How to Enable App Purchases for your Children’s Windows Phones

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If you love the Windows Phone platform it is only a matter of time before your children will have a Windows phone as well. However with a legitimate sign up of a Windows Live ID Microsoft recognizes that your child is a minor and won’t allow them to download a paid application on their Windows Phone. Even after adding a Credit Card to their account using the “add credit card” in the MarketPlace on the Windows Phone. Since everyone’s account set up is different I think with my “How To” you can figure our the right steps to allow your children to purchase Windows Phone Apps.

The Windows Phone requires a Windows Live ID that will be associated with your phone. This ID will be coupled immediately to all Microsoft services. One of these services is the MarketPlace to download and purchase apps. I found the settings to allow my children to actually purchase apps either with a credit card or the carriers billing in the Xbox Live settings on the Xbox itself or on the Xbox website. The steps below are how I accesed my own Xbox live account where I have acces to my Kids Family Center settings since we have a Family Gold Live Account for our Xbox.

Steps to enable app purchases for Windows Phone.(using the Xbox website)

Use you Internet Explorer to go to http://www.xbox.com
On the right top sign in with your Live ID.
Hoover over the green bar “Xbox Live” title and select “Family Center”
I you don’t see your child’s Xbox gamer tag or profile try to add it on the right hand site.
If your child Xbox gamer tag is there hoover over his/her name and select “Privacy and Online settings”
You know are in the Online Safety Setting for their Xbox account. Here you can give them permissions to allow them to purchase apps. I have used the “Custom” button to change this.
Below the custom button you have many setting that you can allow or not allow. Select “Allow” under purchasing section to enable app purchases for children on their Windows Phone. Decide whether this player can purchase premium content from Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the console and Windows Phone. Premium content includes Xbox LIVE Arcade games, game add-ons, and other items. On Xbox.com, purchasing is restricted to adult accounts only.

Now that you have changed these settings you should be able to test this by using your childs Windows Phone and Purchase on of those great apps. However your child can do this on their own as well. (Could be dangerous)