StreamingCaution
HBO Max Parental Controls: Complete Safety Guide
Set up HBO Max Kids Mode, configure profile PINs, manage content maturity ratings, and protect your family from HBO's mature content library.
Ages 4-17
7 min read
Updated Jul 20, 2026
Set up HBO Max Kids Mode, configure profile PINs, manage content maturity ratings, and protect your family from HBO's mature content library.
HBO Max (known simply as "Max" from 2023 until mid-2025) is home to HBO's premium content, Warner Bros. films, and family programming from Cartoon Network. While it has excellent children's content, HBO's library also includes some of the most mature television ever produced. Proper setup is essential.
HBO Max has children's content through Cartoon Network and DC Super Hero Girls, but the default library includes TV-MA and R-rated content. Kids Mode and profile PINs are critical.
HBO originals on HBO Max can include graphic violence, explicit sexual content, and mature language. Without Kids Mode and PIN protection, these are just as accessible as children's cartoons.
HBO Max supports up to 5 profiles per account:
In the HBO Max app, tap your profile icon and select "Manage Profiles."
Tap "Add Profile" or select an existing child profile. Enter the child's name.
Toggle "Kids Mode" ON. The profile will show a Kids icon and be restricted to appropriate content.
Tap "Done" to save. The profile is now in Kids Mode.
Give each child their own profile with Kids Mode enabled. This personalizes recommendations and creates separate viewing histories for monitoring.
For teens who need a standard profile:
Visit hbomax.com or go to Settings → Account in the app.
Choose "Profiles" and select the profile to configure.
Choose the highest allowable content rating:
| Rating | Appropriate For |
|---|---|
| TV-Y / TV-Y7 | Young children |
| TV-G / G | All ages |
| TV-PG / PG | Ages 7+ |
| TV-14 / PG-13 | Ages 13+ with guidance |
| TV-MA / R | Adults only — PIN lock required |
Enable a 4-digit PIN on your adult profile and any profile with TV-14+ access. Children must enter the PIN before accessing that profile.
HBO Max's default profile for account holders has full TV-MA access. If a child opens the app and selects your profile, they can access Game of Thrones, Euphoria, and other mature series without any barrier unless you've set a PIN.
If multiple adults use HBO Max, each adult profile with mature content access should have its own PIN. This prevents cross-profile access by children.
HBO Max allows you to set a Parental Controls PIN that's required to:
Set this PIN to a code your children won't guess. This prevents children from disabling their own restrictions.
Great children's content on HBO Max:
Popular but mature content to discuss before allowing:
These should remain behind a PIN for anyone under 18.
Check what's in the Continue Watching row for each profile. Also review recently watched on the profile page.
Periodically check that:
Use if you suspect a child has accessed HBO Max on an unsupervised device.
HBO Max doesn't include viewing time limits. Use:
HBO Max is now configured with Kids Mode and PIN-protected adult profiles. Given the maturity of HBO's library, these controls are among the most important streaming protections you can set up.