How to Set Up HBO Max Parental Control? – Creating a Separate Profile, Managing Content Restrictions, and Other Tips

If you’ve recently subscribed to Max (formerly known as HBO Max), chances are high that you must’ve allowed your kids to enjoy the available content.

However, as a parent, you may find yourself worrying and wondering if your kids are watching any explicit content without your knowledge. Thankfully, the platform comes equipped with built-in parental controls and allows you to restrict age-inappropriate content with ease.

In this blog, I will tell you why HBO Max parental control is required and what measures you can take as a parent. Read on!

Parental control is on hbo max!! I miss 2010

— scorpimo🖤 (@morganmclainn) August 16, 2021

Quick Answer: To set parental controls on HBO Max, the best option is to create a ‘Kids Profile,’ and it will put a limit on the mature content itself. You need to click the Profile Icon >> Manage Profiles >> New Profile >> Turn on the toggle for Kids Mode.

Why Do You Need Parental Controls on HBO Max?

Every Max subscriber should think about setting parental controls if they’re allowing children to watch content on it. Here’s why:

• The platform provides access to several adult shows and movies that you don’t want your kids to see. Hence, setting restrictions seems mandatory.

• Your children can easily switch profiles and access your account to watch anything they prefer. In this case, you must keep your profile password-protected.

• There’s always a risk of exceeding the time limit while watching content on the platform. Hence, if possible, consider applying the HBO Max screen limit.

So, these reasons clearly state the importance of parental controls. In the next section, I’ll help you set them up.

How to Set Up Parental Controls on HBO Max?

When it comes to setting parental controls, all you need to do is tweak HBO Max account settings and restrict the explicit content. The options you can consider to keep your kids away from age-inappropriate content are:

Before you start setting the restrictions, I would suggest creating a PIN to lock the profile the moment you sign in. Follow these steps:

• Sign in to HBO Max and navigate to the profile icon in the top-right.

• Click Settings.

  

• Scroll down to the Notifications section and click Manage Parent Code right below it.

  

• Enter the four digits as the Max parent code that will be the security code for your account, and click Save.

  

That’s it; it will add a PIN code to your profile. Now, you can move on to restricting content.

To get started with restrictions, create a Kid Profile on Max. With a ‘Kids profile,’ your child can only view family-friendly content on the platform. The steps are mentioned below:

• Click the profile icon in the top right and open Manage Profiles.

  

• From the Who’s Watching screen, click New Profile.

  

• Choose a profile avatar from the options given. You can either skip this option to add one later or even use your phone’s storage to add a photo.

  

• Coming to the next screen, type the name of your child, and turn on the toggle for Kids Mode and Kid-Proof Exit. Click Save to proceed further.

  

Pro Tip: Enabling Kid-Proof Exit is essential so that your kids cannot exit their profile or restricted settings without your permission. Even if they try to do so, it will require the 4-digit PIN you added.

• Then, you’ll be back to the Create Profile section; just click Done.

  

• So, now when you open the Kids Profile, you’ll see only the age-appropriate content like cartoons like Looney Tunes and family-friendly shows like Sesame Street. 

  

• Also, if your child tries to open some other profile on Max, they can’t access the content without entering the code.

  

When you set up a child’s profile, the viewable content rating is filtered as per their date of birth. However, you can still set the ratings for movies and TV shows suitable for your kids. Follow these steps:

• While creating a new profile for your kid, click the Rating option presented below Kids Mode. However, you can even access this option later from the Edit profile.

  

• Then, you get five rating options for young kids (TV-Y to TV-14) and one option for teenagers (PG-13), you can decide accordingly and click Done to confirm the action.

  

• Then, you’ll get back to the Create Profile screen; click Save. 

Now, when your child opens their account, Max will only show the content based on the Ratings you decide.

Pro Tip 💡The default screen on HBO Max is ‘Who is Watching’ from where you choose to proceed with your profile. However, if you exit the app or turn off the device with your adult profile logged on, you’ll get direct access to it when you switch on Max later. 
Hence, always log off from your profile before you switch off the device. So that when the next user is your kid, they’ll have to proceed with their profile and enter the credentials to watch something.

Extra Tips to Enhance the Safety Factor on Max

Below, I have mentioned a few extra tips to ensure the safety of your kids on Max. You can go through them and determine their efficiency.

• Ask your kids to watch the shows or movies they love to watch. This will help you know the content your children engage with.

• Have a healthy discussion about responsible internet use. Your children should know the type of content and how much screen time can have negative consequences.

• If you’re an iPhone user, you can even turn on HBO Max screen limits for a specific age group. Just go to Settings >> Screen Time >> Content & Privacy Restrictions >> Content Restrictions >> Movies or TV Shows >> Ratings >> Time Limits.

Did You Know? It is not possible to set parental controls on HBO Max when using an Xfinity device. In this case, you’ll have to depend on the parental controls available on your X1 Device. For that:
Go to Settings >> Parental Controls >> TV Rating Locks or Movie Rating Locks.

Wrapping Up

It’s a parent’s duty to ensure their kids don’t come across any age-inappropriate content on popular streaming platforms like Max. Parental controls work as the most effective solution to the necessary restrictions. 

Even though the best option is to create a separate profile for your child, you can lock your profile and manage viewable content ratings.

Gaurav Rathore