Children under 13 cannot have a Microsoft account unless a parent or guardian creates and manages the account using Microsoft Family Safety features.
This analysis describes what Microsoft's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision operationalizes Microsoft's compliance with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) and establishes the institutional framework for age-gated account access. It defines the conditions under which the service may be offered to minors and establishes parental mediation as the mechanism for accounts held by children under the statutory threshold.
Children under 13 using Microsoft services without a properly configured Family Safety account are at risk of having personal data collected without the parental consent required by U.S. law, exposing both the child and any institutional operator to COPPA liability.
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"Microsoft accounts can be created by adults or with parental consent for children. A Microsoft account may not be created for, or used by, a child under 13, unless the account was set up by a parent or guardian using Microsoft Family Safety features for the child's use.Excerpt from Microsoft's Services Agreement (Legacy)
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision directly engages COPPA (15 U.S.C.
Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.
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This provision operationalizes Microsoft's compliance with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) and establishes the institutional framework for age-gated account access. It defines the conditions under which the service may be offered to minors and establishes parental mediation as the mechanism for accounts held by children under the statutory threshold.
Children under 13 using Microsoft services without a properly configured Family Safety account are at risk of having personal data collected without the parental consent required by U.S. law, exposing both the child and any institutional operator to COPPA liability.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 282 platforms. See the full comparison.
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