Instagram: Teen Accounts & Parental Supervision

What are Teen Accounts?

Instagram Teen Accounts are accounts with automatic restrictions for users under 18. Since October 2025, all teens are placed into a 13+ configuration inspired by PG-13 movie ratings and cannot opt out without parental permission. As of April 2026, these protections have been expanded internationally.

Setting up parental supervision

1. From your child's account, go to Settings > Accounts Center > Parental Supervision.
2. Your child sends you an invitation to become their supervisor (or you can send one from Meta Family Center).
3. Accept the invitation from your Instagram or Facebook account.
4. Once linked, access Meta Family Center in your app to manage all controls.

What Teen Accounts include

• Account is private by default
• Messages from strangers are automatically blocked
• Sensitive content (violence, strong language, risky behavior) is filtered by default
• Content showing marijuana, alcohol, and extreme stunts is not visible
• Notifications are silenced from 10 PM to 7 AM automatically
• A 60-minute daily time reminder appears after one hour of use
• "Limited Content" mode available for even stricter filtering

What's new in 2025–2026

The biggest change was the PG-13 content standard introduced in October 2025: content is now filtered using criteria similar to movie ratings. Parents can activate "Limited Content" for stricter filters that also limit searches, restrict comments received, and control comments the teen can leave. Meta has added tools for parents to report content they consider inappropriate for teens. Instagram is also building age-prediction technology to detect accounts that belong to teens even if they list an adult birthday. These protections are now active globally as of April 2026.

Warning signs to watch for

• Your child has a second account you did not know about
• They request to leave Teen Account restrictions frequently
• They seem upset or withdrawn after using the app