Netflix is the biggest online platform that streams unlimited high-quality TV shows, cartoons, and movies on a subscription basis. Kids in the U.S. enjoy Netflix as they can watch their favorite movies day and night.
They were particularly engaged when Netflix Just for Kids was released in 2012, as children could instantly access a wide selection of kid-friendly TV shows and movies in a single click.
Although showing cartoons to children is a great way to occupy their time when you are busy, they can run into mature content without you knowing. As a parent, you need to set up restrictions for your kids, but, at the same time, keep warm, friendly relations with them.
Although Netflix offers parental controls that make it possible to create kid’s profiles with limited possibilities, you may need a more sophisticated solution for stronger protection. In this article, you will find a full guide on adjusting parental controls on Netflix, as well as an alternative way to prevent children from watching inappropriate content on Netflix.
Table Of Contents
Setting up Parental Controls on Netflix
In April 2020, Netflix updated its parental control features. Now, parents can create individual user profiles for their kids and use a PIN code to restrict access to their main account. Another way to secure kids from scary or adult content is to block particular titles in their profiles.
How to Create a Kid’s Profile?
If you already have an account on Netflix, you can create up to 5 user profiles with a customized maturity rating. To create a profile, you need to do the following:
- Go to Manage Profiles.
- Select Add Profile.
- Name the profile.
- Tap Continue.
The newly added profile will show up on the list of all available profiles linked to your account. Note that you can create profiles only for devices made after 2013.
You can also create a Netflix Kids experience profile. Unlike the ordinary one, Kids’ profile has a simplified look and restricts access to the main account settings. To set up a Netflix Kids profile, select Kids when you choose a profile name.
Make sure you choose a maturity rating that meets the requirement for creating a child’s profile on Netflix. If the rating you choose exceeds this requirement, the Netflix Kids experience will not apply to the profile
You can also transform your current profile on Netflix into an experience specifically tailored for kids. All it takes is three simple steps: accessing Manage Profiles, editing Maturity Settings and entering your account password – then you can enable the Kids Mode feature with a single click!
How to Use PIN Code Protection?
As kids learn new things pretty fast, they can soon realize how to switch to an adult profile and browse restricted content. To prevent them from doing so, you can use a PIN code:
- Access the web browser and go to your Account page.
- Open Profile & Parental Controls for the profile you want to secure.
- Tap Profile Lock and enter your Netflix account password.
- Choose Require a PIN to access the selected profile.
- Use a 4-digit combination to generate a PIN code.
- Select Require PIN to add new profiles if you want to prevent your kid from creating new profiles without permission.
- Click Submit.
How to Block Shows on Netflix?
Besides setting a maturity rating for all your profiles, you can block TV shows you consider inappropriate for your kids. To block a show in your kid’s profile, do the following:
- Access your account from a web browser.
- Open Profile & Parental Controls in the needed profile.
- Change Viewing Restrictions.
- Enter your Netflix password.
- Find Restrictions, type the name of a movie or a TV show, and choose the one from a dropdown list.
- Click Submit.
How to Turn Off Parental Controls on Netflix?
Although there is no “How to remove parental controls on Netflix?” section on their FAQ page, you can easily do so with a few clicks. If you no longer need PIN code protection, log in to the required profile, and turn off Require PIN to access the selected profile. In the same way, you can turn off Require PIN to add new profiles.
If you want to completely delete your kid’s profile, follow these steps:
- Go to Manage Profiles.
- Choose the needed profile.
- Select Delete Profile.
Once your kid’s profile is gone, you won’t be able to see its viewing history. If you only want to change the maturity rating, you need to access your account page and set up the needed rating in a kid’s profile. To apply the newly created changes, you may need to refresh the page or log out from your account and then log back in.
Once your child’s Netflix profile has been deleted, you can no longer view their viewing history. If you wish to alter the maturity rating only, you must access your account page and adjust the desired rating in the child’s profile under Netflix restrictions.
To implement the changes made, you may need to refresh the page, log out of your account and then log back in.
Why Netflix Parental Controls Are Not Working the Way They Should
Although Netflix allows the creation of various profiles for kids and adults, its parental controls aren’t perfect. Setting up your kid’s profile doesn’t prevent them from seeing mature content on someone else’s profile.
Another Netflix parental controls error lies in kids’ possibility to switch to their parents’ profiles anytime they want unless you set a PIN. But even then, you can’t prevent children from seeing brutal content in ads and trailers.
In addition to the possibility of children being exposed to inappropriate content, excessive screen time and sedentary behavior associated with binge-watching on Netflix can also have negative impacts on children’s physical and mental health.
How to Adjust an Ultimate Parental Control on Netflix?
As you can see, Netflix child lock features only include basic parental controls that can’t fully protect your kid from running into inappropriate content. If you want better protection, consider using a parental control app to monitor all your kid’s activity online.
A monitoring app, such as mSpy, allows blocking Netflix on your kid’s device remotely. Instead of setting a screen time, mSpy makes it possible to lock the platform whenever you need, both the Netflix app and the website. What’s more, you can monitor Instagram, Snapchat, Tinder, Facebook, Kik, and other apps with mSpy.
You can view the photos stored on their phone, check their call log to see who they’ve called and who has called them, access their calendar, and even monitor their keystrokes using the built-in keylogger. Additionally, you can view screenshots of their phone in use with the Screenrecorder feature.
Conclusion
Since Netflix updated its parental controls this spring, parents now have more possibilities to monitor their kids’ activity. Yet, these are not enough to get full insight into their usage of Netflix. It’s good to know that parental control apps help parents to stay on guard for their children’s security in the exciting world of online entertainment.
