The Minecraft Realms FAQ states "Though it's named after the Xbox console, it doesn't require an Xbox at all", however I have come across a situation where this is not correct, and an Xbox is required.
My daughter has a child Microsoft account, and associated Xbox account, and when she tries to play Minecraft Realms on her iPad (using Minecraft Pocket Edition) the default privacy settings say she is not allowed. (This also happens with Minecraft Windows 10 Edition Beta, trying to play Minecraft Realms.)
As it is a child account, trying to change the privacy settings on that account (on the Internet, on xbox.com) gives an error and instructions to use a parent account to change the settings.
When I log in with my parent account (on the Internet, on xbox.com), however, my daughter's account is not listed in my Xbox Family, although she is part of my Microsoft Account Family (on account.microsoft.com).
The instructions for adding a child to a family only talk about how to do this on an Xbox console, however I do not own an Xbox console.
I have just spent a long time going through all this with support, who also do not have any administration access to add a child account to a family.
The only solution given by support is to use an actual Xbox console (they suggested I try and borrow one off a friend), to add the child account to the family, so the parent can change the privacy settings, so that the child can play Minecraft Realms.
Fix: The immediate fix is a documentation update to the FAQ to put an asterisk next to the "it doesn't require an Xbox at all*" statement, and then add details of what I work through with support, e.g.: " * To add a child account to an Xbox Family, in order to change privacy settings to allow access to Minecraft Realms, does require one-off access to an Xbox console (you can borrow one off a friend) to add the child to the family."
Longer term suggestion: As Xbox Live accounts become used more by people who don't own an Xbox console (e.g. Minecraft Realms), you should implement a method to add children to a family via the web account settings (rather than only via a console). There may be many children who want to play, and pay for, Minecraft Realms, but can't use it because they don't have access to an Xbox console.
Comments 5
This isn't the correct place for XBox live login issues, but this might help you:
Parental controls can be set up from the xbox website.
Head to the XBOX Live settings page - You should see you and your family members there. Choose the account you want to change, and go through and make sure the relevant boxs are ticked.
Probably best to check all three columns; Privacy, XBOX One Online Safety, and XBOX 360 Online Safety. Pay particular attention to the 'Join multiplayer games' settings.
Further discussion about this issue can be made/read about here.
Edit - although the above proves true if you already have a family member in the list, there is a problem with adding a new family member to the list via the website.
Mega_Spud, this issue is specifically about the documentation for Minecraft Realms; you may have missed the detail if you only read the issue quickly.
The FAQ, on page https://minecraft.net/en-us/realms/faq/, states "it doesn't require an Xbox at all", however this is not entirely correct. The fix suggestion is to change the Minecraft Realms FAQ (yes, longer term, is an Xbox live issue, but not the initial documentation issue, which is Minecraft Realms).
For a child account, you do need access to an Xbox in order to add them to your Xbox family – otherwise they do not appear in the Xbox family and you cannot modify the permissions as you suggest. (They are in your Microsoft family; just not Xbox).
If you close this issue, without updating the FAQ, then you should mark it as "will not fix" (not "resolved").
All it would require is a simply change to the text on the Minecraft Realms website FAQ that says something like " * To add a child account to an Xbox Family, in order to change privacy settings to allow access to Minecraft Realms, does require one-off access to an Xbox console (you can borrow one off a friend) to add the child to the family."
It is only a documentation fix; no code change required. Please re-open.
Having looked at this again, I can see that there is an issue with adding a person to the xbl family list via the website.
I've just spent the last two hours on the phone with Microsoft troubleshooting this exact problem. This case was opened nearly three months ago and there has been no activity. I wonder how many other people have wasted entire afternoons trying to get this setup.