How to Set Parental Control on Streaming Platforms? – Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and More!

Have you recently purchased a subscription to a streaming platform? If yes, do you have plans to allow your kids to use it? 

If yes, I suggest adding parental controls to them. There’s no denying that platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, etc. have a huge collection of movies and shows that even include explicit ones as well.  

So, to prevent your kids from exploring such content, you must set parental control on any of the streaming platforms used.

In this blog, I’ll guide you through all the necessary steps and strategies you can take to make streaming platforms safe for your kids.

Hey @netflix and @amazon if you really want to give parental controls to your streaming platforms, don't make it so easy to create a new profile! My 4 yr old figured it out.

— Addie Hamilton (@AggieAdd05) August 24, 2023

Why is There a Need to Set Parental Controls on Streaming Platforms?

Parental controls on streaming platforms have become a necessity for every parent who decides to provide access to their kids. It does not only filter out explicit content but also allows you to monitor your kid’s activities. 

The most prominent reasons why parental controls are important are:

• Excessive screen time.
• Exposure to violent and graphic content like movies and shows.
• Binge watching.
• Explicit or mature content.
• Lack of physical activity.

If your kids have recently started using a streaming platform, you must learn how to set parental controls for them.

How to Set Parental Controls on Popular Streaming Platforms?

Most streaming services have built-in parental controls, and for some, you just have to make a few changes in the Settings. Proceeding further, I’ll mention the most popular streaming platforms and how you can add parental controls to them.

Starting with the most popular streaming platform, there are no built-in Netflix parental controls. So, you can create a separate Kid’s profile or set viewing restrictions. Follow these steps:

• Sign In to Netflix using your credentials and from the ‘Who’s Watching’ screen, click ‘Add Profile.’

  

• Enter the name, check the box for ‘Child?’ and click ‘Continue’ to finish the process.

  

• This will create a new profile especially for your child showing kid-friendly content only. Also, if you want to set any viewing restrictions, click the profile icon and go to Manage Profiles.

• Proceed with selecting the profile for which you need to set limits, and then, open the Edit Profile option. There, you can choose the appropriate rating as per the kid’s age.

  

However, if you choose a rating above 16+ for a profile made for kids, it will automatically remove the ‘Kid’s profile’ tag.

To ensure that your children don’t engage with any mature content on Hulu, you can take a few safety measures. These methods include creating a child’s profile and adding a security PIN. To learn how to set parental controls on Hulu, follow these steps:

• Open the official website of Hulu and log in. Then, click the profile icon and open Manage Profiles.

• Click Add Profile.

  

• Write the profile name and make sure that you’ve turned on the toggle to ‘Turn on to watch only kid-friendly programming.’

  

• Then, to protect the profile from making any changes, just add a profile PIN. Go to Manage Profiles and Turn on the toggle for PIN protection present under Parental Controls.

  

Enter the PIN, and you’re all set.

Setting Disney Plus parental controls also includes having similar options as the previous ones. You can create a Kid’s profile and set the content rating for the platform. Follow these steps to do so:

• From the main screen, click Add profile.

  

• Write the name for the profile and in the next section, turn on the toggle for Kids Profile under Disney+ PARENTAL CONTROLS.

  

• After getting done with this, you’ll see the child-friendly content only for this profile. 

• If you want to set any content ratings for a different profile without labeling it as a “kid profile,” you can go back to the profile selection page and open Edit Profiles >> Content Rating.

• Now, set the pointer to the content rating that you find appropriate for your child.

  

This will not show any mature or explicit content on the profile. However, you must note that changing content ratings won’t work for a child’s profile.

Just like the platforms mentioned before, parental controls on Amazon Prime Video also provide you with the ability to limit mature content for your children. You can follow these steps:

• Open Amazon Prime Video, click the profile icon in the top-right corner, and click Add new.

  

• Write the name of the kid and turn on ‘Kid’s profile?’ Then, click on Save changes.  

  

• To set restrictions on the same account or some other account, you need to open Account & Settings from the profile menu.

  

• Open the ‘Restrictions’ tab and enter a 5-digit PIN under Prime Video Account PIN. Click Save.

  

• In addition, you can restrict in-app purchases by scrolling down and setting the pointer to ‘Off’ under Purchase restrictions.

  

• Apart from this, you can also set viewing restrictions by setting the pointer to the appropriate age. 

  

You can follow the same steps even when you’re using the app. 

Apple TV comes with built-in options to restrict mature content on the platform. To set Apple TV parental controls follow these steps:

• Open Apple TV and go to Settings.

  

• Go to General >> Restrictions >> Turn on Restrictions (under Parental Controls.)

  

• Then, you’ll get the option to restrict Purchases and Rentals, Music Videos, Podcasts, Movies, TV Shows, and more.

  

Moreover, if you’ve been using an iPhone, you can open Settings >> Screen Time >> Content & Privacy Restrictions >> Content Restrictions. 

There you’ll get the same option as Apple TV that you can restrict.

Max is undoubtedly a popular streaming platform but it offers several adult shows and movies. To make such shows and movies inaccessible for your kids, you need to set up HBO Max parental control on the device. 

If you’re active on the web version, follow these steps:

• Click the profile icon and open Settings. 

  

• Navigate to the Notifications and click Manage Parent Code.

  

• Enter the code of your choice and save the Settings. Then, you can also add a Kid’s profile which will be free of any adult content. 

• Go to Profile >> Manage Profiles >> New Profile. Enter the details and turn on the toggle for Kids Mode and Kid-Proof Exit. Then, click Save.

  

You can also manage the content ratings, as the option is available. After making the changes, you will return to the main menu. Click Done, and you’re all set.

Many children love to enjoy shows and movies on Roku. As a concerned parent, you must set up Roku parental controls to limit all age-inappropriate content on the platform.

You can follow these steps:

• To begin with, you can create a PIN to lock your account. 

• Log in to Roku and click Update under PIN preference.

  

• Enter the 4-digit PIN and check the box for ‘Always require a PIN to make purchases and add items from the Channel Store.’

  

• Under the Parental Controls for the Roku Channel, select the account type to set the content ratings accordingly. Then, click Save Changes.

  

Apart from this, you can remove age-inappropriate channels and hide Roku’s Movie Store and TV Store.

Peacock has been among the favorites for teens and adults when it comes to enjoying movies, live sports, or TV shows. If you’re also allowing your kid to use this platform, learning how to set Peacock parental controls is a must. Follow these steps:

• Go to your profile and click the ‘+’ button to add a new profile.

  

• Choose the avatar and confirm that you’re creating a ‘Kids profile.’

  

• Enter the name, and you’re done. However, if you want to set the Maturity Ratings, you can hover over the profile and click the pencil icon.

  

• On the next screen, click the Change button present in the bottom right.

  

• Enter your password to proceed. Then, set the pointer to the Maturity rating according to your child’s age. Click Save Rating to finish.

  

• Go back and turn on the toggle for PROFILE PIN to lock your profile.

  

Paramount Plus is no different from other streaming platforms, as it has a vast library of shows and movies. When it comes to mature content, there are several measures you can take to make the platform kid-friendly.

Setting parental controls on Paramount can do a fine job of limiting mature content. You can consider the following steps:

• From the homepage of Paramount, hover over to the profile icon in the top-right corner. Click Add profile.

  

• Then, you can create a new profile by entering the name, turning on the Kids mode, and setting the preference to Younger Kids. To ensure that the profile is locked and inaccessible by someone else, add a PIN by clicking on CREATE PIN at the bottom. 

  

• You can even manage the content available. Just go to Account and enable Parental controls. Then, enter the password and check the box with the option ‘Require PIN for kids to switch profiles. This will affect all kids profiles.’ This will prohibit your child from switching to an adult profile.

Also, don’t forget to Save the changes.

So, these are some of the most popular streaming platforms, and how you can make them kid-friendly. 

Yes, you can set a screen time limit on Roku to prevent your children from using it excessively.