How to Set Up Parental Controls on Snapchat (2026)

Step 1: Set up Family Center

Snapchat requires users to be 13 or older. Family Center works for teens 13–17.

1. Create your own Snapchat account. Install Snapchat on your phone and sign up as yourself.
2. Add your teen as a friend. Search for your teen's username and add them; they must add you back.
3. Invite them to Family Center. Tap your profile → Settings (gear icon) → Family Center (or search "Family Center"), and send your teen an invitation.
4. Teen accepts. Your teen opens the invite in their Snapchat and accepts. Family Center only works once both of you opt in.

Tip: Teens can leave Family Center, and you'll be notified. It works best as an agreement, not a surprise.

Step 2: See friends and recent contacts

1. Review friends. In Family Center, view your teen's friends list and see new friends added in the past week, with added context about those connections.
2. See recent contacts. See who your teen communicated with in the last 7 days, including group chats. You cannot read the message or Snap content, or see their My AI chat history.
3. Review screen-time insights. Check the screen-time breakdown for time spent Chatting, Snapping, using the Camera or Snap Map, and viewing Spotlight or Stories.
4. Report concerns. Use the report option in Family Center to confidentially report any account you're worried about to Snapchat's Trust & Safety team.

Step 3: Restrict sensitive content in Stories and Spotlight

1. Turn on Restrict Sensitive Content. In Family Center, turn on Restrict Sensitive Content to hide content Snapchat flags as sensitive in Stories and Spotlight.
2. Disable My AI. In Family Center, disable your teen's access to My AI if you do not want them using it. Family Center does not show you their My AI chat history.

Step 4: Snap Map location and Ghost Mode

1. Use Request Location. In Family Center, tap Request Location. Your teen must approve the request before their location appears to you on Snap Map.
2. Set Place Alerts. Save important places and turn on Place Alerts for updates tied to those locations.
3. Review Ghost Mode. Ghost Mode hides your teen's location from everyone else and can coexist with a parent-approved Request Location in Family Center.

Step 5: Tighten privacy settings on their phone

1. Contact Me. In Settings → Privacy Controls → Contact Me, choose My Friends so strangers can't message them.
2. View My Story. Set View My Story to My Friends.
3. See Me in Quick Add. Turn off See Me in Quick Add so strangers aren't suggested your teen.