Parental controls
Parental controls can be used to support your family's online safety when using devices that connect to the internet. But it's important to understand their limitations and use them in combination with other protective strategies.
In short:
- Parental controls can help keep children and young people safer online by preventing access to harmful content, managing time spent online and limiting who they communicate with.
- To be most effective, parental controls need to be set up on all devices your child accesses connected to the internet, such as phones, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles and smart TVs.
- They should be reviewed and updated regularly. It’s also important that controls are set on devices your child may access while in the care of others (such as other family members and friends).
- Parental controls are most effective when used alongside supervision and other online safety strategies.
What are parental controls?
Parental controls are software tools that allow you to monitor and limit what your child sees and does online.
They can be set up to:
- Block your child from accessing specific websites, apps or functions (like using a device’s camera, or the ability to buy things).
- Filter different kinds of content, such as ‘adult’ or sexual content, content that may promote self-harm, eating disorders, violence, drugs, gambling, racism or terrorism.
- Limit who can communicate with your child as well as manage the apps they can use to communicate with others.
- Allow you to monitor your child’s use of connected devices, with reports on the sites they visit and the apps they use, how often and for how long.
- Set time limits, blocking access after a specific length of time.
If a device or program is shared by multiple members of your family, you should be able change the settings to reflect each user’s age, maturity and skills.
Please note: resources made prior to the introduction of social media age restrictions (10 December 2025) are being updated. No online platform or service is risk-free, especially for children. The information in the resources can still help you support young people to have safer online experiences.
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Welcome to eSafety’s presentation about Parental controls. Hi, I’m Deb. I’m one of the team of people at eSafety who research and write online safety advice. I’m also a parent, so I know how challenging it can be trying to work out the best way to protect your kids online. Parental controls can be a helpful part of your online safety toolkit – making it easier to get your kids to disconnect at bedtime, making it harder for strangers to contact them and letting you check what they’re up to online. But deciding which ones to choose and how to set them up can be confusing. So this video will help you. |
Let’s start by looking at what parental controls are. Basically, they’re software tools that allow you to monitor, filter, limit and block what your child sees and does online. If you set them up correctly, they can help you understand how your child uses their devices, what sites and games they’re going to and when they’re accessing them. They can provide reminders to help your child manage how long they spend online, or on particular apps, and you can use them to limit the hours. They can also help prevent exposure to content that’s inappropriate to their age or potentially harmful in other ways, by allowing you to block access to specific sites. |
The types of parental controls that are most helpful for your family will depend on the age of your kids, what they’re interested in and the devices they have access to. If your kids are young and still mostly using devices at home, you might find wi-fi controls handy. They allow you to give limited access to a managed list of websites or block specific sites. So, for example, you could prevent anyone using the home wi-fi from playing a particular online game. If you set up your child with their own data plan, make sure you check what parental controls that comes with, to help you manage online risks. For example, it may allow you to set limits on the time they spend on the device. You can find out about the family-friendly settings available on the actual phone, gaming console or other device by going to the provider website. Apple, Microsoft, Google, Xbox, PlayStation and others have information pages just for parents. |
You can also use parental controls to manage the accounts your kids use. Where possible, it’s a good idea to start by creating an account for them that’s linked to your own, so you can use your phone, tablet, iPad, laptop, computer or gaming console to manage what they’re doing. Parental controls in accounts usually allow you to block access to adult websites, limit the use of devices to particular times, manage who your child can phone and message and who can contact them, and limit how much money they can spend online. It’s the same for many games and specific apps. TikTok, Roblox, YouTube, Messenger Kids, and lots of others have settings to help you make sure young users have safer experiences. So check them out. If you need extra help or advice, eSafety’s parent resources page has a step-by-step guide to help you get started. |
Now, if your child’s begging you to download the latest thing that everyone is playing or spending time on, there are three things you should definitely do. First of all, do some research yourself, looking at reviews and checking out The eSafety Guide (esafety.gov.au/key-issues/esafety-guide), which includes advice about reporting unsafe content or behaviour and blocking unwanted contact. Secondly, use eSafety’s new technology checklist (esafety.gov.au/parents/resources) to help you chat with your child about whether the game or site is appropriate for their age and maturity, what risks there might be, and whether there are safety features to manage those. Thirdly, play the game or use the app with your child, so you can talk together about strategies for staying safe, and what to do if things go wrong, especially how to report issues to the site or app or to eSafety. Also remember that despite what your child tells you, it may not be true that ‘everyone’ IS actually playing the game! It could be handy to talk with other parents about what their kids are allowed to do, what risks they’ve noticed and how they’ve dealt with them. If they’re also finding it difficult to work out, let them know they can visit us at esafety.gov.au for tips and resources. |
Another good idea if you have children of different ages with different devices – think about the best parental controls for each child and each device separately. It’s also important to be aware that parental controls on their own won’t protect your kids from every dangerous scenario, every time. That’s why we say they’re just one of a range of tools that can help keep your kids safe online. You should also get into the habit of talking with them about what they’re doing online, what others are up to and how to get help if anything goes wrong. Create a family tech agreement together, to decide when, where and how devices and accounts can be used. This allows you to have discussions about balancing screen time with other activities in a relaxed and constructive way. Help your child choose sites and apps that support their knowledge, skills and personal growth, while also allowing them to have fun. And check their device settings regularly to see if they’ve been affected by automatic updates or been changed by your kids themselves. At times it may feel like you’re constantly managing tech tantrums, boundary setting, negotiating and clock watching, but when your kids are young, they’re learning from that – getting into habits that will set them up to self-regulate their experiences online as they become more independent. Encouraging them to think and talk about online issues and safety strategies nice and early will help them make sensible, positive choices when it’s time to go it alone. |
I hope you’ve found this video helpful. There are plenty more tips on our website at esafety.gov.au And don’t forget, you can sign up to our newsletter (esafety.gov.au/about-us/subscribe) to get all the latest research and advice directly to your inbox. |
Parental controls
Building online safety habits
Parental controls can be a useful part of your online safety approach. However, it is best they are used as part of a range of methods to keep your child safe. Both abusers and children themselves can find ways around parental controls, so consider what else you can do.
No parental control tool is 100% effective. Helping your child build good online safety habits is just as important.
Other ways to help keep your child safer online include:
- talking with them about what they like to do online, as well as the risks involved, and how to be safer
- making sure their online activities are supervised, especially for younger children
- joining in their online activities when you can
- being aware of who they are connecting with online
- teaching them to follow the steps for reporting online abuse.
Child safety and rights when using parental controls
Trying to control your child’s online habits can be challenging. It’s tempting to dictate instead of guiding their choices. But parental ‘controls’ are most effective when they're used as ‘supports’ for learning about online safety.
It can be helpful to involve your child in deciding on parental controls and safety settings wherever possible. At least discuss the parental controls you plan to use, and why – and ask them if they have any questions. It may be a good idea to have a shared plan in place to review the use of parental controls as your child gets older. You may want to use a family tech agreement to help you get started.
Using parental controls to get a conversation going about online safety and collaborating on any decisions can reduce stress, increase trust, and make the online boundaries you’re attempting to set easier to understand and follow. The other benefit is that when your child feels they are trusted, they're more likely to come to you for help when it really matters.
It’s also important to understand that the use of parental controls can sometimes go too far. This may damage your relationship with your child and unintentionally undermine their ability to manage their own online safety. Read more about Misuse of parental controls.
Helping children who may need extra support
Some children, including those with disability, may face increased risks of harm in online spaces due to barriers in communication, accessibility or support. Using familiar strategies to help them recognise when something isn’t right and how to respond to a negative online experience, can support with safety conversations and help children feel confident to know what to do next.
For children who may need extra support to engage with these concepts and understand what certain settings or restrictions mean, you could try using:
- social stories (that explain situations and how to act)
- social scripts (that give examples of what to say)
- AAC tools (Augmentative and Alternative Communication tools like picture cards, communication boards, or speech-generating devices).
These resources can help break down online safety concepts into manageable steps and provide children with clear options for what they can do if something worries them. They can also make conversations about parental controls – why they’re used, what they do and how they keep your child safe – clearer and more predictable.
Also, many neurodivergent young people (including those who experience high anxiety around demands or a loss of autonomy) may feel safer and more regulated when they have input, choice and shared decision-making about the tools used to support their online safety.
If needed, consult with your child’s disability support workers for advice on how best to communicate online safety risks and support your child’s understanding.
You can also learn more about how neurodivergent young people can thrive online.
Parental controls for your devices, apps and services
Home wi-fi networks
Wi-fi allows some devices to connect to the internet wirelessly using another device called a router. Some wi-fi routers come with software that allows you to set up parental controls across your whole family wi-fi network. The advantage of this is that the rules you make are applied on all your connected devices – laptops, tablets, smartphones, even game consoles and smart TVs. However, you don't always get the same level of control and monitoring that you get from software installed on each device.
Search online for wi-fi products using terms like ‘child friendly routers,’ ‘child friendly wi-fi,’ ‘family friendly routers’ and ‘child safe wi-fi.’ Or check out the products accredited through the Family Friendly Filters scheme.
Some internet service providers (ISPs) provide routers incorporating parental control features as part of their broadband products.
Desktop and laptop computers
PC/Windows
Microsoft Family provides the ability to manage your child’s online activity on Windows devices through website blocking, checking in online at any time, and viewing activity reports on sites, apps and games visited. You’ll need to set up a family group of at least one parent and one child, each with their own Microsoft account.
Mac OS
The OSX Parental Controls allow you to set profiles for each child to do things like limiting access to websites or apps, restricting functions like Siri or the iTunes store, setting time limits for days of the week and for bedtime, and hide inappropriate language in the dictionary and other sources.
Mobile devices
Mobile service providers
Your mobile phone service provider may also offer parental control tools as part of a mobile phone plan.
Apple tablets and smartphones
Apple operating systems from iOS12 enable you to restrict access to browsers and applications, in-app purchasing, social networking, some internet content (such as pornography), sharing of data (including photos and location), downloads, media streaming, online gaming, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) including Apple’s AI assistant, Siri. You can also restrict specific features, like use of the device’s camera, wallet (for purchases) or AirDrop (for file sharing). Find out how.
You can also set and change health and safety settings such as screen time, and privacy settings. Apple has introduced new features that help parents manage screen time, restrict sensitive content and monitor app permissions. These tools can support conversations with your child about what information they see, share and who can see it. Learn more here.
If you are concerned about your child seeing unwanted nude images and videos, consider turning on 'Sensitive Content Warning' on their Apple device. It is available to users of all ages. Access it by searching for 'Communication Safety' or 'Sensitive Content' in settings.
Other material such as movies or music with explicit content ratings can also be filtered out. Explicit content ratings cover material such as inappropriate language, violent and sexual content, and references to drugs or alcohol. However, not all files with explicit content will be tagged with these ratings, so an age-appropriate level of parental supervision in addition to the use of device and app controls is advised.
Android tablets and smartphones
Although Android has no general built-in parental control features, Android devices can be controlled using Google Family Link (see Using additional software).
You can also set up parental controls on Google Play to restrict the content your child can download or purchase.
Other mobile devices
It’s important to consider all online devices your children might use, including fitness trackers and smart watches. For example, Garmin fitness trackers have parental controls, and Fitbits allow parents and carers to manage children’s accounts.
Smart watch settings are connected to the user account, such as Apple or Google.
Remember, parental controls are not usually set up automatically on devices. You should also check them from time to time to be sure your settings haven’t changed if the device software has been updated.
Gaming consoles and smart TVs
Every major gaming console provides parental control measures to help parents manage their child’s gaming activity. Some online gaming platforms for PC (desktop/laptop computers) such as Steam and Epic Games also provide parental controls.
Smart TVs offer all the exciting opportunities – and the risks – that come with being online. Most provide some form of parental control, even if it is just a code locking certain features. You could also consider disconnecting the TV from the internet if you are not using the ‘smart’ features.
Other online games and related platforms
Unlike games played on gaming consoles such as PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo, online games that are played on mobile devices or in web browsers rarely have parental controls or safety features built in. Some controls may be accessible through Apple’s ‘Game Center’ for Apple devices, and at the app or device management level. Parents and carers should be aware of what mobile or browser-based games their children are playing, and ensure that:
- the content is suitable for children
- the game does not require in-app purchases or ‘micro-transactions’ (or these are turned off)
- the game does not promote or advertise content that is not suitable for children, such as gambling.
Also, Discord is an instant messaging and voice/video chat platform that is popular with online gaming communities. The Discord Family Centre allows parents and carers to see their child’s activity on Discord. Children can also see what information is being shared with their parent or carer. The information available includes their recently added friends (names and avatars), the servers (groups) they have joined or participated in, and the users they have messaged or called directly. However, to protect privacy, the content of messages and calls is not shared.
Find more safety information about Discord in The eSafety Guide. Find more about online safety while gaming.
Immersive technology
You can also find information about how to help keep your family safe when using immersive technologies. Immersive technology is an emerging format that provides new ways to access entertainment, education and health.
Users of immersive technology may use headsets, hand-held controllers and haptic or touch devices to interact with or navigate virtual reality environments. Quest Pro, Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift S, HTC Vive, PlayStation VR and Valve Index are examples of headsets. These enable you to experience and interact in three-dimensions (3D) with digital content in a way that looks, sounds and feels almost real. Types of immersive technologies include augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR) and haptics. One example of where you may be able to use parental controls is the metaverse, in which you will need your child to link their account to yours.
Services should have parental and carer control information available in device or on the product website. For example, information is available for Oculus, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR. Ensure that safety and privacy settings are on, and that your child knows how to use safety tools and how to seek guidance and support when something isn’t right or they need help.
You can also read our research about the metaverse, as well as our position statement on immersive technologies.
Find out more about immersive technology in eSafety’s gift guide.
Messaging apps
Messenger
Parents and carers can access supervision tools through the Meta Family Centre. These include the ability to view how much time your child spends on Messenger, view their contacts list, who can message them and their safety/security settings, and who can see their Messenger stories. Children under 18 can also opt into allowing parents and carers to see who they have blocked on Messenger. Parents and carers can also schedule breaks to help manage time spent online.
Find more safety information about Messenger and Messenger Kids in The eSafety Guide.
WhatsApp is a free messaging, voice and video calling app. WhatsApp does not offer built-in parental controls, so families will need to take a more hands-on approach to help children use it safely. You can adjust the app’s privacy settings to limit who can see your child’s profile information, block unwanted contacts, manage who can add them to group chats, and turn off location sharing to improve safety.
Find more safety information about WhatsApp in The eSafety Guide.
Social media
Since 10 December 2025, age-restricted social media platforms must take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under the age of 16 from creating or having an account, to help protect them from the pressures and risks. Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube are required to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from having accounts on their platforms. The following services, among others, have self-assessed as being age-restricted: BigoLive, BlueSky, Lemon8, Wizz, Yubo. See the latest list. For more information see social media age restrictions and your family.
Social media platforms or ‘feeds’ are curated using algorithms that encourage engagement, regardless of whether it is positive or negative. Content is delivered to users with the aim of keeping them on the platform for long periods of time. You can read more about this issue in our online safety advisory An unfair fight – how algorithms are shaping our adolescents.
No online platform or service is risk-free, especially for children. Online harms can also happen on the alternative sites and apps that under-16s may use for connection, expression, information and entertainment instead of social media accounts. This includes messaging and gaming platforms.
Various online platforms have additional safety features for users aged under 18 to protect them from age-inappropriate content such as pornography. But you shouldn’t rely on these operating automatically or by default. Help your child check their settings regularly to ensure they are using the strongest safety features.
Find more information on safety features in Online tools and features. You can also check The eSafety Guide if you would like information on a specific online platforms or service.
Generative AI
Most online tools that use generative AI (artificial intelligence) features aren’t built with specific safeguards for children’s safety. This includes chat assistants (such as ChatGPT and Claude), companion apps (such as Replika and EVA AI) and creative tools (such as Adobe Firefly). Some have automatic moderation to prevent the creation of illegal and restricted content, but this may not be enough to protect all children. It’s best for children only to use these tools with adult supervision.
Character.ai has introduced ‘parental insights’ that provide parents and carers with a weekly snapshot of their children’s interactions with AI chatbots on the platform, including which models they interact with, and for how long.
OpenAI has introduced parental controls for ChatGPT, allowing linked parent-teen accounts to enable content filtering, quiet hours, disable image and voice features, and opt out of model training. Parents receive alerts if ChatGPT detects signs of emotional distress or self-harm. These measures aim to improve safety for young people but have limitations.
For more information, you can read eSafety’s online safety advisory on AI chatbots and companions and our position statement on generative AI.
Streaming services and video sharing
Subscription services such as Netflix, Stan, Foxtel Now and Amazon Prime all provide parental controls for families to ensure children at various stages of development do not access inappropriate material.
Not all catch-up TV platforms offer parental filters and controls, but they are available on ABC iView, Virgin TV GO, Sky Go, BT TV, NOW and TalkTalk TV. The ABC also has a dedicated platform for preschoolers, ABC KIDS iView.
Live streaming platforms are also used by independent content creators to broadcast material. For example Twitch, which is an age-restricted social media platform for under 16s, is commonly used to share game play-throughs and music, and those watching can chat with each other, so it attracts a lot of people. There are some safety features that can protect users on Twitch, such as the ability to automatically moderate and filter unwanted or inappropriate language in chats, and the ability to filter the viewing of material with content classification labels. However, these are not designed as parental controls.
There are also video sharing platforms such as YouTube. In Australia, under-16s can’t have accounts on the main YouTube platform, as it is an age-restricted social media service. However, if a child is 12 or under, parents can create an account for them on YouTube Kids.
YouTube Kids shows family-friendly content and comes with parental controls that can set time limits on the app and turn off search functionality. See the YouTube Kids Parental Guide for more information.
For the main YouTube platform, YouTube's Safety Centre provides safety tips for users. These include advice on keeping personal videos private, hate and harassment, spam, and phishing. It also has information about how to protect your identity and manage interactions with other users, and how to use YouTube's blocking and reporting tools.
Find more safety information about YouTube in The eSafety Guide.
You can also explore how you can support your child to be a responsible online creator when online gaming.
Netflix Kids & Families - Parental Controls
Web browsers and search engines
Web browsers provide the door to the online world, and search engines are the way we explore that world. We all use search engines to find information online, and so do our kids, but with that open access comes the risk of seeing non-child friendly material.
Safe browsing tips
- Some web browsers have their own parental control settings. For example, Microsoft Edge provides settings via the Microsoft Family Safety Centre. Settings include screen time limits, content filters, and the ability to manage spending. Others are integrated with broader settings, such as Google Chrome which can be controlled with Google Family Link, and Safari through Apple’s Screen Time feature.
- Encourage younger children to always ask an adult before clicking on an 'Accept' or 'OK' button on a website, as sites may display messages or disclaimers that require a response.
- Help minimise the risk of your child accidentally coming across websites not intended for children by setting up bookmarks in their browser for sites you would like them to use.
- Where children of different ages share devices, help them set up separate user accounts with strong passphrases, and make sure they lock or log out of the device when they’re not using it. When children of different ages are using a device together, make sure they are supervised by a trusted adult. This will help ensure that older children do not accidentally expose younger children to mature or inappropriate content.
- Explain to your child your reasons for putting controls in place. Especially for older children and teens, being too controlling may lead them to hide their behaviour and not be open with you. Wherever possible, involve your child in the process and let them know you want to share the decision-making, to help them learn to manage their online safety independently when they’re ready.
- If you access content you do not want your child to see, be as careful as possible to avoid accidental exposure. For example, passphrase-protect your devices to restrict access, and delete browser histories so children cannot accidentally stumble on what an adult viewed recently. You can also turn off auto-complete in browsers so that previous search terms adults may have used do not appear.
Child-friendly search engines
Child-friendly search engines aim to exclude non-child friendly sites and material from search results, while making sure content relevant to the search is provided.
You can find a child-friendly search engine that best suits the needs of your family by researching them online. This can then be set as the default browser available to your child, with some search engines also available as apps.
Be aware that many search engines can contain advertising, and there is always a risk that non-child friendly material may still slip through.
Google Family Link
Family Link is an app developed for families with children under the age of 13 who have an Android device. It enables you to set screen time limits, review app permissions (such as their camera, location, contacts), block apps and approve downloads, block sites and filter content.
You and your child need to have Google accounts and be signed in to use Family Link. It is worth reading the parent disclosure statement.
Your family online
- Google offers the ability to create a family group with up to six family members to manage various Google products and features.
- Google Family Safety Centre contains general advice and information for families, and direct links to tools and resources.
- eSafety’s Digital Wellbeing page provides tools, information and tips on how to form a balanced relationship with all things digital.
Using additional software
You can also buy software to provide additional control and convenience.
Some products are designed to be installed on each device. Others use special hardware with your wi-fi router. Some are accredited under the Family Friendly Filters scheme.
They tend to operate as a subscription service, with pricing tiers aligned with numbers of devices; some offer free versions for basic protection on a limited number of devices. Compatibility with macOS and iOS can vary. To find a filter that is right for you, search online using terms like ‘internet filters’ or ‘family filters’ and check out review sites.
Misuse of parental controls
Parental controls are not one-size-fits-all solution. They are often promoted as a way to keep your loved ones safe but, in some cases, they could encourage an unhealthy level of surveillance and over-control by parents, causing mistrust and harm.
Young people, especially teenagers, need some personal space to develop a sense of identity, boundaries and independence. It’s important to make sure your use of parental controls is aligned with your child’s age and maturity, which usually means reducing parental controls as they get older.
When children grow up in homes where they feel constantly watched or controlled, research shows they can struggle to make decisions or act on their own. This can impact their confidence and the ability to form healthy relationships later in life. They might grow into adults who feel like they always need permission, or who expect to be controlled by others – leaving them at greater risk of coercive control (a pattern of abusive behaviour used to gain and keep power over a person). Or it can lead to them becoming over-controlling themselves.
It may be helpful to keep these things in mind:
- A young person might turn to the internet to explore their identity or find support – particularly if they don't feel safe or accepted at home. If a parent or carer uses controls to monitor online activity and enforce conformity, the child may feel they have to hide who they really are.
- If controls are too strict (for example blocking all access to messaging or the internet) it can cut off the young person from friends, support networks and helpful information.
- If a child finds out their parent or carer has secretly installed apps or settings to monitor their online activity, it can damage trust and stop them openly discussing issues and seeking help.
- Using controls to threaten, shame or expose a child's private messages or online activity can make them feel unsafe and may lead to longer term issues.
Out of home care
When caring for children and young people in out of home care environments, the use of parental controls should be guided by policies and processes to prevent intentional or unintentional misuse. For example, it is important to respect children’s privacy when setting up monitoring functions in an app and let children and young people know how to make a complaint about the use of parental controls.
Find out more about keeping children safe in out of home care.
Other ways to keep children safe in the home
Find out more about ways to work with your children to protect them online:
Mind the Gap digital parenting report
How we talk about children and families
Throughout eSafety’s website and resources we use ‘families’ and ‘parents and carers’ to talk about the adults who support children. When we use these terms, we include the mums, dads, parents, carers, aunties, uncles and other supportive adults who we know can have an important role in helping children play, learn and grow.
When we talk about ‘children’ we mean everyone under 18 years old. Sometimes we include the term ‘young people’ because many teenagers don't like to be called children.
Last updated: 23/03/2026
