Roblox introduced these in 2026 as age-based account tiers for players under 16. Roblox Kids covers ages 5-8 and includes only curated content with all communication disabled by default. Roblox Select covers ages 9-15 and allows broader content access with expanded but age-appropriate communication settings. Accounts move between tiers automatically as children get older.
Key Takeaways
- Roblox introduced two new account tiers in 2026 (Roblox Kids for ages 5-8 and Roblox Select for ages 9-15), each with age-appropriate content access, stricter communication defaults, and expanded parental controls.
- Family Pairing is the foundation of the entire control system. Without linking your account to your child’s, most of the settings in this guide are inaccessible.
- Setting a Parental PIN is the single most important step. Without it, your child can undo every restriction you configure directly from the app’s Settings menu.
- A 2026 survey by KESQ and Stacker found that 36% of parents don’t use Roblox’s parental controls at all, and 47% have never enabled Account Restrictions.
- Roblox’s native controls only apply to the account you’ve configured. Canopy works at the device level, filtering explicit content regardless of which account is signed in or which app is open.
Roblox has 132 million daily active users, roughly a third of them under 13. In 2026, the platform introduced two new account types for younger players (Roblox Kids for ages 5-8 and Roblox Select for ages 9-15), with stricter defaults and a more structured parental control system than it’s ever had. If your child has an account, it’s already been assigned to one of these tiers based on their registered age.
A 2026 survey found that 36% of parents either don’t use Roblox’s parental controls or don’t know they exist. Another 47% have never enabled Account Restrictions, which is one of the platform’s strongest safety features. If you’ve never walked through the settings, or set them up years ago and haven’t revisited them, this guide covers every control available and how to configure each one.
If you’re still deciding whether to let your child on Roblox at all, our guide on whether Roblox is safe for kids covers the risk landscape. This post assumes you’ve made that call and need to know what to configure.
The Foundation: Set Up Family Pairing First
Most of the controls in this guide require Family Pairing to be active. Without it, you’re limited to settings you can change from inside your child’s account, which means your child can change them too.
Family Pairing links your Roblox account to your child’s and gives you a dedicated parent dashboard showing playtime, friend requests, and spending. Here’s how to set it up:
- Create your own Roblox account if you don’t have one. Sign up at roblox.com using an email address your child doesn’t have access to.
- From your parent account, go to Settings, then Parental Controls, then Family Pairing.
- Select Add Child and follow the prompts. Roblox requires a verified phone number or email before the pairing goes through.
- Once paired, you’ll have a parent dashboard. Family Pairing supports up to five child accounts under one parent account.
Step 1: Set a Parental PIN
This is the step most parents skip, and it’s the most consequential one. Without a PIN, every restriction you configure can be undone from the Settings menu inside the Roblox app.
To set it: log into your child’s Roblox account, go to Settings, then Security, then Parental Controls PIN, and set a 4-digit code. Store it somewhere your child can’t access. Every change to parental controls will require it going forward.
Step 2: Set Content Maturity Levels
Roblox uses a four-tier content rating system: Minimal, Mild, Moderate, and Restricted. Every experience on the platform sits in one of these tiers. Go to Settings, then Parental Controls, then Allowed Experiences (PIN required).
By age group:
- Under 9: Restrict to Minimal or Mild. Mild allows some cartoon action but excludes most content parents would object to. Roblox Kids accounts default to Minimal.
- Ages 9-12: Mild is a sensible starting point. Moderate is available but worth reviewing on a case-by-case basis rather than enabling by default.
- Ages 13-15: Moderate is the default. Restricted content is off by default for accounts registered under 17.
Before configuring these settings, check the birthday on the account. Roblox doesn’t verify ages at signup, so a child who entered a false birthdate will have the wrong defaults applied automatically.
Roblox now uses the IARC ratings framework, so US families see ESRB ratings on experiences. That’s the same system used for console and PC games, which makes it easier to assess a specific title without researching it separately.
Step 3: Manage Chat and Communication
Go to Settings, then Parental Controls, then Communication (PIN required). There are two categories:
- Experience Chat: controls in-game messaging, including text and voice chat inside games.
- Platform Communications: controls direct messages, friend requests, and messaging outside of games.
For children under 9: Roblox Kids accounts have all communication disabled by default. If you’re setting up an existing account for a young child, set both categories to No One.
For ages 9-12: Friends Only reduces contact with strangers while still allowing your child to interact with kids they know.
A gap to be aware of: some user-created games include their own communication systems that don’t route through Roblox’s chat filter. No single setting covers these. It’s worth checking the specific games your child spends the most time in, particularly any that involve heavy roleplay or social features.
Step 4: Block Specific Games
Content maturity settings filter by category, but some games carry “all ages” ratings despite documented issues. As covered in our Roblox safety guide, several titles with cheerful labels have been consistently flagged for predator activity or inappropriate roleplay.
To block a specific game: Settings, then Parental Controls, then Content Restrictions, then Blocked Experiences. Click +, search by name, and select Block.
Parents also have a whitelist option to approve specific games outside the default catalog. This is particularly useful for Roblox Kids accounts (ages 5-8), where the curated catalog is limited and a favourite game may not be included by default.
Step 5: Set a Monthly Robux Spending Limit
Roblox’s in-app currency accumulates real charges quickly, particularly in games that use a free-to-play, pay-to-progress model. Monthly limits are available from Settings, then Parental Controls, then Monthly Spending Limit (PIN required).
The parent dashboard includes a Spending Summary that breaks down recent transactions by experience. Robux can be gifted between players, so spending limits on purchases don’t close the loop completely, but the summary makes unusual patterns visible.
At the device level, iOS Screen Time and Android parental controls can be configured to require your approval before any in-app purchase goes through. Our guide to iOS parental controls covers that setup in detail.
Step 6: Set Screen Time Limits
From Settings, then Parental Controls, you can set daily time limits and schedule periods when Roblox is inaccessible. Useful for bedtimes, school hours, or mealtimes. Roblox also sends monthly screen time reports to the linked parent email address, which makes it easy to track usage patterns without checking the app manually.
What Roblox’s Controls Don’t Cover
Roblox’s native controls are better than they’ve ever been. The 2026 account changes represent the most structured approach to age-appropriate access the platform has taken. The limits are still real, and worth knowing before you consider the job done.
The controls only apply to the account you’ve configured. A second account, a sibling’s account, or a friend’s device sits entirely outside what you’ve set up. A child motivated to get around the restrictions can create a new Roblox account in a few minutes. According to the 2026 survey, 29% of parents had already encountered content or interactions on Roblox they believed the settings should have blocked.
Device-level filtering adds a layer that Roblox’s own settings can’t replicate. Canopy works across the device rather than inside a single app, filtering explicit content in real time regardless of which account your child is signed into or which app they’re using. It can also block Roblox during specific hours independently of Roblox’s own scheduling. More on how it works at canopy.us/parental-control-app/.
Keep the Settings Current
Roblox’s 2026 changes are a good reason to do a full settings review if you haven’t done one recently. The newer controls (granular game approval, the extended parental control range through age 15, IARC ratings) may not be configured even on accounts where the basics are in place.
These settings aren’t permanent once you’ve done them. Children get older, accounts move between tiers automatically, games change, and Roblox keeps updating. A review every few months, and keeping the Parental PIN somewhere your child can’t find it, keeps the protection current.
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Roblox Parental Controls FAQ
Does Roblox have parental controls?
Yes. Roblox has a parental control system built around Family Pairing, which links a parent account to a child’s. Controls include content maturity settings, chat restrictions, monthly Robux spending limits, screen time scheduling, and the ability to block specific games. Most require a Parental PIN to prevent your child from changing them from the app.
How do I set up parental controls on Roblox?
Create your own Roblox account and link it to your child’s via Family Pairing (Settings > Parental Controls > Family Pairing). Once paired, set a Parental PIN from Settings > Security. Then configure content maturity, chat restrictions, spending limits, and screen time from the Parental Controls section. The whole process takes about 15 minutes.
What is a Parental PIN on Roblox and why does it matter?
A Parental PIN is a 4-digit code that locks the parental controls section so your child can’t change restrictions from the app. Without it, every setting you configure is accessible from the Settings menu. It takes about one minute to set and is the most important step in the whole setup process.
What can't Roblox's parental controls do?
Roblox’s native controls only apply to the account you’ve configured. They don’t protect against a second account, a friend’s device, or content your child encounters outside the Roblox app. They also can’t filter explicit content in real time at the device level. A third-party app like Canopy adds a layer that works independently of which account or app is active.
How do I limit Robux spending on Roblox?
Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Monthly Spending Limit (PIN required) to set a monthly Robux cap. The parent dashboard’s Spending Summary also shows recent transactions broken down by experience. For an additional layer, iOS Screen Time and Android parental controls can require your approval before any in-app purchase is processed.
