How to enable cross-platform play for your child on Xbox

Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Retail Boxes (Image credit: Matt Brown | Windows Central)

If you have a family group set up with your Microsoft Account and for Xbox, then you'll already know about some of the great features for controlling what your kids have access to. But one thing they may want to use is actually hidden behind a setting you might not know exists.

Crossplay.

This is specifically referring to cross-network play, that is, playing with friends outside the Xbox Live walls. When it comes to some of today's best Xbox games like Minecraft and Minecraft Dungeons, it's perfectly possible for your kids to play from their Xbox Series S with their friends on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation, for example, but to do so, you'll have to give them the magic permission first.

There are a couple of different ways to enable it and we'll walk you through each.

How to set up crossplay in the Xbox Family Settings app

Minecraft Dungeons Cross Play Switch — Source: Windows CentralPerfectly easy to play Minecraft Dungeons between Xbox and Nintendo Switch when you know how. (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

If you have a family group set up for anything relating to your Microsoft account, there are a couple of mobile apps you should definitely have. For managing Xbox-specific settings, the Xbox Family Settings app is the one to have and the one we're using here.

Grab it for either iPhone or Android and get logged in with your Microsoft Account before following these steps.

Tap on the relevant child profile.

Xbox Family App — Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Next, tap the settings icon in the bottom right corner.
Scroll down and tap on cross-network play.

Set the toggle switch to allow.

This will now enable crossplay outside Xbox Live, but it won't enable communication with those platforms.

How to set up crossplay on the web

Minecraft Switch Tv Hero — Source: Nick Sutrich / Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Nick Sutrich / Windows Central)

If you'd rather set this up on the web, it's very straightforward also. You can either login directly, or you can go via Xbox app for Windows 10 or 11