What is the story about?
Meta's WhatsApp has unveiled a new type of account designed specifically for children under 13, allowing parents to supervise how pre-teens use the app while keeping core messaging features intact.
The feature, announced on Wednesday, introduces parent-managed accounts that restrict younger users to basic communication tools such as messaging and voice calls. Children using these accounts will not see advertisements and will also miss out on several optional features that older users typically have access to.
The move comes even though WhatsApp is officially rated for users aged 13 and above on both major app stores. However, many younger children already use the platform to stay in touch with family members. According to parent feedback gathered by WhatsApp’s parent company Meta Platforms, families often rely on the service as a primary way to communicate once children receive their first smartphone.
By introducing managed accounts, Meta says it hopes to give parents greater visibility and control over how their children interact on the platform while preserving the privacy protections that the app is known for.
Setting up a pre-teen account requires the presence of both the parent and the child’s devices. During the setup process, a QR code must be scanned to authenticate the account, ensuring that the parent or guardian approves the child’s entry into the app.
Once the account is active, parents can monitor key activities through alerts. By default, guardians will receive notifications whenever the child adds, blocks, or reports a contact.
Additional alerts can be enabled for a range of other actions. These include when a child changes their name or profile picture, receives a new chat request, joins or leaves a group, creates a group, deletes a chat or contact, or when a group activates disappearing messages.
All parental settings are secured behind a six-digit PIN, which can be created and managed directly from the parent’s device.
Managed accounts also come with several built-in restrictions. Pre-teens will not be able to access features such as Meta AI, Channels, or Status updates. They will also be prevented from enabling disappearing messages in one-to-one chats.
When a child receives a message request from someone not in their contact list, WhatsApp will show a context card explaining who the sender is. This card highlights whether the sender shares any mutual groups with the child and also displays the country they are messaging from.
For additional protection, images from unknown senders are blurred by default and calls from unfamiliar numbers can be automatically silenced.
Incoming chat requests are placed in a separate folder that can only be opened with the parent’s PIN. Group invitations also require parental approval, and WhatsApp shows details such as the number of members and the group administrator before the invitation can be accepted.
The introduction of supervised accounts reflects growing pressure on technology companies to make digital platforms safer for younger audiences.
WhatsApp says its goal is to strike a balance between enabling children to stay connected with family while ensuring that parents remain informed about how the app is being used. Importantly, all messages and calls within these accounts will continue to use end-to-end encryption, meaning neither WhatsApp nor Meta can read the content.
The feature also anticipates children growing older. When users reach the eligible age, WhatsApp will notify them that they can convert their account into a regular one. Parents will eventually be able to delay that transition by up to 12 months if they feel their child still needs supervision.
The launch also arrives at a time when governments around the world are examining stricter rules around children and social media. Countries such as Denmark, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom are exploring or implementing limits on younger users’ access to online platforms.
Although WhatsApp is primarily a messaging service rather than a traditional social network, it is used by more than three billion people globally. With children increasingly receiving smartphones at younger ages, tools like these supervised accounts could become a key way for families to manage digital communication more safely.
The feature, announced on Wednesday, introduces parent-managed accounts that restrict younger users to basic communication tools such as messaging and voice calls. Children using these accounts will not see advertisements and will also miss out on several optional features that older users typically have access to.
The move comes even though WhatsApp is officially rated for users aged 13 and above on both major app stores. However, many younger children already use the platform to stay in touch with family members. According to parent feedback gathered by WhatsApp’s parent company Meta Platforms, families often rely on the service as a primary way to communicate once children receive their first smartphone.
By introducing managed accounts, Meta says it hopes to give parents greater visibility and control over how their children interact on the platform while preserving the privacy protections that the app is known for.
WhatsApp's Parents-managed accounts: How does it work
Setting up a pre-teen account requires the presence of both the parent and the child’s devices. During the setup process, a QR code must be scanned to authenticate the account, ensuring that the parent or guardian approves the child’s entry into the app.
Once the account is active, parents can monitor key activities through alerts. By default, guardians will receive notifications whenever the child adds, blocks, or reports a contact.
Additional alerts can be enabled for a range of other actions. These include when a child changes their name or profile picture, receives a new chat request, joins or leaves a group, creates a group, deletes a chat or contact, or when a group activates disappearing messages.
WhatsApp Parent-managed account for under 13
All parental settings are secured behind a six-digit PIN, which can be created and managed directly from the parent’s device.
Managed accounts also come with several built-in restrictions. Pre-teens will not be able to access features such as Meta AI, Channels, or Status updates. They will also be prevented from enabling disappearing messages in one-to-one chats.
When a child receives a message request from someone not in their contact list, WhatsApp will show a context card explaining who the sender is. This card highlights whether the sender shares any mutual groups with the child and also displays the country they are messaging from.
For additional protection, images from unknown senders are blurred by default and calls from unfamiliar numbers can be automatically silenced.
Incoming chat requests are placed in a separate folder that can only be opened with the parent’s PIN. Group invitations also require parental approval, and WhatsApp shows details such as the number of members and the group administrator before the invitation can be accepted.
How helpful will it be?
The introduction of supervised accounts reflects growing pressure on technology companies to make digital platforms safer for younger audiences.
WhatsApp says its goal is to strike a balance between enabling children to stay connected with family while ensuring that parents remain informed about how the app is being used. Importantly, all messages and calls within these accounts will continue to use end-to-end encryption, meaning neither WhatsApp nor Meta can read the content.
The feature also anticipates children growing older. When users reach the eligible age, WhatsApp will notify them that they can convert their account into a regular one. Parents will eventually be able to delay that transition by up to 12 months if they feel their child still needs supervision.
The launch also arrives at a time when governments around the world are examining stricter rules around children and social media. Countries such as Denmark, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom are exploring or implementing limits on younger users’ access to online platforms.
Although WhatsApp is primarily a messaging service rather than a traditional social network, it is used by more than three billion people globally. With children increasingly receiving smartphones at younger ages, tools like these supervised accounts could become a key way for families to manage digital communication more safely.
