Roblox parental controls guide: screen time, spending, chat

The fastest way to set up Roblox parental controls is to link a parent account to your child's account: the child opens Settings > Parental Controls and selects Add parent, then the parent verifies their age and selects Agree. Once linked, a parent can manage screen time, spending limits, chat, game maturity and more from Roblox.com or the mobile app. This guide walks through every control Roblox documents, with the age rules that decide what is available.

Two ways to set up parental controls

Roblox describes two options. The first is a parent account, which lets you manage most settings remotely, anytime, and see activity such as top-played games and screen time for under-13 accounts. The second is managing from your child's own device: no separate account is needed, a one-time onboarding flow lets you grant or deny requests, and a Parent PIN speeds up future decisions.

A parent account is the better choice if you want to adjust things from your own phone. As your child ages into new settings, Roblox also sends product updates to the linked parent account. If you are new to the platform itself, our Roblox hub collects the rest of our platform coverage.

How to link a parent account

1. Start on the child's accountOpen Settings > Parental Controls and select Add parent.
2. Enter the parent's emailThe parent follows the emailed instructions. If they are new to Roblox they create an account and should have a government-issued ID ready.
3. Verify the parent's ageA government-issued ID or a credit card can be used.
4. Select AgreeThis links the two accounts.

Roblox also supports starting from an emailed linking request: the parent opens the email, chooses to use an existing account, verifies their age and selects Agree. To undo it, go to Settings > Parental Controls, select the child, click the pencil icon and choose Unlink accounts. After unlinking, the parent can no longer approve actions, control privacy or set screen time and spending limits.

What you can control

Content and game maturity

Roblox sorts experiences by maturity. Restricted experiences are available only to verified users aged 18 and over. Under Roblox Kids, parents can allow games rated Moderate or below; under Roblox Select, parents cannot allow Restricted games but can allow "Content May Vary" games. Users under 13 are blocked from sensitive-issues experiences by default, and a parent can switch access on with a toggle.

• Block specific games. Blocked games still appear in search. If you block a game while your child is playing it, the block takes effect the next time they try to enter.
• Review requests. Pending game requests appear in your child's dashboard, where you choose Allow or Don't Allow.
• Early testing. This is off by default for Roblox Kids and on by default for Roblox Select ages 9-15. You can limit it to similar age groups or trusted friends, or turn it off for everyone.

Chat, voice and trusted friends

Every user must complete an age check to access chat, which we cover in detail in our Roblox age check guide. Parents can turn chat off for users under 13. Children under 9 may chat only with users under 13 or with trusted friends.

Voice chat with friends is available only in some regions and, for users under 18, only with trusted friends. It is off by default for under-13 accounts; parents can enable it for ages 9-12, and it is on for ages 13-15, where a parent can turn it off. For under-13 accounts, trusted-friend requests require parent approval. Parents have 24 hours to approve through email or the pending requests in Parental Controls, after which the child can resend the request.

Screen time limits

Screen time can be set as a daily limit for Roblox Kids accounts and for Roblox Select ages 9-12. In the app, a parent taps More > Settings > Parental Controls and chooses Manage next to Screen time. When the limit is reached, the child sees a message and cannot use Roblox for the rest of the day. For ages 13 and up, Roblox suggests having a conversation about screen time rather than setting hard limits.

Spending limits and alerts

1. Open Parental ControlsIn the parent account, go to Settings > Parental Controls and open Spending Restrictions.
2. Set a monthly limitThis covers Robux and experience subscriptions, not gift card redemption. It resets at the end of each calendar month and does not roll over.
3. Pick notificationsChoose all transactions, high-spend alerts or none. High-spend alerts are on by default after $100, $250 and $500 in a month, then every ten transactions after $500.

Trading, Robux transfers and privacy

• Trading. Requires Roblox Plus or Premium. Parents can limit trading to Friends or No one.
• Robux transfers. Require Roblox Plus. Younger users need parent approval for each send or receive. Age-checked users who are 18 or older can transfer without approval. The limits are 500 Robux per day and 1,000 Robux per month.
• Inventory visibility. Everyone, Connections or No one.
• Private servers. Connections or No one.
• Connections. You can view, block and report them. Blocked users cannot chat with your child and cannot be re-added without parent permission.

Handling requests and approvals

Parental controls on Roblox work as much through approvals as through fixed switches. When a child wants to do something their current settings do not allow, such as playing a game above their maximum maturity rating, adding a trusted friend or sending Robux, a request is created for the parent. Game requests are reviewed from your child's dashboard, where you choose Allow or Don't Allow. Trusted friend requests for under-13 accounts arrive by email and in the pending requests area of Parental Controls, and you have 24 hours to respond before the child can send the request again.

If you manage settings from your child's device instead of a parent account, the Parent PIN is what makes this practical. Instead of repeating the full onboarding every time, you enter the PIN to approve or decline. Treat that PIN like a password, and do not share it with your child. If you would rather make decisions from your own phone, linking a parent account is the cleaner option.

Make the settings part of a conversation

Settings are a safety net, not a substitute for talking with your child about what they play. A few practical habits help: sit with your child for a session in their favourite experience, ask who they chat with, and explain why you set a spending cap before the first Robux purchase rather than after. Roblox itself recommends discussing screen time with teens rather than imposing limits, and the controls are designed to loosen as children get older, so revisit them at the ages where the platform changes defaults.

Finally, remember that blocking is not instant for a game already in progress and that blocked games remain visible in search. If a particular experience worries you, block it and explain why, so the search result does not turn into an argument.

A sensible starting checklist

None of the settings are required, but this sequence covers the common concerns. First link your parent account. Second, check the maximum game maturity matches your child's age. Third, review chat and voice chat settings and the trusted friends list. Fourth, set a monthly spending limit and choose alerts. Fifth, decide on screen time, and revisit everything when your child turns 9, 13 and 18, because those are the ages where Roblox's feature thresholds change. Roblox's default settings by age page lists what each age group gets without any changes.

For more platform explainers, browse our Guides hub, and read our note on the latest Roblox Terms of Use update.

FAQ

How do I set up parental controls on Roblox?

Link a parent account: your child opens Settings > Parental Controls and selects Add parent, then you verify your age and select Agree. Alternatively, manage controls from your child's device with the one-time onboarding flow and a Parent PIN.

Can I set a daily screen time limit on Roblox?

Yes. Parents can set daily limits for Roblox Kids accounts and Roblox Select ages 9-12. When the limit is reached, the child cannot use Roblox for the rest of the day.

Does the spending limit include gift cards?

No. The monthly limit covers Robux and experience subscriptions, not gift card redemption.

What happens if I unlink the accounts?

The parent loses the ability to approve actions, control privacy and set screen time or spending limits for that child.

Can younger kids use voice chat?

Voice chat with friends is off by default for under-13 accounts. Parents can enable it for ages 9-12, and it is only available in some regions and only with trusted friends for users under 18.

Maya Chen Roblox specialist

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