I use my own Windows computers at home, but I also share a PC with my wife and my cat, Mr. Giggles (don’t ask). To make this process easier, I set up separate accounts for each person (and cat). That way, they all enjoy their own customized settings and features no matter what PC they use. Also, since Mr. Giggles is not yet an adult, at least in cat years, I have created a child account to manage his access.
Whether the other people in your household use their own computers or share a PC with you, it’s best to set them up with their own unique Windows accounts. You can do this in a number of ways — directly in Windows, through Microsoft’s Family app, and online on your Microsoft account website. How to create and manage family accounts in Windows 10 and 11.
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In order for this to work, each person needs a Microsoft account so that they can log on to any PC and so that you can manage their access centrally. Have any adult who doesn’t already have this type of account navigate to the Microsoft account website and create one. For children, you can create the account on the website or in Windows.
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How to add an adult account in Windows
Let’s add an adult account on your pc. In Windows 10 go to Accounts > Family & Other Users and select Add a family member. In Windows 11 go to Accounts > Family and select Add someone. Enter the email address for the person’s Microsoft account and click Next.
Choose the type of role they should have. Organizers can edit family and security settings for all members, while members can only edit their own settings while they are adults. You may want to appoint another adult in your household to be an organizer in addition to yourself, and then charter other adults as members. Choose the option you want and click Invite.
That adult then checks their email for the invitation or logs in to the Microsoft Family Safety website and clicks the for button Join now. The Your Family section of Windows Settings shows that the person can sign in. Add more adult accounts in the same way.
How to add a child account in Windows
To add a child’s account in Windows, click the for button Add a family member or Add someone. In the next window, enter the email address of the child’s existing Microsoft account or click the link for Create one for a child to set it up with a new Microsoft account.
If you’re using an existing account, add the password and then send the invitation. If you are creating a new account for the child, create an email address using outlook.com or hotmail.com as the domain name. If the address is already in use, you will be told that you can try a different one. Create a password, add the child’s first and last name, and then enter the date of birth.
After creating and entering the required information, sign in with the child’s account. An adult acting as a parent or guardian will be prompted to sign in with their own Microsoft account and consent to the child’s account. The child account will then be created.
How to add an account through Family Safety
Aside from adding an adult or child account in Windows Settings, you can complete the process either through the Family app or the Family Safety section of your Microsoft account website. The interface is the same for both, so use the one that is more convenient. To launch the app, click the “Start” button and select “Family” (in Windows 11, click the “Start” button, select “All apps” and then “Family”). To do this, navigate to the Family Safety page on the internet.
Click the button above for Add a family member. Enter the person’s email address or phone number. For a child, you can either add an existing Microsoft account or create a new one. Select the role you want to give this person – Member or Organizer. Then send the invitation.
Allow family members to log on to Windows
Now that you’ve set up accounts for the different family members, anyone can sign in to any of your Windows computers. To check this go to Accounts > Family & Other Users on Windows 10 and Accounts > Family in Windows 11. You should see all the accounts you have set up. If an account says “Can sign in” next to it, that person’s email address or name will appear on the Windows sign in screen. If the account says “Can’t sign in” and you want that person to be able to sign in to this PC, click the entry for that account, and then click Allow.
To test this, log out of your account. The login screen should show the names or email addresses of everyone who can log in. Select a specific account. When you do this for the first time, Windows will configure itself for that person. That family member can then personalize Windows by choosing their wallpaper, colors, themes, lock screen, accessibility features, privacy settings, and more.
Manage family accounts
Finally, you and other organizers can manage the individual adult and child accounts. To do this, open the Family app in Windows or navigate to the Family Safety page for your Microsoft account. Click the three-dot icon for an account you want to manage. If the person is an organizer, you can only remove them from the family group. If the person is a member, you can change certain types of information. Most likely, you want to exercise the most control over a child account. From the menu, click the option for Go to overview.
From the dashboard, you can control the screen time on the child’s computer, set limits on the apps and games they can use, enable search filters for Microsoft Edge, control their spending on the Microsoft Store and related marketplaces, view their activity, and receive weekly an email with updates on their activities.
