Kids watch Netflix. A lot. You probably don’t even want to know the screen time statistics for hardcore Netflix-lovers. We can’t blame them, though. With a regularly updated library featuring hundreds of TV shows, movies, and documentaries, there’s something for everyone in the family.
Of course, the shows that you love might not be appropriate for your kids. Even the most open-minded parent probably doesn’t want their little one checking out the latest episodes of “Orange Is the New Black,” for instance. Thankfully, Netflix has made it even easier to protect kids from seeing the wrong content with updated parental controls. Follow this easy guide to set them up.
How to set up parental controls for Netflix
Setting up PIN protection on Netflix
Netflix lets you create a unique personal identification number (PIN) that allows you to lock younger viewers out of mature content. Doing so is quick and easy. Start by logging into your desktop account.
1. Click on the pull-down arrow displayed next to your profile icon (located at the top right of your screen) and select Account.
2. Scroll down to the Settings section of the page, and click on Parental Controls. You’ll have to enter your account password to proceed.
3. Next, you’ll be prompted to create a PIN for your account. The PIN must be four digits. Try to choose a series of numbers that will be easy for you to remember but difficult for your kids to guess.
4. Now, you’ll have a couple of options. First, you can restrict content by maturity level. Choose your threshold, and anyone who wants to view content beyond a certain level will have to enter the PIN to gain access.
5. Alternatively (or in addition), you can restrict content by title. Just enter the names of the programs you want to restrict, and they’ll be PIN-protected, too.
Instagram guide for parents
Read Now ►Setting protections by profile
Instead of setting protections for the whole account, you can adjust the parental controls for each profile. This is helpful if you have kids of different ages in the house since your teenager’s favorite show might not be suitable for your preschooler. Here’s how to do it.
1. Click on the profile icon in the upper right corner of the screen. The “Who’s Watching?” screen should come up, displaying all of the profiles on your account.
2. Click on Manage Profiles, and then choose the profile you want to edit.
3. From the pull-down menu labeled “Allowed TV Shows and Movies,” select the desired maturity level for that profile.
How to keep your kids safe on YouTube
Read now ►Understanding Netflix maturity ratings
As you set parental controls, you’ll come across Netflix’s maturity level settings. Here’s how they work.
Netflix assigns maturity ratings to all of its content. These ratings are generally determined using local programming standards, although sometimes they are set by Netflix. The rating system breaks content into four maturity categories, each representing the overall maturity level of the programming. Keep in mind that maturity settings for ongoing programs reflect the series as a whole and are not assigned to each individual episode.
- Little kids: Only shows programs that are suitable for all viewers, with ratings G, TV-Y, and TV-G
- Older kids: Includes content rated PG, TV-Y7, TV-Y7-FV, and TV-PG
- Teens: Allows programming rated PG-13 and TV-14
- Mature: All programming, including content rated R, NC-17, and TV-MA
According to Netflix, it can take up to eight hours for your updated parental control settings to take effect. Logging out of your account and then logging back in may help to speed up the process.
