Windows 10: Microsoft Family Safety app now available on iOS and Android

Brink · Jul 28, 2020

Today, we are excited to announce that the Microsoft Family Safety app, designed to help you protect your familyâs digital and physical safety, is starting to rollout today on iOS and Android.

Over the past few months, I have been using the preview with my family, and it has been a game-changer! As a kid, my two favorite things to do after school were to ride my bike and play soccer with my neighborhood friends. Nowadays, my kids are always on their devices, whether playing video games with their friends, on social media or learning remotely. Kids have access to more information and endless ways to connect with other people. This can be scary for parents. As a mom, I seek to give my kids the independence to learn and grow whilst ensuring that they are also safe online and in the real world. Today, I am excited to share with you how any family worried about their kidsâ online safety can benefit from the Microsoft Family Safety app and how it has helped us to create healthier habits for my kids, while also giving my wife and me peace of mind.

Here are the top 5 ways my family has benefited from the Microsoft Family Safety app:

1. Use the weekly activity report as a conversation starter.

Every week, parents and kids receive an email with highlights of the childâs digital activity. This creates a great mechanism to drive a conversation between parents and kids about how much time they are spending on their devices and what websites and content they are viewing. Last week, the weekly activity email for my youngest showed that he had spent 30 hours playing Minecraft. Believe me, that started a conversation!
Below you can see an example report that parents and kids receive.

2. Limit screen time for play and make more time for learning.1

In recent months, we have all spent a lot more time at home. This means that my kids have naturally spent more time on their devices. However, much of this time is necessary since their schooling and summer camps have moved to remote learning. One of my favorite features has been the ability to set app and game screen time limits. These limits give my kids the flexibility to be on their devices more for learning but help keep them focused by limiting the amount of time they can spend on other apps and games. My wife and I can also give them more screen time if they run out and request additional time, providing our family with the right level of flexibility for our busy schedule and changing needs.

Below is an example of how parents can set up app limits.

3. Set healthy boundaries with web and search filters.2

This is one of the features that has provided me the most peace of mind. In the past, my seven-year-old son has unknowingly come across some unwelcome search results. With the Family Safety app, we have been using web and search filters to block adult content and set browsing to kid-friendly websites with either allowed or blocked websites list. This feature works in a tight concert with the Microsoft Edge browser on Windows, Xbox, and Android. My son now feels empowered to explore online, knowing we set up a safe place for him to explore and we know he is safer online.

Below is an example of how parents can set up content filters and help ensure a safer web browsing experience.

4. Get purchase request emails to avoid surprise spending3

Have you ever received a credit card bill with a bunch of unexpected app store purchases? I have and it is not a fun surprise! I love that I get an email request before one of my kids can purchase something from the Microsoft Store. This has limited surprises and allowed us to talk about purchases before they happen, instilling more responsible spending habits.

5. Know where your family is when things start to open back up.4

When things eventually open back up, Family Safety will also help you to stay connected in the real world. Location sharing lets you see each of your family membersâ last known location on a map and save favorite locations like âhomeâ to see, at a glance, that everyone is safe and sound.

It is also important to me that my familyâs privacy is protected. I am not a fan of apps that sell or share my familyâs location data to third parties. Microsoft Family Safety provides you full control around how and why data is collected and used. Unlike other location-tracking apps, your familyâs location data will not be sold or shared with insurance companies or data brokers.

These are just a few ways my family has benefited from the app. In addition to my own kidsâ feedback (and they have a lot!), we have also learned more about what all our other preview users want to see in Family Safety as we evolve the app. Our team has been hard at work making improvements based on this early feedback. Here are just some new user benefits that we have already implemented:

We added a new feature to block or unblock specific apps.

We updated our designs to be more accessible and inclusive (i.e. improved visual contrast to help low vision users and provided additional context for screen reader users).

We added more time options for parents to quickly respond to requests for screen time (i.e. you can now easily add 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or 3 hours of more of screen time).

We added location clustering to see when multiple family members are at the same location (i.e. when multiple people are in one place you can see that there are 4 people and zoom in to see who it is).

And this is just the beginning. We are excited to launch Family Safety and we will continue to add new features to help you protect your family. In the coming months, we plan to introduce two premium features that will be part of Microsoft 365 Family subscription: (1) drive safety5 to help to build better habits behind the wheel with insights on driving behavior and (2) location alerts to notify you when a family member arrives or departs a specific location. We are also in the process of working to bring digital safety features to iOS to set screen time and content filters on iPhones.

Try Microsoft Family Safety today!

Disclaimers
1 Windows, Xbox, and Android apps and games only.
2 Enables SafeSearch with Microsoft Edge on Windows, Xbox, and Android.
3 Applies to apps and games downloaded from the Xbox and Microsoft stores; these settings can be managed at family.microsoft.com.
4 Location permissions must be active.
5 Drive Safety features will be available only in the US, UK, AUS, and CA.
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Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/micr...-matters-most/

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Brink · Jul 28, 2020

New Microsoft Family Safety Preview app for Android and iOS

Hi Office Insiders, I am Aimee Sudeck, Product Marketing Manager for Microsoft 365. We’re excited to invite you to join a preview for Microsoft Family Safety, a new app designed to help protect your family with digital and physical safety.

This new app empowers families to start conversations and promote healthier habits. It brings together cross-platform digital safety, such as screen time and content filters, with location sharing to help keep loved ones safe.

Microsoft Family Safety key features

Content filters: Create a safe space for your kids to explore online. Set healthy boundaries with web and search filters to block mature content and set browsing to kid-friendly websites on Microsoft Edge.

App and game filters

Web and search filters

Content filter requests

Screen time limits: Set screen time limits that work across devices. If you know your kids will be on devices longer for online learning, you can set limits on specific apps or games instead.

App and game limits (Xbox, Windows, Android)

Device limits (Xbox and Windows)

Screen time requests

Activity reporting: Get insights on your family’s digital activity and have a conversation about what it means. Parents and kids can both view kids’ activity reports of screen time, top websites visited, and terms kids are searching for online.

Activity summaries

Weekly email reports

Location awareness: Stay connected even when you’re apart. See loved ones on a map with location sharing and save places they visit most to know where family members are at a glance.

Location sharing

Saved places

How to sign up for the limited preview

We’re starting with a limited preview of the app on iOS and Android to gather feedback before launching later this year. We’re looking for families with children of all ages to join the preview. Follow the steps below to get an invitation:

1. Set up a family group here.

Select Create a family group.

Follow the prompts to add family members and invite them to join the group.

2. Fill out the preview submission form (only one form required per family).

Acknowledge that you have created a family group.

Provide family and device information to be uploaded to preview.

Prerequisite

Please make sure to provide the email addresses of each of your family members and use the same email you used to set up their accounts. This allows us to reserve spots for you and all members of your family. You won’t be able to add or update email addresses in the form later.

Preview restrictions

Limited preview; available to 10,000 users on iOS and 10,000 users on Android.

Available globally except for China, Japan, countries and regions with right to left written languages, and U.S. embargoed countries and territories.

When selected, we’ll send each member of your family an email invite with instructions to download the preview in the coming weeks. Invitations will be sent on a rolling basis, so keep an eye on your inbox.

Feedback

We ask that users participating in the preview actively provide feedback to help us learn from your experience. Send feedback in the app by shaking your device or tapping on Menu > Help & Feedback.
Posted in Android, Feature Deep Dives, iOS
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Source: Microsoft Family Safety: Protect Your Family - Office Insider Blog

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Brink · Jul 28, 2020

Microsoft Edge now available for iOS and Android

In October, we introduced Microsoft Edge for iOS and Android in preview, in response to your request to make Microsoft Edge work well with your phones. A special THANK YOU goes out to each of you—hundreds of thousands of you—who downloaded, test-drove, and sent feedback on the preview apps. Your ideas and passion have contributed to an even better app experience.

We are pleased to announce that we’re removing the “preview” label from our Android and iOS app.

Starting today, Microsoft Edge is available for iOS (Apple Store) and Android (Google Play Store) as a free download.

Q8pbqba6rzY

Microsoft Edge for iOS and Android brings familiar features like your Favorites, Reading List, New Tab Page, Reading View, and Roaming Passwords across your PC and phone, so, no matter the device, your browsing goes with you. But what makes Microsoft Edge really stand out is the ability to continue on your PC, which enables you to immediately open the page you’re looking at right on your PC—or save it to work on later.

And thanks to your feedback, we’ve added some new and popular features since launching the preview mobile app:

Roaming Passwords – Save a new password on your phone, and it follows you to your PC. Get to what you need, regardless of where you are or what device you are currently working on.

Dark theme – You can now enjoy this popular theme on your phone, in addition to your PC.

On market and language availability, Microsoft Edge for iOS is available in the United States (English), China (Simplified-Chinese), France (French) and the UK (English). Microsoft Edge for Android is available in the United States (English), Australia (English) Canada (English and French), China (Simplified-Chinese), France (French), India (English) and the UK (English). We look forward to bringing MS Edge for iOS and Android to additional markets and languages over time!

We are committed to empowering people and organizations to achieve more. And Microsoft Edge for iOS and Android is another step in that journey. While we’re excited to remove the preview label along with the download restrictions, we are more excited about all that’s ahead. We have a long list of new features to build and improvements to make. We hope you will try the app alongside your Windows 10 PCs and provide your ideas on what can make it even better. As has been our approach with Windows 10, we’ll continue to try new things, learn and build the best experiences possible.
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Source: Microsoft Edge now available for iOS and Android - Windows Blog

Brink · Jul 28, 2020

Microsoft Edge now available for iOS and Android (Updated)

3/26/18, 9AM PT: iPad and Android tablet owners – we’ve got some great news for you! Microsoft Edge is now available as a free download in the Apple Store and Google Play Store. Now, you too, can experience familiar features like your Favorites (including Roaming Favorites), Reading List, New Tab Page, Reading View, and Roaming Passwords in Microsoft Edge across all of your devices. And, what makes Microsoft Edge really stand out is the ability to continue on your PC, allowing you to open a web page from your phone right on to your PC. We look forward to bringing new features and updates to Microsoft Edge for iOS and Android in future updates, so please keep providing feedback!

In October, we introduced Microsoft Edge for iOS and Android in preview, in response to your request to make Microsoft Edge work well with your phones. A special THANK YOU goes out to each of you—hundreds of thousands of you—who downloaded, test-drove, and sent feedback on the preview apps. Your ideas and passion have contributed to an even better app experience.

We are pleased to announce that we’re removing the “preview” label from our Android and iOS app.

Starting today, Microsoft Edge is available for iOS (Apple Store) and Android (Google Play Store) as a free download.

Q8pbqba6rzY

Microsoft Edge for iOS and Android brings familiar features like your Favorites, Reading List, New Tab Page, Reading View, and Roaming Passwords across your PC and phone, so, no matter the device, your browsing goes with you. But what makes Microsoft Edge really stand out is the ability to continue on your PC, which enables you to immediately open the page you’re looking at right on your PC—or save it to work on later.

And thanks to your feedback, we’ve added some new and popular features since launching the preview mobile app:

Roaming Passwords – Save a new password on your phone, and it follows you to your PC. Get to what you need, regardless of where you are or what device you are currently working on.

Dark theme – You can now enjoy this popular theme on your phone, in addition to your PC.

On market and language availability, Microsoft Edge for iOS is available in the United States (English), China (Simplified-Chinese), France (French) and the UK (English). Microsoft Edge for Android is available in the United States (English), Australia (English) Canada (English and French), China (Simplified-Chinese), France (French), India (English) and the UK (English). We look forward to bringing MS Edge for iOS and Android to additional markets and languages over time!

We are committed to empowering people and organizations to achieve more. And Microsoft Edge for iOS and Android is another step in that journey. While we’re excited to remove the preview label along with the download restrictions, we are more excited about all that’s ahead. We have a long list of new features to build and improvements to make. We hope you will try the app alongside your Windows 10 PCs and provide your ideas on what can make it even better. As has been our approach with Windows 10, we’ll continue to try new things, learn and build the best experiences possible.
Click to expand...

Source: Microsoft Edge now available for iOS and Android - Windows Blog

Windows 10: Microsoft Family Safety app now available on iOS and Android

Microsoft Family Safety app now available on iOS and Android

Microsoft Family Safety app now available on iOS and Android

Microsoft Family Safety app now available on iOS and Android

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