Spending controls · Xbox

Xbox: approve every purchase

Xbox doesn't have a monthly cap. The budget is whatever you put on your child's Microsoft account, and anything above it needs your approval from your phone.

Last checked 24 September 2026

How Xbox families work

Xbox uses a Microsoft family group. Adults are organisers; children and teenagers are members with the permissions organisers give them. The settings follow a child to any Xbox or Windows device they sign in to. Check the birth date on your child's Microsoft account first, because age filters rely on it.

Turn on Ask to Buy

Make sure your child has their own Microsoft account in your family group. On the console, the option is in Settings, Account, Family settings, Manage family members.
Install the Xbox Family Settings app on your phone and sign in with your own adult account.
Select your child on the home screen.
Under Spending, open the Ask to buy tile.
Switch Ask to buy on. Every purchase now needs your approval.
If you want a budget, choose Add money under the Microsoft account balance and pick an amount.
Turn on spending notifications on the Microsoft Family Safety website, under Spending.
Leave your own card off your child's account. If one is there, keep approval switched on.
On the console, set a PIN on your own profile for purchases and settings.

How the balance works

Money on your child's Microsoft account is theirs to spend without asking. Anything above it, or above their age rating, sends you a request. That makes the balance behave like pocket money.

Gift cards count as balance

Microsoft says approval is not needed to spend currency or Xbox gift cards already on a child's account. A gift card from a relative becomes spendable straight away.

Shared consoles need a PIN

If the family shares one console, a child can buy from a parent's profile unless that profile is protected. Set an Xbox profile PIN that is required for sign-in, purchases and settings changes. On Windows, the Microsoft Store can ask for your password before every purchase.

Screen time and reports

Screen time limits cover Xbox and Windows together and are set in the Family Settings app, on the console or on the Family Safety website. You can grant extra time when asked, and daily or weekly reports show what was played.

History and refunds

Your child's spending is on the Family Safety website under their name, then Spending.
Your own orders are in the order history of your Microsoft account.
Game refunds are requested through Xbox Support. The usual window is 14 days without much playtime; requests are possible for up to 90 days but not all are approved.
Most in-game currency and consumable items can't be refunded once bought or used. Purchases a child made without approval are sometimes refunded, but it isn't guaranteed.

Gaps to know about

PC games that sell items through their own launcher or account are outside Microsoft's controls.
Some Family Settings features aren't available in every country, according to Xbox Support.

Sources: Xbox Support and Microsoft Family Safety help pages, checked 24 September 2026.