Instagram Parental Controls: Teen Accounts and Supervision (2026)

Step 1: Check the Teen Account defaults

Under-16s need a parent's permission to loosen Teen Account settings. Teens aged 16–17 can change some settings, but a supervising parent is notified.

1. Private account. Teen Accounts are private by default.
2. Restricted messaging. Messaging is limited to people your teen is connected with.
3. Content filtered to PG-13. Sensitive Content Control is set to Less, enforced through a PG-13 standard.
4. Sleep Mode and time reminder. Sleep Mode mutes notifications and sends DM auto-replies from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and a reminder appears after 60 minutes of daily use.

Step 2: Set up supervision

1. Open Supervision. In Instagram, go to Settings and activity → Supervision (or Settings → Family Center). On the web, visit familycenter.meta.com/supervision.
2. Send an invite. Tap Invite a teen, or your teen can tap Invite a parent. Both of you must accept.
3. Add other teens. One adult can supervise up to five teens.

Step 3: Set time limits and breaks

1. Daily time limit. Set a daily time limit for Instagram.
2. Scheduled breaks. Schedule breaks for times when your teen shouldn't use Instagram.
3. Review time spent. Check how much time your teen spends on the app.

Step 4: Review contacts, changes and content

1. Review connections. See who your teen follows, who follows them, and new contacts.
2. Approve account changes. See privacy, safety and account changes, and approve them for teens under 16.
3. Review topics. See the topics your teen is interested in, including Meta AI topics.
4. Turn on Limited Content. Choose Limited Content for a stricter filter that also applies to Meta AI.