If you’ve recently upgraded your home console to an Xbox Series X, you may still have a perfectly usable Xbox One in your home. While trading it in is an option, you might also find it a worthwhile idea to set it up for your kids instead.
It’s a fantastic way to get the younger generation interested in the medium, while older children will appreciate the independence it offers.
This article will take you through the process of everything you need to do before giving your Xbox One to your kids.
Make the Xbox One Your Home Console
Making a specific console your Home Xbox gives anyone who logs in to it the ability to play any games you’ve purchased. It also enables access to Games with Gold and Game Pass if you subscribe to either of those services.
If you’re handing a console over to your kids, setting it as your Home Xbox means you won’t need to worry about rebuying any games for them to play. Doing this is a great way to give them a wide library to choose from for little to no money.
To set your Home Xbox, follow these steps:
- Press the Xbox button to open the Guide. Head to Profile and System > Settings.
- Go to General > Personalization > My home Xbox. Select Make this my home Xbox.
Lock Down Your Xbox Account
Most of the time, logging into your account is a quick, seamless process, and you can even tie logging in to a specific controller. In this case, though, you want to make everything as secure as possible to prevent accidental purchases on your account.
To do this, head to Settings > Account > Sign-in security & passkey > Change my sign-in and security preferences.
In here, there are a few options to choose from. No barriers will allow anyone who uses the console to see your data, change settings, and buy anything with no additional steps. This is the least secure method and means your child can hop onto your account any time and make purchases.
Ask for my passkey will prompt you to create a code that you need to enter before signing in or making changes and purchases. The most secure method is to Lock it down, which requires your Microsoft password for all the above actions. Choose which works for you and your family.
Adding a Child to Your Xbox Family
Before you can give them the Xbox One, add them to your Xbox family. There are two ways to do this; with an existing email address, or by setting up a whole new account.
Setting Up a New Account
If you choose to set up a new email address, you’ll be able to use your child’s name and correct date of birth, which will help with setting restrictions. It also gives them the freedom to choose an email address that suits them.
To set up and add a new email address to your Xbox family, here's what you'll need to do:
- Press the Xbox button to open the Guide. Head to Profile and System > Add or switch > Add new.
- An on-screen keyboard will automatically appear. Press B to back out of this, then select Get a new email.
- Follow the on-screen instructions and sign in to your account when prompted.
Using an Existing Account
You may have a secondary email address you want to use, or your child may already have their own email address set up.
If this is the case, follow these steps to add the account to your Xbox family:
- Press the Xbox button to open the Guide. Head to Profile and System > Settings.
- Go to Account > Family settings > Manage family members > Add to family.
From here, you’ll enter the email address and password you want to use. If the account used the correct date of birth when created, the Xbox will ask you to enter your own account details to add them to your family.
How to Set Content Restrictions
You can restrictions for the games and apps allowed based on your child’s age. To do this, head into the console Settings, then Account > Family settings > Manage family members.
Select which family member you want to set restrictions for, and you’ll then have three options to choose from under Privacy & content restrictions.
Privacy & online safety allows you to change whether they can play online, who can see their real name, and what apps do with their data. Access to content allows you to set what they can access based on their age, and Web filtering will allow you to change which sites they can view.
Personalizing Xbox Account Restrictions
If you want to dig deeper and allow games outside of their restrictions (for example, you might want to let your 8-year-old play Disney’s Brave, which is an E10+ rated title), you can do this by using Microsoft’s family safety features.
The Microsoft Family Safety app is available on iOS and Android, or you can use the Microsoft family safety homepage through your browser.
To see other ways that you can protect your kids online, it's worth looking at the best parental control apps for Windows.
Download: Microsoft Family Safety App for Android | iOS
How to Enforce Xbox Account Restrictions
From time to time, either by accident, or on the odd occasion they’re trying their luck, your child will attempt to play a game or video outside of their restrictions.
If this happens, an on-screen warning will pop up and they can either ask you to enter your password in person if nearby or send a message to request approval. You’ll receive an email from Microsoft letting you know the Xbox is requesting your permission, where you can confirm or deny access instantly.
Things to Know Before You Give Kids Your Xbox One
There are a couple of things to know before you give your old Xbox to your child.
First, all your purchased games will still appear in the library. Your kids can also download them, even if they’re outside of the restrictions you set. If you own Doom: Eternal, Grand Theft Auto V, or other mature games, they'll still be visible, even on your child's login.
Setting the console as your Home Xbox means that you won’t be able to game share with another friend or family member. If anyone else has access to your games, they’ll lose this, along with the ability to use your Game Pass or Xbox Live Gold.
You can use the Microsoft Family Safety app or the Microsoft family homepage to personalize each child’s settings any time you like. You can set screen time, content restrictions, and spending limits, and you can even decide whether or not to allow online gaming.
Your Xbox One Is Now Ready to Give to Your Kids
Now that you have set everything up, your Xbox is ready to give to your kids, and you can rest easy in the knowledge they won’t be able to play anything unsuitable or make purchases without your permission.
Staying safe online is of paramount importance, especially if you are a child. By following the above steps, you ensure that you introduce your kids to gaming in the most secure way possible; under your watchful eye.
