Family Safety no longer limiting child's time and schedule, and "lock device" not working

Question

Computer was set up in November of 2025. Family Safety limits worked perfectly for several months. Now, the child can play past both the hourly limits and the scheduled times. "Lock device" does not work consistently. Please provide detailed options for correcting these problems

Answer 1

Hi Jan Treecraft,

I understand how frustrating this is, especially because Family Safety had been working correctly for several months and now the limits and “Lock device” option are no longer behaving consistently. When screen time rules stop applying like this, it is usually worth checking both the Family Safety settings online and how the child account is connected on the Windows device.

A few questions that may help narrow this down:

• Is your child signing in to Windows with the same Microsoft account that appears in your Microsoft Family group?
• On the child’s PC, is the child account set as a Standard user, or does it have Administrator rights?
• Does this Windows 11 PC still appear under your child’s device list at Microsoft Family Safety?
• Are the limits failing for the whole Windows device, or only for certain apps/games?
• When you use Lock device, does anything happen on the child’s PC at all, such as a delay, sign-out prompt, or notification?
• Did this start after a Windows update, Family Safety app update, account change, or device change?

In the meantime, please try these steps:

1. Confirm the child is using the correct Microsoft account: On the child’s PC, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and make sure the child is signed in with the same Microsoft account that is listed in your Family Safety group, not a local account or another Microsoft account.
2. Make sure the child account is not an administrator: Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users or Other users, select the child account, and check the account type. If it is set as Administrator, change it to Standard user.
3. Verify the child’s Microsoft account on the PC: On the child’s PC, go to Settings > Accounts and look for a Verify or Fix option. If it appears, complete the verification. If you do not see it, open Microsoft Edge on the child’s device and visit Family verification.
4. Remove and re-add the screen time limits: Sign in at Microsoft Family Safety, open your child’s profile, remove the current Windows screen time schedule/limits, then add them again. After saving the new limits, restart the child’s PC and have the child sign out and sign back in.
5. Check that the device is still connected to the child’s profile: In Family Safety, open the child’s profile and confirm the Windows 11 PC appears under their connected devices.
6. Update Windows and the Family Safety app: On the child’s PC, run Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. Also open Microsoft Store and update the Microsoft Family Safety app if it is installed.

I hope these steps help refresh the Family Safety connection on the Windows 11 PC and get the screen time rules applying normally again. While my initial response may not fully resolve the issue, I truly appreciate your cooperation as we work together toward identifying the most effective solution. Thank you so much for your understanding.   

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