Windows Live Family Safety

Used Windows Live Family Safety for Windows? Share your experience and help other users.

Key Details of Windows Live Family Safety

Help keep your kids safer online.
Last updated on February 21, 2024
There have been 7 updates
Virus scan status:
Clean (it’s extremely likely that this software program is clean)

Editors’ Review

Download.com staffFebruary 21, 2024

Windows Live Family Safety provides a simple set of tools for keeping children away from questionable material online. With a professional layout and a great deal of flexibility, this is a great tool for cleaning up your home Internet access.

The program's interface is agreeable, with a look and feel similar to all Windows products, and it feels instantly intuitive. The only catch is that you must fill out an online registration, but it's free. From there you can click a single button to choose between three levels of filtering, ranging from nothing to strict. The program smartly includes a list of kid-friendly Web sites it allows. However, you can also customize the filters by adding specific Web sites to block or to allow. When we attempted to view a questionable or blocked site, we were prevented from doing so completely. Try as we might, we couldn't find any gaps in the security. The program's strongest feature may be its ability to apply various filters to different Windows users, so when children log in, their browsing is restricted, but adults logging in have the full and free range of the Internet. Windows Live Family Safety was smooth and effective in all the ways we'd expect a professionally designed Windows program to be.

Windows Live Family Safety is freeware. It provides a sense of ease and security with its ability to block and unblock sites and users, and we recommend it.

Windows Live Family Safety

Used Windows Live Family Safety for Windows? Share your experience and help other users.

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Full Specifications

GENERAL

Release: May 5, 2010

Latest update: February 21, 2024

Version: 16.4.3528.331

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Platform: Windows

Operating System

Windows XP
Windows 7
Windows 8
Windows Vista

POPULARITY

Total Downloads: 101,110

Downloads Last Week: 2

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Last Updated

User Reviews

2.3/5

25 User Votes

Is far from perfection
jonas_2June 7, 2017
Pros
Free! A lot of docs and manuals Well blocks "adult only" websites
Cons
But if your child has local account in Windows 10 - parental control does not work. Why? (on W7 all was Ok!). Why I should use others parental controls, eg Time Boss, Net Nanny or others !?
Summary
Curfew Fails. Reporting is Broken
HumanJHawkinsApril 24, 2015
Pros
Sometimes works. When time limits/curfew break, there is an obscure program that will usually fix them. (Search for "familysafetytimelimits.diagcab" if you need this.)
Cons
Frequently fails without warning. There is no obvious way to fix it. If you manage to find the timelimit fixer and it works, keep it around as you will need to fix it again in a few weeks. Multi-device (even among two Win 8.1 computers) is poor. It's a cloud-based service that doesn't sync. So if you set it to allow 1 hour computer use per day, it will give one hour per device. Set it for 30 minutes to compensate, and the kids have to quit what they are doing and switch computers, which can be a problem if they are trying to do something that isn't easily wrapped up and moved.
Summary
Bugs in this system mean it doesn't always work!
March 6, 2015
Pros
Good when it works. Fairly intuitive.
Cons
Several bugs which Microsoft have failed to fix despite knowing about it for a long time. My child has been able to get online and access youtube and other inappropriate sites despite me blocking them and specifically all youtube access. A 7 year old was able to find a workaround to access areas banned so how come Microsoft professionals can't!
Summary
Do not rely on this product to protect your children!!! I have found several bugs and a bit of searching on the internet has revealed it is a common problem. Trust this and your children will not be protected!! My professional advice is to look elsewhere for child protection.
Doesn't Actually Block Websites
AmberLBFebruary 22, 2014
Pros
Easy to use
Cons
Doesn't actually block websites
Summary
I have tried to block social networking sites both by setting the browsing age to child and by adding them individually to the block list, but am still able to access them most of the time by simply typing the address in the address bar. It doesn't work reliably so I can't trust that my children are safe online. I am still looking for an alternative that actually works..........disappointed in Windows.
Absolutely awful
CarthanDecember 25, 2013
Pros
Blocks adult websites
Cons
It blocks any and all programs (even the windows programs) Causes User account instability time restrictions work half the time Often web reports come up as blank
Summary
Really, This product looks good and is made to look good, but it doesn't work.
Horrible product.
SparkyyHDDecember 23, 2013
Pros
Blocks adult websites.
Cons
Does not block things that I think are appropriate. Blocks dumb things Does not do a good job of blocking games - blocked minecraft but can still play it.
Summary
A horrible product. Does not do a good job and would be better if it was efficient.
Great software
evnmoveMarch 12, 2013
Pros
Very easy to use, integrates excellently with Windows 8
Cons
Sometimes doesn't start-up
Summary
This beats most software I've tried
excellent program
ChoiceVoiceFebruary 16, 2013
Pros
-works well on variety of sites -blocks sites -blocks images in google images or anywhere -doesn't seem to slow down browser -
Cons
-always had pop up window appear that i would have to shut at startup -would like a program to run on demand and not startup. so it would start as i start my browser. that way i could keep my startup lean.
Summary
excellent program, does what it has too.
Things I wish for
Tearose841February 15, 2013
Pros
Most of the time is does really well
Cons
I wish I could add my own list of just words I would want to block. Words such as a celebrity name so that whenever they try to access a website that has that celebrity, they couldn't. I have also noticed it does not tell me when they go onto facebook or twitter. And they can receive porn images in their hotmail account.
Summary
Free MS software to protect my kids
ICTspulSeptember 11, 2012
Pros
- easy to install - easy to configure - online info available to get you started - it's free
Cons
Haven't found one yet. Be sure to have a Live ID ready before you start installing/configuring.
Summary
Installed Family Safety 2012 on all systems Enabled parental control on the Windows accounts the kids use (are the same on all systems) Enabled additional parental controls through provider Windows Live Family Safety Setup webfiltering, timelimits, activityreporting, etc. Now I receive a weekly report what my kids do on all the systems

Developer’s Description

Help keep your kids safer online.

With Family Safety, you decide how your kids experience the Internet. You can limit searches, block or allow websites, decide who your kids can communicate with when they're using Windows Live Messenger, Hotmail, or Spaces and monitor what websites they're visiting.