Best Instagram settings for a 13-year-old
Age-appropriate Instagram settings for UK 13-year-olds: Teen Account, Private, Supervision, DMs restricted, Hidden Words and screen-time limits.
Instagram's minimum age is 13. UK 13-year-olds will normally be placed on a Teen Account by default, but parents still need to confirm the settings, link supervision and remove the easy paths to stranger contact, especially in DMs and through tagged photos.
The steps below are the minimum set for a 13-year-old; revisit them every term.
Step-by-step
Confirm Teen Account and correct date of birth
Settings → Account → Account type and Personal information. If the birthday is wrong, fix it before anything else. Tip: Under-16 protections only apply if Meta knows the user is under 16.
Turn on Parental Supervision
Settings → Supervision → invite parent's Instagram account. Tip: Enable daily time limits and quiet hours from 9pm to 7am.
Confirm Private Account
Settings → Privacy → Private account → On.
Lock down messages
Settings → Messages → Others on Instagram → Don't receive requests. Tip: 13-year-olds should not be receiving cold DMs from strangers.
Turn off tag and mention by strangers
Settings → Privacy → Tags and Mentions → People you follow. Tip: Stops strangers tagging them into adult or marketing posts.
Enable Hidden Words and Restricted Comments
Settings → Privacy → Hidden Words → toggle on for comments, DM requests, and Story interactions.
Agree the screenshot and screen-time rules together
Sit down for 10 minutes. Agree that the phone leaves the bedroom at 9pm, that you will not read DMs unless there is a safeguarding concern, and that they can come to you about anything without losing the app.
What not to do
- Do not give a 13-year-old an adult account just because it is easier.
- Do not rely on the app's default settings; review them together.
- Do not demand all passwords with no warning; agree access rules first.
- Do not punish honesty, or your teen will stop telling you when things go wrong.
Red flags to watch for
- Secrecy about who they are talking to, or hiding the screen when you walk in.
- A new "friend" who is noticeably older or pushes for private chat off the app.
- Late-night activity spikes, especially DMs or video calls after midnight.
- Requests to move the conversation to WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord DMs or Snapchat.
- Gifts, V-Bucks, Robux, gift cards or money offered in exchange for photos or calls.
- Sexualised language, requests for images, or pressure to keep secrets from parents.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.