Netflix Parental Controls Guide
How to set up Netflix parental controls, create a kids profile, use PIN locks, and manage what your child watches on the platform.
Netflix is a subscription streaming service offering films, TV series and documentaries on demand, with profiles and parental controls for families.
Official age
0+
We recommend
6+
Developer
Netflix
Risks
2
Overview
Netflix is a subscription video-on-demand service offering films, TV series, documentaries, and original productions. It is one of the most widely used entertainment platforms in UK households. Netflix provides meaningful parental controls including dedicated Kids profiles, content maturity ratings, a PIN lock on mature content, and automatic download restrictions for children's profiles. Compared to many online platforms, Netflix offers a relatively robust set of parental tools, though no system is completely foolproof if children have access to the main account.
How children use it
Younger children typically use a dedicated Kids profile with age-appropriate content. Older children and teenagers often use shared family profiles or their own profiles, and may seek out content above their maturity level. The autoplay feature encourages extended viewing sessions. Downloading content for offline viewing is popular for long journeys or periods without internet access.
Main risks
Recommended privacy settings
Kids Profile
Location: Account → Who's Watching? → Add Profile → Kids
Set to: Use a dedicated Kids profile for under-12s
A Kids profile restricts content to age-appropriate shows and films and prevents children from accessing the main account's content library. This is the most effective single control on Netflix.
Viewing Restrictions PIN
Location: Account → Settings → Parental Controls → Require PIN for specific maturity levels
Set to: Set a PIN for content above the appropriate maturity rating
A PIN prevents content above a chosen maturity level from being played without the code. Set this on all profiles your child might access, not only their dedicated profile.
Profile Lock
Location: Account → Settings → Profile & Parental Controls → Lock Profile
Set to: Enabled on adult profiles
Locking adult profiles with a PIN prevents children from switching away from their Kids profile to access unrestricted content on the main account.
Parent actions
Create a dedicated Kids profile for children under 12 and lock adult profiles with a PIN to prevent profile switching
Time: 10 minutes
Set a viewing restriction PIN for any teen profile to limit access to content above the appropriate maturity rating
Time: 5 minutes
Review your child's viewing history periodically via Account → Profile & Parental Controls → Viewing Activity
Time: 10 minutes monthly
Related app guides
If you need to report this
In immediate danger: call 999. For non-emergency police matters, call 101.
Concerned about a child but it's not an emergency? NSPCC helpline 0808 800 5000. Childline for young people 0800 1111.
Myths & facts
Myth: Once I create a Kids profile, that automatically matches my child's exact age.
Fact: Kids profiles have their own content band you can adjust — roughly 'Little Kids' for ages 0-6 (TV-Y and G only) or 'Older Kids' for 7-12 (which adds TV-Y7 and PG). It's worth checking which band is selected rather than assuming the default suits your child.
Myth: Locking my own profile with a PIN means my child can't reach anything unsuitable at all.
Fact: A PIN stops profile-switching, but a shared family profile left unlocked, or a Kids or Teen profile with its maturity rating set too high, can still show content above what you'd choose. The PIN and the maturity rating need to be set correctly together.
Myth: Netflix always autoplays the next episode and there's no way to stop it on a child's profile.
Fact: Autoplay previews and autoplay next episode can both be switched off per profile from Playback Settings. This is worth doing on a child's profile if you'd rather they asked before starting another episode than sat through several in a row.
Age by age
- 5-7
Use a Kids profile set to the youngest content band so only TV-Y and G-rated titles appear, and sit with them for the first setup. Lock every adult profile with a PIN so a curious tap doesn't switch them out of the Kids profile.
- 8-10
The Kids profile can usually move to the 'Older Kids' band, which brings in TV-Y7 and PG titles alongside the younger content. It's still worth turning off autoplay so they ask before starting another episode rather than sitting through several unplanned ones.
- 11-13
This is often the point a shared family or teen-level profile takes over from the Kids profile. Set a maturity-rating PIN so PG-13 or TV-14 content is a decision rather than a default, and talk about what to do if something upsetting starts playing.
- 14-16
A wider maturity rating is reasonable at this age, but keep a PIN on anything above it, such as TV-MA or R-rated titles. Check the viewing history occasionally rather than assuming a teenager's own profile means no oversight at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
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