TikTok Family Pairing (parental controls)

With Family Pairing, a parent can manage the screen time, content filtering and privacy settings of a 13 to 17-year-old child from their own TikTok account. Linking requires both phones: the child scans the parent's QR code and approves the connection.

What is needed for Family Pairing?

• Two accounts: the parent or guardian must have their own TikTok account; the child's account cannot be managed from an external supervision site without an account.
• Age: the feature is meant for 13 to 17-year-olds. TikTok's minimum age is generally 13; a younger child cannot have a regular account. About signing up: Creating a TikTok account step by step.
• Both phones: to link the accounts, the child also has to be logged in to their own account on their phone, and camera access has to be allowed to scan the QR code. For login problems: Logging in to TikTok on a phone, computer or TV.
• App: Family Pairing is available in the TikTok phone app, not in the browser version.
• Several children: several teen accounts can be linked to one parent account; each has to be paired separately.

Google Play App Store

Steps to link the accounts

1. On the parent's phone, open TikTok and tap the profile icon at the bottom right.
2. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner to open Settings and privacy.
3. Scroll down to Family Pairing, then continue past the introduction.
4. Choose the parent (guardian) role. A QR code appears on the screen; in newer versions an invitation link can also be sent.
5. On the child's phone, open Family Pairing in the same way and choose the teen role.
6. Scan the parent's QR code with the child's phone, or open the link received.
7. The child's phone shows what the parent will be able to change. It is worth reading this together, then the account link has to be approved.
8. The parent can then manage the settings in their own Family Pairing menu by tapping the child's name.

What can the parent set?

The settings are available on the parent's phone, in the Family Pairing menu, by tapping the child's name. The child can see the changes in their own account, but cannot relax the limits the parent has set.

• Daily screen time: a daily limit can be set, even a different one for each day. When the child reaches it, they can only continue with a unique code from the parent. In an overview, the parent can also see how much time the child spends in the app during the day and at night, and how often they open it.
• Time Away: recurring periods can be set when TikTok cannot be used, for example school hours, family dinner or night time. The child can ask for extra time, but the parent decides.
• Muting notifications: the parent can schedule when the child does not receive push notifications.
• Restricted Mode: filters out some content that is not suitable for all audiences. When it is on, the child cannot log out or switch accounts.
• Keyword filtering: it can be specified which words or hashtags should keep videos out of the child's feed.
• STEM feed: a separate feed of science, technology, engineering and math content; if the child has turned it off, the parent can turn it back on. Details: TikTok Help: STEM feed.
• Privacy: the account can be made private, and TikTok's suggestion of the child's account to others can be turned off.
• Interactions: it can be limited who can comment, who can mention the child, who can see their liked videos, and for 16 to 17-year-olds, who can send them direct messages.
• Search: according to earlier descriptions, search could also be turned off; this option may have changed as the interface evolved.

What can the parent see, and what not?

• Can see: whom the child follows, who follows them and whom they have blocked; which topics they have chosen to shape their feed; and for 16 to 17-year-olds, whether they allow their videos to be downloaded and used for Duet or Stitch.
• Blocking on the child's behalf: since 2025, the parent can also block an account for the child; the child can ask for it to be unblocked, but the parent decides. The feature launched first in Europe.
• Report alerts: when the child reports a video, they can also notify the parent; the parent does not see the reported video itself.
• Upload alerts: TikTok is testing alerts for the parent when the child publishes a video, story or photo that others can see.
• Cannot see: the content of the child's direct messages and exactly which videos they have watched. Family Pairing provides settings, not surveillance.

Default settings for minors, even without pairing

TikTok applies stricter defaults to accounts of users under 18. Some of these depend on the user's age, which is why the real date of birth should be entered when signing up.

• Screen time: under 18, there is a daily limit of 60 minutes by default; after that, a code has to be entered to continue. Details: Screen time limits and digital well-being on TikTok.
• Private account: accounts of 13 to 15-year-olds are private by default, their videos can only be seen by approved followers, and TikTok does not suggest their accounts to others.
• Direct messages: not available under 16.
• Comments: for 13 to 15-year-olds, only friends or no one can comment on their videos.
• Download, Duet, Stitch: permanently turned off for videos of 13 to 15-year-olds; this cannot be changed.
• LIVE: only adults can start a live broadcast.
• Night-time notifications: 13 to 15-year-olds do not get push notifications from 9 p.m., and 16 to 17-year-olds from 10 p.m.
• Wind-down: after 10 p.m., for users under 18, a full-screen reminder and a guided meditation interrupt the feed; if the child keeps scrolling, a second reminder that is harder to dismiss follows.

Ending the pairing

• The connection can be ended in the Family Pairing menu after selecting the account, also from the child's phone.
• According to TikTok, if the child ends the connection, the parent receives a push notification and a message, and the settings stay locked for 48 hours.
• Once the pairing ends, the default settings for the child's age apply to their account again.
• It is worth discussing in advance why pairing is being set up and what limits there will be. Supervision set up secretly or by force is easier for a child to get around, for example with a second account.

Typical problems and solutions

• The Family Pairing menu does not appear: update the app. The browser version of TikTok has no such menu.
• The child cannot scan the QR code: allow TikTok to use the camera on the child's phone, or use the invitation link.
• The child's account is listed as an adult: if a date of birth over 18 was entered when signing up, the defaults for minors do not apply. In that case, a new account with the real date of birth may be the better solution for the child.
• The child has two accounts: pairing applies to only one account. Turning on Restricted Mode prevents switching accounts on that phone.