WhatsApp launched parent-supervised accounts for users under 13 on Wednesday, offering messaging and calling only with no ads.
The move introduces a controlled entry point for younger users on a platform with more than 3 billion global users, addressing parental concerns while operating under regulatory pressure in multiple countries. Meta stated the feature follows feedback from parents who purchase mobile phones for pre-teens and want to message them on WhatsApp.
Parents must use both their device and the pre-teen’s device to authenticate setup via QR code. Parents can configure alerts for the managed account’s activities; by default, they receive alerts when pre-teens add, block, or report a contact. Optional activity alerts include the pre-teen changing their name or profile picture, getting a new chat request, joining or leaving a group, a group turning on disappearing messages, and deleting a chat or contact. All settings are protected by a six-digit PIN that parents can set and change from their own device.
“We’ve heard from parents, who have bought mobile phones for their pre-teens, that they want to message them on WhatsApp,” the company said. “Parent-managed accounts are specifically designed to give additional control over settings and communications for this group.”
Managed accounts do not have access to Meta AI, Channels, or Status, and cannot enable disappearing messages for 1:1 chats. All chats and calls remain end-to-end encrypted and private.
Pre-teens see a context card for messages from unknown contacts, showing common groups and the sender’s country. They can silence calls from unknown numbers, and images from unknown contacts are blurred by default.
Chat requests from unknown users go to a separate folder locked behind the parent PIN. Group invite links are also locked behind the PIN, and parents can see group info, including member count and admin, before accepting.
When pre-teens get older, they receive a notification that their account can be converted to a standard account. Parents can delay this transition by 12 months.
The rollout begins in select geographies and will gradually expand over the next few months. Meta has previously introduced controls and accounts for teen safety on Instagram and Facebook.
The move comes as countries including Denmark, Germany, Spain, and the U.K. are moving to ban social media access for users under a certain age. WhatsApp is used by more than 3 billion people worldwide, including children.
