Fitbit Ace Parental Controls & Safety Guide
How to configure the Fitbit Family Account, parent dashboard and social-feature controls on the Fitbit Ace children's activity tracker.
The Fitbit Ace is a fitness wearable designed for children aged around 6 and up. It tracks steps and active minutes, awards badges and pairs with a parent's Fitbit account through a Fitbit Family Account. Social features such as friend challenges and messages are off by default and the parent must approve any contacts. Parents view their child's stats in a separate dashboard inside the Fitbit app and the child's account does not expose them to the wider Fitbit social network.
Main risks
- • Children comparing step counts with friends in unhealthy ways
- • Adult friend requests or messages reaching the child if social features are loosened
- • Health data being shared more broadly than the family intends
- • Wearing the band overnight when sleep tracking is not needed and disturbing sleep
Initial setup steps
Set up a Family Account before pairing the Ace
In the Fitbit app on your phone, open You > Family Account and add your child. You will need their date of birth. The parent account is the legal account holder.
Pair the Ace with the child's Family Account
Switch the Fitbit app to your child's profile, choose 'Set up a new device' and select Ace. Follow the prompts to pair.
Review Kid View settings on the child's device
If you have installed Fitbit on a tablet or older phone your child uses, sign in to their account so they see Kid View only. Confirm that messages, public profiles and adult content sections are hidden.
Approve friends and discuss healthy use
From Parent View, add only family members as friends. Talk to your child about why step counts are not a competition with strangers and agree when the band comes off — for example at bedtime if you are not tracking sleep.
Parental control settings
Fitbit Family Account
Location: Fitbit app > You > Family Account > Add Child
Recommended: Used for every child Ace; parent is the account owner
Creates a parent-managed account for the child. The parent must approve friend requests and any sharing changes.
Kid View vs Parent View
Location: Fitbit app > Switch Account
Recommended: Kid View on the child's device; Parent View on the parent's phone
Kid View hides social feeds, messages and adult content from the child while still showing badges and challenges.
Friends and Messages
Location: Fitbit app > Parent View > Family > [Child] > Friends and Messages
Recommended: Approved family members only; no public friend search
Lets you control who the child can challenge and message. Default is off; only approved family members appear as friends.
Sleep Tracking and Bedtime
Location: Fitbit app > Parent View > [Child] > Sleep
Recommended: Off by default; on only if useful and discussed with the child
Children can become anxious about their sleep score. Turn this on only if you find the information useful, and review it together rather than alone.
Age recommendations
Suitable as long as the Ace is set up under a Family Account in Kid View with friends limited to immediate family. Avoid daily step goals that cause distress.
Good fit for the Ace's target age range. Keep social features limited to family. Review sleep tracking together if turned on.
Children may outgrow the Ace and ask for a regular Fitbit. Migrating an account requires careful review of social and privacy settings.