a member from Microsoft Family?
You may not be signed in as the family organizer. Only organizers have permission to remove members or change supervision settings. Make sure you are using the correct account.
Does turning off Microsoft Family Safety delete the Microsoft account?
No, removing someone from the family group does not delete their account. It simply removes parental controls and supervision.
How do I stop Microsoft Family Safety notifications?
Turn off activity reporting and screen time alerts in the member profile settings. You can also disable notifications from the Family Safety app on your device.
Can a child remove themselves from Microsoft Family Safety?
No, child accounts cannot remove themselves. Only a family organizer can remove a member or disable supervision.