• Account Management
• Xbox Live Features

Join Xbox Live: Child Membership

As much offline fun as Xbox 360™ has to offer, Xbox Live is really where the action's at, from multiplayer games to exclusive downloadable content.

As a parent, you should know that the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system offers a wealth of Family Settings so that your kids can enjoy Xbox Live while you rest easy knowing that they will only encounter games and players and activities that you deem appropriate—even when they're playing on a friend's system.

First things first: your child needs an Xbox Live membership.

To create an Xbox Live membership for your child:

1. Make sure your Xbox 360 console is connected to Xbox Live.
   
   For information about connecting to Xbox Live, see Connect to Xbox Live.
2. You'll need two Microsoft Passport Network accounts, including two valid e-mail accounts, one for you and one for your child. You may already have one. You have a Passport Network account if you have any of the following:
   • A Hotmail account.
   • An MSN account.
   • An Xbox.com account.
   
   
   If you don't have two Passport Network accounts, visit www.passport.net to set them up, or create them from the Xbox Dashboard during sign-up. (E-mail accounts must be established beforehand. To set up a free Hotmail account, visit MSN Hotmail.)

   Tip

   We recommend that you create your children's Passport Network account rather than letting them create their own.

3. Turn on your system with no disc in the tray. From the Xbox Live area of the Xbox Dashboard, select the Xbox Live banner. This will open the Xbox Live area of the Xbox Guide.
   
   
4. Select Join Xbox Live and follow the on-screen instructions.
   
   Here you will enter your child's gamertag (or choose a new one if the desired gamertag is not available). When prompted for the e-mail address and password associated with a Passport Network account, create (or supply the details for) your child's account first.

   Tip

   You can enter information using either a USB PC keyboard plugged into a controller port or your Xbox 360 controller and the on-screen virtual keyboard.

5. As the parent or legal guardian of the Xbox Live account holder, you'll be asked permission for your child to join. Accept or Decline the permission request.
6. When prompted, create (or supply the details for) your own Passport Network account.
7. When prompted, select the desired membership type for your child from the list of options.
   
   
   
   Xbox Live Gold memberships are paid memberships that require you to supply valid credit-card information. For more information about Xbox Live memberships, see www.xbox.com/live.
8. Follow the remaining steps: enter a contact address, choose your child's Xbox Live Gamer Zone, set communication preferences for Xbox 360 promotions, and select a time zone and daylight-saving option.
9. After membership creation, be sure to configure your Family Settings, which include pass-code creation, Xbox Live communication settings, parameters for profile visibility and purchases from Xbox Live Marketplace, and numerous other settings.
   
   
   
   For more information, see Family Settings.