How To Set Up Minecraft Parental Controls (2026 Guide)

If you’re looking for Minecraft’s parental controls, you might have run into an issue — they aren’t found inside Minecraft. Instead, you manage parental controls through your Microsoft account and Xbox family safety settings, even if nobody in the house owns an Xbox.

In this article, we’ll walk through how to set up and configure Minecraft parental controls in your Microsoft account and on your devices, as well as how to fix controls that aren’t doing what you want. We’ll also touch on the best parental control apps for managing everything outside Minecraft.

How to set up Minecraft parental controls

Minecraft parental controls are an excellent way to protect your kids while they play. They’re primarily handled through the parent’s Microsoft account, but in order to set up Minecraft parental controls, you’ll need to create a Microsoft family group. You can set this up on the web or in the Xbox Family Settings app.

Create a Microsoft Family Group on the web

1. Head to the Microsoft Family Safety website.

2. Sign in with your parent account.

3. Click Create a family group.

4. Click Add a family member.

5. If your child already has an account, select an invitation option. If they don’t, select Create your child account and follow the prompts.

6. Once the group is created, head to the Privacy & Online Safety page to view and adjust settings for your child’s account.

Create a Microsoft Family Group using the Xbox Family Settings app

1. Download the Xbox Family Settings app. It’s available for both iOS and Android.

2. Sign in with your parent account.

3. Tap the green silhouette icon in the top right corner.

4. Tap Add Child.

5. Select either Create new account or Add existing account and follow the prompts.

6. From the main screen, tap the child’s profile to manage settings.

Manage child settings

Once set up, parent accounts (not child accounts) can manage a number of important parental control settings, including:

• Multiplayer and Realms access: You can set it so that approval is required before your child can join multiplayer games.
• Who can chat with your child: You can limit who is allowed to chat with your child, as well as set message content filters.
• Adding and following friends: You can require approval for adding and following friends.
• Spending: This includes the Account Balance and “Ask to buy” settings, where you can add money for your child to spend in games and require approval before they buy anything.
• Screen time: You can set time limits and time ranges for when your child can play certain games.

Minecraft parental controls by device

Here’s where Minecraft parental controls get a little confusing. Your Microsoft account’s settings cover who your child can play and talk with, what they can spend, and their screen time on Windows, Xbox, and Android devices.

However, if you want to set screen time limits on another console (like PlayStation or Nintendo Switch) or an Apple device, you’ll have to rely on device-specific settings.

This is because Microsoft owns Minecraft, along with Windows and Xbox, so one account can cover everything. The company does not have the same level of hardware access on PlayStation or Switch, and Apple devices are notoriously locked down when it comes to parental controls. However, there are options.

Nintendo Switch

Parents can access a few unique Minecraft parental controls on the Switch. The primary ones are custom daily time limits, bedtime cutoffs, messaging restrictions, and restrictions on user-generated content. Best of all, these apply across the console, not just to Minecraft.

Check out our guide to Nintendo Switch parental controls for step-by-step instructions.

PlayStation, iPad, and Android

For PlayStations, iPads, iPhones, and Chromebooks, you’ll need to rely on device-specific settings to manage screen time. You can technically use Microsoft’s screen time tools on Android devices, but they are somewhat limited and easy to bypass compared to Google’s options, so I recommend using those where possible.

PlayStation: You can head to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management to set communication, spending, and screen time limits.

iPad and iPhone: On iPad and iPhone, you can manage screen time by heading to Settings > Screen Time > [child’s name] > App Limits > Add Limit.

Android and Chromebook: On Android and Chromebook devices, you use the Family Link app on the parent’s device to manage screen time. Head to Family Link > [child’s name] > Screen time > Time limits > App limits. Limits set on one device will apply across all of the child’s Android and ChromeOS devices.

How to change or turn off Minecraft parental controls

When adjusting Minecraft parental controls, keep two main things in mind. First, all changes are made from the parent’s Microsoft account, not the child’s. Second, sign out of Minecraft and close the game before making changes. Otherwise, they may not take effect.

Why parental controls block Minecraft multiplayer

One of the more common problems you may run into with Minecraft parental controls is the message, “You cannot play online multiplayer because of how your Microsoft account is set up.” This is usually a permissions issue, not a bug. That means the adult family organizer will need to resolve it from their account.

The fastest way to fix this issue is from the Xbox Family Settings app. Head to Content restrictions > Manage Featured Games > Minecraft.

Toggle on Multiplayer to allow your child to play Minecraft online even when your account-wide settings block multiplayer games. You can also turn on Clubs to let them create and join Realms, while toggling Gameplay will allow them to play even when Minecraft is above the child’s age limit.

How to change Minecraft parental controls

If you want to change settings for an entire account, rather than just Minecraft, your best bet is to head to the Xbox Privacy & Online Safety page.

Under the Xbox and Windows 10 devices Online Safety tab, you can toggle key settings like the ability to join multiplayer games, join cross-network play (needed to play with friends on PlayStation or Switch), create and join clubs, and add friends.

Under the Privacy tab, you can adjust settings related to messaging and communication.

How to turn off Minecraft parental controls

To turn off parental controls, you’ll need to do so from the parent account by heading to either the Xbox Family Settings app or the Xbox Privacy & Online Safety page. There’s no way to just toggle all parental controls off at once — you’ll have to turn each off manually. The upside is that you can disable some controls without turning them off entirely.

If you’re going to turn these off, it’s important to understand what each one does. Microsoft’s site does a pretty good job of explaining each toggle, but make sure you read those descriptions before clicking. For example, turning on cross-network play lets your child play with others on platforms other than Xbox.

Best third-party parental controls for Minecraft

Microsoft’s parental controls do a lot, but they have one major disadvantage: they don’t offer protection beyond the game or Xbox device. However, kids often use other platforms to coordinate and engage with games, including Discord, YouTube, and text.

Three top-tested options for expanding parental controls are Aura, Qustodio, and Bark. Aura Parental Controls includes malware and virus protection that can help prevent accidental Minecraft malware when downloading Minecraft mods or custom maps. Qustodio can set customizable app and screen time limits for Minecraft (and the rest of the device). Bark excels at monitoring communications, including inside Minecraft (though this will not work on all devices).

Bottom line: Are Minecraft parental controls enough?

If you’re considering parental controls for your child’s Minecraft account, you’re not alone. An All About Cookies survey of 1,000 adults found that 96% of parents track their children’s digital activities. And Minecraft’s parental controls are fairly robust and cover a lot of what matters most in Minecraft: strangers in chat and open multiplayer.

That said, they’re not without issues. They’re split across a Microsoft account, a console, and sometimes a phone; it’s easy to set them too tightly; and they do nothing outside of Minecraft itself. Your best bet is to set the account-level controls first, add device-specific controls where Microsoft’s don’t reach, and — most importantly — treat a conversation with your child as part of the setup.

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