Microsoft parental controls features, known as ‘Microsoft Family Features’, is a free service that helps family members stay connected while using their smart devices. Microsoft family group was previously available on Windows 10 PCs and Xbox One. Now, Microsoft is extending this feature to Android as well. Microsoft already included some parental controls features to its launcher application for Android. Microsoft’s Android location tracking is a part of this.
Microsoft Launcher is an app that can replace the default launcher on Android devices, which offers more customizations with your theme, wallpapers, icon packs, gestures and more. With Microsoft Launcher installed on your kids Android device, you can track your kids’ location on a map.
This guide will show how you can track your kids’ real-time GPS location using Microsoft Launcher. So, give yourself peace of mind, and instead of guessing where your child is, just check in their last known location whenever you need to.
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Track Kids GPS Location in Android
Step 1: Add a child account to your Microsoft Family group
In order to utilize this feature, the child account must be connected with a family group. There are two known ways you can add a child to your family group.
- Via Accounts widget in Windows 10 Settings.
- Via Microsoft website.
Just to show you, I’ll go through the website method. To get started,
⓵ Sign in to your Microsoft account.
⓶ Click on the ‘Family’ tab.
⓷ Click on ‘Add a family member’ link at the bottom.
⓸ Select the child option.
⓹ Add your child’s email ID and fill the captcha. Then, click the ‘Send Invite’ button.
Open the email inbox ➩ Confirm the email invitation ➩ Sign in with your child’s Microsoft account ➩ Go to ‘Family’ tab ➩ Click ‘Manage permissions’, under child name ➩ Turn on Location tracking.
Once done, You’ve made your child’s account connected to the family group. Now, every movement of your child would be visible to you as a parent.
Step 2: Setting up Microsoft Launcher
Now, you’ll need to install and set up Microsoft Launcher application on your child’s Android phone in order to monitor them.
⓵ Download & Install Microsoft Launcher on the child’s device from Google PlayStore.
⓶ Open the app ➩ Follow on-screen instructions and grant all required permissions ➩ Log in with the child’s Microsoft account.
⓷ Set Microsoft Launcher as the default launcher on the device.
Once completed the steps above, you can start tracking location and app activities on your Kid’s Android phone.
Step 3: Track your kid’s location
First of all, make sure your child’s device has location service turned on and connected to the internet. Now, to find out your child’s device on a map, follow these steps,
⓵ Log in to your Microsoft account on a pc, and click on the ‘Family’ tab.
⓶ Under the child’s account name, click on the ‘More options’ drop-down menu and select ‘Find on a map’ option.
⓷ In the next page, turn on ‘See my child’s location on a map’ option.
After completing the steps, wait for a few minutes and then refresh the website. The location of your child’s Android device will be marked on the map. You will be able to drag and zoom in/out the map as needed. Remember, this is not live location tracking, so you need to refresh the website to update the map.
