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Family Safety App No longer sends notifications nor can I add time - iPhone 15 Pro Max

Matt Hubbard 5 Reputation points
2026-01-29T00:44:17+00:00

Just this week, the Microsoft Family Safety app quit sending notifications to my app when my son asked for more screentime. I also lost the ability to quickly add screen time instead of having to change the schedule that we have long had in place. I've followed every step that i've seen in other community articles (from uninstalling/reinstalling, logging off/on, making sure location services are allowed [which is no longer an option], making sure notifications for Family Safety are toggled on [this too is no longer an option], etc.) Help.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Microsoft Family Safety | Other | iOS
Microsoft 365 and Office | Microsoft Family Safety | Other | iOS

A free app and service that helps families create healthy digital habits and stay connected. It’s designed to support both online safety and real-world awareness by offering tools for screen time management, content filtering, and location sharing

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  1. Alex-L 6,890 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-02-08T10:49:22.3533333+00:00

    Hi Matt Hubbard

    Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A Forum!

    I’m really sorry you’re dealing with this. When the Family Safety app suddenly stops sending approval requests and features you rely on, like quickly adding screen time, stop working, it can really disrupt your routine, especially after you’ve already tried all the usual fixes.

    Here are a few things you can check that often help restore both notifications and the quick Add Time option on iPhone:

    1. Make sure Family Safety notifications are enabled by going to Settings > Notifications > Family Safety and confirming Allow Notifications is turned on.
    2. If Family Safety doesn’t appear in the Notification list after reinstalling, open the Family Safety app again. This usually triggers iOS to request notification permissions.
    3. Check each active Focus mode by going to Settings > Focus. Under Allowed Notifications > Apps, add Family Safety to prevent request messages from being filtered out.
    4. Try removing and re‑adding the screen‑time limit. Limits that stop responding correctly often refresh once they’re recreated.
    5. Make sure your child’s Microsoft account is fully verified on their device, since verification issues can prevent screen‑time settings from syncing properly.

    If the issue continues, Microsoft also recommends submitting feedback directly through the app. You can do this by opening Family Safety, selecting your profile icon, and choosing the option to send feedback. This sends diagnostic details that help the team investigate problems like missing notifications or disabled permissions.

    If the problem still persists after that, you can also email familysafetyfeedback@microsoft.com so the engineering team can take a closer look.

    I know how important reliable screen‑time controls are for your family, and I hope these steps help get everything working again.

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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