If your child uses Instagram, parental supervision tools help you guide them without taking away their independence.
What supervision lets parents do
Depending on the current version of the app, parents can typically:
- See how much time their teen spends on Instagram
- Set daily time limits and scheduled breaks
- See who their teen follows and who follows them
- See their privacy and messaging settings
- Get notified when the teen reports someone
Parents cannot read their teen’s messages.
How to set it up
- On the teen’s account, go to Settings → Family Center or Supervision.
- Send an invite to the parent’s Instagram account, or the parent can send one to the teen.
- The other person accepts.
Teen account protections
Instagram applies stricter defaults to teen accounts, such as private accounts by default, limits on messages from adults they do not follow, and sensitive content limits. Some changes need a parent’s approval.
Have the conversation
Tools work best together with trust. Talk about:
- Never sharing passwords or OTPs
- What to do if someone makes them uncomfortable
- Not sharing location, school name or phone number publicly
- Thinking before posting
Useful extra settings
- Hidden Words for comments and DMs
- Restrict and Block
- Quiet Mode at night. See Quiet Mode.
Read our full guide: Is Instagram safe?
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