Roblox

What is Roblox?

Roblox is a platform hosting millions of user-created games, not a single game. Think of it as YouTube for games: anyone can create and share content.

Key Concerns

• Variable content: User games range from gentle to inappropriate
• Chat with other players: Text chat, and voice chat for age-checked teens 13+
• In-app purchases: Robux currency and constant nudges to spend
• Unwanted contact: Adults have used the platform to reach children
• Scams: Fake offers to steal accounts or Robux
• Time sink: Highly engaging, easy to lose hours

Roblox now puts every player under 16 into an age-based account type:

• Roblox Kids (ages 5–8): Only games rated Minimal or Mild that pass Roblox's selection process. All chat is off by default and needs your permission to turn on.
• Roblox Select (ages 9–15): Games rated up to Moderate that pass the same selection process. Kids 9–12 need your permission for some chat features.
• Roblox (16+): The standard catalog, except games rated Restricted, which are for age-checked adults 18+.

Social hangout games and games about sensitive issues are left out of both catalogs by default. You can approve a specific game outside your child's catalog from Parental Controls (anything except Restricted games). Accounts move up automatically: Kids becomes Select at 9, and Select becomes standard Roblox at 16.

Use an Email You Can Reach

Put an email address on your child's account that you can check, so security alerts and account recovery reach you. Your own linked parent account gets the parental emails (requests and spending notifications).

Set an Accurate Birthday

Roblox uses the birthday to place your child in Roblox Kids or Roblox Select until they complete an age check. You must be at least 5 to create an account.

Since January 2026, a birthday alone no longer unlocks chat. Roblox requires an age check first (see Communication Settings below). A linked parent can correct a child's birthday once.

Roblox retired the old 4-digit parent PIN and the Account Restrictions toggle. Parental controls are now managed from your own Roblox account, linked to your child's.

Link Your Parent Account

Start from your child's account: open Settings (the gear icon on desktop, or More then Settings on mobile), select Parental Controls, then Add parent. Sign in to your own Roblox account or create one, verify that you're an adult with a government ID or credit card, and select Agree. You can then view and change your child's settings from roblox.com or the Roblox app on your own phone. More than one parent can link to the same child.

Parent Mode (No Parent Account Needed)

If you'd rather not make your own account, Roblox is rolling out Parent mode: when your child makes a request, they select Ask in Person and hand you their device. You verify that you're an adult (facial age check, credit card or ID) and create a 6-digit PIN for future approvals. Parent mode can change most settings, but spending notifications need a linked parent account.

What the Parent Account Controls

From Settings > Parental Controls, select your child, then scroll to Settings you manage:

• Content restrictions: content maturity, blocked games, allowed games, sensitive issues, preview games
• Communication: experience chat, direct chat, chat and party with friends
• Spending restrictions: monthly spending limit and spending notifications
• Visibility & private servers, Trading & inventory, Notifications, Activity updates

Your child's page also shows pending requests, their Robux balance, screen time, top games and friends. Some settings move to your child at 13 (screen time limits and blocking), and spending limits stop applying at 13.

Age Checks Now Required for Chat

As of January 2026, Roblox requires an age check before chat works at all. Your child completes a quick facial age estimate (processed by Roblox's vendor Persona, with the images deleted after processing) or, at 13 and up, verifies with an ID. Users are placed in age groups (5–8, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, 21+), and chat is limited to similar age groups and Trusted friends.

Experience Chat and Direct Chat

• Experience chat (On or Off): chat with Trusted friends and people in similar age groups playing the same game. Children under 9 need your consent to turn it on.
• Direct chat (On or Off): one-to-one chat with people of a similar age in the same game, including people who aren't friends. Children under 13 need your consent to turn it on.

For younger kids, leave Direct chat off.

Friends Chat and Parties

Chat and party with friends (On or Off) controls whether your child can join a Party with friends. Friends chat sets who can chat with them outside games: All friends, Trusted friends, or No one. For children, choose Trusted friends or No one.

Voice Chat

Voice chat is only for users 13 and older who have completed an age check, and it only works in games that support it. Children under 13 can't use it. For teens, talk about it before they turn it on; a linked parent can still restrict it.

Trusted Friends

Trusted friends are people your child knows in real life, and they can unlock chat across age groups. Children under 13 need your permission to add a Trusted friend; the request arrives by email and under Pending requests. Review the Trusted list from your parent account (Friends > Manage > Trusted).

Content Maturity Labels

Roblox labels games by content maturity:

• Minimal: Occasional mild violence, light unrealistic blood, occasional mild fear
• Mild: Repeated mild violence, heavy unrealistic blood, mild crude humor, repeated mild fear
• Moderate: Moderate violence, light realistic blood, moderate crude humor, moderate fear
• Restricted: Strong violence, romantic themes, alcohol, strong language (age-checked users 18+ only)
• Content May Vary: The creator didn't finish the rating questionnaire. Not available under 9; for ages 9–15 only if you allow that specific game.

Set the Content Maturity Level

Move the slider to choose the level. For young children, choose Minimal or Mild.

Block or Allow Specific Games

Block any game regardless of its rating, or review the games you've approved under Allowed games. Your child can ask you to allow a game outside their catalog; the request arrives by email and under Pending requests.

The Robux Problem

Roblox uses "Robux" currency. Children see constant prompts to buy:

• Game passes
• Avatar items
• Roblox Plus subscriptions (which replaced Roblox Premium in April 2026)
• In-game currencies

Set a Monthly Spending Limit

Enter an amount from 0 to 10,000 in your currency and select Update. The default is No limit. The limit resets each calendar month, covers Robux and game subscriptions, and does not cover gift card redemptions. It may not apply on some consoles, so set a console spending limit too. Spending limits stop applying once your child turns 13.

Spending Notifications

Choose All transactions, High spend alerts (an email at $100, $250 and $500 in a month; on by default), or None. Notifications continue after 13 if you leave them on.

Payment Methods

Only users 18 and older can save a card on Roblox, so a child account shouldn't have one. On phones and tablets, purchases go through the App Store or Google Play, so turn on Ask to Buy (iPhone) or purchase approval in Google Family Link.

Robux Transfers

Children can send Robux to Trusted friends. From Parental Controls > Robux > Manage, set transfer limits and choose Always ask so you approve each one.

Private Servers

Choose Friends or No one for who can join your child's private servers and whose servers they can join.

Who Can See and Join Them

Online status and Show current game can each be set to Friends, Trusted friends, or No one. Show current game also controls who can join them in a game.

Inventory Visibility

Under Inventory visibility, choose Friends or No one.

Reviewing Friends

From your parent account, open Settings > Parental Controls, select your child, then Friends > Manage. You can see all friends or only Trusted friends, and block or report a friend from the three-dot menu (for children under 13).

Real-Life Friends Only Rule

Consider a simple family rule: only friend people you know in real life.

Check the Label and the Top Games List

Every game shows its content maturity label on its details page. Your parent account also shows your child's top 20 games from the last week, so you can look at what they actually play and block anything you're not comfortable with.

Warning Signs

Be wary of games with:

• Sexual themes in the title or thumbnail
• "Bypass" in the name (evading filters)
• Adult themes
• A dating or romance focus

Common Sense Media reviews many popular Roblox games individually.

2-Step Verification

Turn it on to protect against account theft, which is common on Roblox. A verified email is required first.

Strong Password

Use a strong, unique password. Simple passwords get stolen.

Don't Share Credentials

Teach your child never to share their password, even with "friends" offering free Robux.

Scam Awareness

Common scams:

• "Free Robux" websites (they steal logins)
• Links in chat
• Trading scams
• Fake giveaways

What Are Private Servers?

A private server is a copy of a game where only invited players can join. Some games sell them, and a Roblox Plus subscription includes one free private server per game.

Safe Social Play

For friend groups:

• A parent sets up the private server
• Only real-life friends are invited
• Kids play together without strangers

This is the simplest way to keep group play among known friends.

Where the Account Is Logged In

See every session with its device and approximate location, and log out of anything you don't recognize.

Screen Time

Pick a Daily limit (in 15-minute steps). When it runs out, your child can't use Roblox for the rest of the day. From 13, your child sets their own limit, though you can still see their screen time. You can also turn on Activity updates for a weekly email. For device-wide limits, also use:

• iOS Screen Time
• Google Family Link
• Xbox or PlayStation family settings

Block Players

In a game, you can also open the player list (leaderboard), select the player and choose Block.

Report Players

Choose a reason and submit. Voice chat can be chosen as the reason.

Report Games

In any game, open the Roblox menu and select Report.

Encourage Reporting

Tell your child to always report uncomfortable interactions, and that they won't be in trouble for telling you.

We suggest Roblox from 10, with a linked parent account. If your child already plays younger, these are the settings to tighten for their age.

Ages 7–9 (If Allowing)

• Roblox Kids account (automatic under 9)
• Content maturity: Minimal
• Chat off
• Spending limit: $0
• Play in a shared family space
• Time limit: 30–60 minutes

Ages 10–12

• Experience chat on only if you're comfortable; Direct chat off
• Friends chat: Trusted friends
• Content maturity: Mild or Moderate
• Spending limit: $0–10 a month
• Regular check-ins
• Time limit: 60–90 minutes

Ages 13+

• Friends chat: Trusted friends
• Voice chat: talk it through first
• Content: Moderate
• Spending notifications on (limits no longer apply)
• Talk about scams and online safety
• Time limit: 90–120 minutes, set together

Because Roblox is engaging and social, some kids will look for workarounds. Knowing the common ones helps you respond calmly.

Common Workarounds and Fixes

Parental control settings changed

• Settings are managed from your linked parent account, so if they changed without you, that account may be compromised
• Change your parent account password and turn on 2-Step Verification
• Never share your parent account login with your child

Second Roblox account created

• Look for other Roblox accounts on the device
• Check the email on the account in Settings > Account Info
• Link your parent account to it or remove it, and talk about why one account matters

Content maturity raised

• Kids under 13 can lower the level themselves but need your permission for some higher levels
• If it went up, secure your parent account and set it again

Chat workarounds inside games

• Some games have their own chat-like features (sign language emotes, number codes); there's no complete technical fix
• Combine chat settings with conversations about what's okay to say and receive
• Watch them play now and then to see how they communicate

Robux spending beyond limits

• Gift card redemptions aren't covered by the monthly limit
• If unauthorized purchases happened, contact Roblox support about a refund
• Check purchase approval on the phone or console as well

Using a friend's account

• This is hard to prevent technically
• Talk about why using someone else's account breaks trust and their account security
• Set a clear consequence, such as a Roblox pause

VPN to get around regional limits

• Check for VPN apps and remove them
• Use iOS Screen Time or Google Family Link to require approval for new apps

After a Workaround: Practical Steps

1. Secure your parent account: change the password and turn on 2-Step Verification
2. Review and re-apply content and communication settings
3. Check purchase history
4. Check the Trusted friends list
5. Talk about the reason behind the rule, not just the rule
6. Consider a short Roblox break (1–2 weeks) if trust needs rebuilding