WhatsApp has introduced a new safety feature aimed at younger users. On March 11, Meta-owned messaging service WhatsApp announced its plan to bring up parent-managed accounts for children under 13 years old. With this feature, parents or guardians will be able to manage how younger users use the service.

According to the company, this feature is being introduced to make the service safer for younger users while keeping them connected to their parents or guardians. The feature will be rolled out to users who are running the latest versions of WhatsApp on Android or iPhone devices.

What parent-managed accounts allow

With this feature, parents or guardians can manage who can contact their child on WhatsApp after setting up an account for them. They can also manage groups that their child can join.

Additionally, parents will be able to view requests to message from unknown contacts and change the privacy settings on the account. These features are password-protected with a six-digit parent PIN that must be entered on the device being managed.

With this system in place, children who use the account will not be able to change the privacy settings on their own. WhatsApp said the restricted environment is intended to limit under-13 users primarily to messaging and calling.

Also Read | What is SORA? Fresh reports fuel speculation over ChatGPT and its new video tool

Feature arrives amid global social media concerns

The introduction of parent-managed accounts comes at a time when governments across the world are exploring ways to regulate children's access to social media platforms.

In India, Karnataka has announced a budget-driven social media ban on children under 16. Andhra Pradesh has floated a plan to limit social media usage for children under 13 within 90 days. How this is to be done is not yet clear.

Reports have also indicated that the central government may adopt a graded approach for social media restrictions for users under 18 rather than imposing a blanket ban.

Meta has argued that parental supervision may be more effective than broad restrictions. In February 2025, Meta launched Instagram Teen Accounts in India. These accounts are created with the intent of providing the best possible experience in terms of privacy and are available for those between 13 and 18 years of age.

Also Read | Google Chrome enters the AI era as Gemini gets integrated into the browser

Steps to set up a parent-managed account

To create a parent-managed account, the child’s phone and the parent’s phone must be placed side by side during the setup process.

Parents first need to download the WhatsApp app on the child’s phone from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Then the parent needs to choose the option to create a parent-managed account and verify the child’s phone number.

Next, the parent needs to scan a QR code displayed on the child’s phone. Then the parent needs to confirm that they are an adult and create a six-digit parent PIN. Once all the steps are complete, the child can enter their name and upload a profile photo.