Roblox age check guide: chat, voice chat and trusted friends

The Roblox age check is now the gate to chat: to type in experience chat, message friends or use voice, every account has to complete either facial age estimation or, for players 13 and older, ID verification. This guide explains how the check works, which age group you land in, who you can talk to, and how to fix a wrong result, using Roblox's own help-center rules as of November 7, 2026.

Why Roblox asks for an age check

Roblox says the goal of the requirement is to limit conversations between adults and minors. In its January 7, 2026 announcement, the company said it was the first large online gaming platform to require age checks for users of all ages to access chat. The rollout began in the United States that day and extended to every region where chat is available over the following week, after earlier starts in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

The age check is technically optional, and you can still play without it. What you lose is communication and some content. According to the Understanding Age Checks help article, you need a completed check to use:

• Chat in experiences, with friends, and unfiltered chat with trusted friends.
• Team Create in Roblox Studio, for real-time collaboration.
• Age-restricted content (16+ and 18+), including games with a "Content May Vary" rating (16+).
• Games outside Roblox Kids and Roblox Select, the curated catalogs for younger players.
• Early testing: inviting early testers to your game or being one.

Roblox adds that more features may require a check over time and that access also depends on your account settings and region.

The age groups and what each can do

After the check, you are placed in an age group. The press release lists six groups: under 9, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20 and 21+. The help center notes that facial estimation uses groups starting at 5-8, and that age groups can vary by region and product. If you have not completed a check, Roblox falls back on the birthday you entered at sign-up: under-9 accounts sit in Roblox Kids and everyone 9 and older sits in Roblox Select, both with chat off.

Within chat, the default rule from the announcement is that you can talk with your own group and the groups directly above and below it. Chat is off by default for children under 9 unless a parent consents after an age check. Roblox's How to chat on Roblox page adds that users aged 5 to 9 need parental consent to enable experience chat, and users under 16 need consent to enable direct chat, subject to regional rules.

How to complete the age check

There are two routes, and Roblox decides which are available to you. Facial age estimation is the default for most players; ID verification is the alternative for those 13 and older, and the fallback if estimation fails.

1. Start the check in the Roblox appFollow the age check prompt. Facial estimation uses your device camera to analyze images and video of your face and estimate an age.
2. Know what happens to the footageRoblox says it deletes your images and video after processing; the January announcement names Persona as the vendor and says the data is "deleted immediately after processing".
3. Get placed in a groupThe estimate puts you in an age group (5-8, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20 or 21+). In some regions a parent must approve the facial estimation.
4. Use ID if estimation failsIf Roblox cannot estimate your age, you must complete ID verification with a government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, passport or residency card.

What to do if your age is wrong

Age estimates can miss. Roblox lists several fixes, and the right one depends on your account age.

• Account age 13 or over: go to Settings, then Account info, and select Continue with ID to verify your real birthday.
• Account age under 13: in Settings, Account info, click the pencil icon next to your birthday to change it.
• Under 18 with a linked parent: a parent can update the birthday after facial estimation, but only once per child.
• Checked into an 18+ group by mistake: you can undo the checked status by following Roblox's "How do I change my age?" article.
• Self-reported 13+ but estimated under 13: a 48-hour grace period applies before your group updates, and you can accept the result manually to skip the wait.

ID verification can only be undone once per account, you must use your own official document, and Roblox support cannot manually verify IDs or remove verifications. If the system later detects a discrepancy with your estimated age, you may be asked to check again; the announcement says Roblox will ask users to repeat the check if behavior signals suggest they are significantly older or younger than stated.

Turning on voice chat

Voice follows stricter rules. The voice chat help article says you must be at least 13 and age-checked, and it is not enabled by default. Phone verification is no longer a valid way to unlock voice.

1. Complete an age checkUse facial age estimation or ID verification; you must be 13 or older.
2. Open an experience that supports voiceNot every game does.
3. Click the headphone iconThis connects you to voice. You can also use the Voice Chat toggle in in-experience settings, which is how PlayStation players connect.
4. Mute from your device or the experienceYou can mute and unmute your microphone in either place.

If you do not see the headphone icon after the check, voice may not be available in your region. Voice users must also follow the Terms of Use and Community Standards or risk suspension from voice. For a reminder of what changed in the rules themselves, see our Roblox Terms of Use update tips.

Trusted friends: unfiltered chat with people you know

Trusted friends are a subset of your friends who you know and trust, and the connection is two-way. Per the trusted friends article, depending on your age group and region you may unlock chat without filters, Party Voice, Team Create and trusted-friends privacy settings. Users under 13 need a parent's approval for each trusted friend, and teens 13-17 cannot add an adult 18+ unless they use real-life connection methods such as live QR code scanning or contact importing. Roblox says all conversations, including those with trusted friends, are still monitored for critical harm. Standard filters stay on in experience chat and voice.

Common problems and fixes

Most issues come down to region or account age. If the age check option is missing, Roblox notes that verification methods may not be available to all accounts or regions. If chat stays locked after a successful check, open Settings and confirm the chat options are switched on, because the help center says chat cannot be enabled in settings until a check is complete, and under-16 accounts also need parental consent for direct chat. If a child's account is on a shared device, have a parent open the Parental Controls overview from their linked account to review the status, rather than repeating the scan repeatedly.

Quick tips for players and parents

• Parents: use parental controls to see a child's age-check status and update the birthday where needed.
• Creators: Studio Team Create now requires a check, so complete it before inviting collaborators.
• Everyone: never share ID with anyone claiming to "fix" your age; the only official routes are inside Settings.
• Hunting rewards? Check our guide to redeeming Roblox codes and our Roblox hub for more platform coverage, or see the Q3 2026 results for the audience this affects.

FAQ

Do I have to age check to play Roblox?

No. You can still play, but chat, voice, Team Create, 16+ and 18+ content and games outside Roblox Kids and Select need a completed age check.

Can I use an ID instead of a face scan?

Yes, if you are 13 or older. ID verification uses a government-issued photo ID, and it is also required if Roblox cannot estimate your age.

Why can't I chat with some players?

By default you can chat with your own age group and the groups directly above and below. Trusted friends are the way to chat outside that range, with age-based limits.

How do I turn on voice chat on Roblox?

Be 13 or older, finish an age check, then click the headphone icon in a voice-enabled experience or use the Voice Chat toggle in in-experience settings.

What if my estimated age is wrong?

Verify your birthday with an ID if you are 13 or older, change your birthday in Account info if you are under 13, or ask a linked parent to update it once.

Maya Chen Roblox specialist

Covers Roblox and live-service games. Tests every strategy in a fresh save before it goes in a guide.