Child account cannot send messages

Hi there,

I have recently purchased a Xbox Live Gold annual subscription. I then setup a child account linking it to my own account and applied age restriction 12. Setting 'Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites' is set to Friends. The problem is the
child cannot send messages or friend requests. The child is a first time user of xbox and has never sent a message before, so support directing me to Why Can’t I Send Messages from Xbox One or Xbox App?
does not help. Online chat has been laboriously slow. Thus far I've spent two days on the Microsoft support pages and been on and off support chat trying to resolve the issue without success. The online chat support is inadequate for such a complex platform
as Xbox Live. I tried support chat again and was instructed (in an unclear way) to remove the child account from the Xbox. I tried this, and while the account removed successfully, upon reboot and re-login, the account was recreated successfully but the issue
remains and the new child account cannot send messages. Finally I tried to connect online to Ambassador chat but it failed to connect me with anyone. Lastly and most disappointingly, I tried the local freephone number 1 800 509 186 but disconnected after holding
on the Xbox Live support queue for over 30 minutes for each call.

I have been across the settings so much that I now feel like an expert xbox administrator, but the issue still remains. Can someone please help? The child account is under my account.

:)

 

unable to send messages - child account

I'm the same. Support has been awful. How did you resolve this?

 

unable to send messages - child account

My son has only been playing on xbox live for a couple of weeks. He has one friend he is trying to send messages to and we get the message unable to send message. I have checked all the privacy settings and I am totally at a loss as to why he can't send
messages. He has not been able to send a single message, but receives them.

 

Just to add to this post. I managed to get support from an Ambassador. I was instructed that child accounts are not allowed to send messages over xbox live, even with friends. When I challenged this based on the considerable and comprehensive family protection
developed by Microsoft for child users I was told to read the Microsoft’s Code of Conduct Explained for Xbox Live Customers Microsoft’s Code of Conduct Explained for Xbox Live Customers

Sending messages for the child account still an issue.

 

I finally managed to fix this issue on a hunch. I logged into my Microsoft (adult) account and the child account.. Note: NOT xbox live profile, but Microsoft accounts.

On the top menu, select 'Your info' which is between 'Account' and 'Privacy'.

Next, click on 'Edit Country/Region'.

Even though the MS support pages say that some of the information is optional, make sure you fill in every field, dob, gender, country/region, county and time zone. Do the same for the child account. Now recycle the xbox and login with the child account.
Messaging and invites is now working.

This was for a child account who was new to the world of xbox and never sent a message before. Hence suspensions and enforcement did not apply. This is a bug, and a bad one, as it prevents enabling child accounts to use the platform safely. I can guess and
understand why some people let young children use adult accounts. The support was worse that awful. I wasted two days trying to get advice from Microsoft under terrible channels, text chat, akin to cutting my lawn with a nail scissors. Professionally, I moved
away from Microsoft OS to Linux almost 20 years ago. They still have much to learn, but I am happy to post this text if it help other parents.

 

Hi there,

We're sorry to hear about this experience as the accounts should mirror each other. We're glad that you were able to figure out the root of the issue and we're even happier to hear that your child will now be able to communicate with their friends. Happy
gaming!