Messenger Kids: What Parents Need to Know About Meta's Chat App for Kids

Messenger Kids is a free video calling and messaging app from Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, made for kids under 13. A parent sets it up and manages it from their own Facebook account, and the parent decides who their child can talk to.

What is Messenger Kids?

• Messenger Kids lets kids send messages, photos, videos and voice messages, make video calls, and play games with family and friends that a parent approves
• Grown-ups don't need the kids app; they can chat with your child from their regular Messenger app
• Creating a Messenger Kids account does not create a Facebook account for your child, according to Meta's Messenger Kids site
• There are no ads and no in-app purchases
• It has more parent controls than most chat apps, but it still collects your child's data, such as their name, shared content, contacts and activity in the app

FAQ

Is Messenger Kids safe for kids?

• Messenger Kids is safer than most chat apps because a parent controls the contact list from their own Facebook account, and Meta applies stricter content rules on it
• It is not risk-free: a 2019 flaw let some kids into group chats with unapproved people
• The controls only protect your child if you turn them on and check them regularly

What age is Messenger Kids for?

• Meta describes Messenger Kids as designed for children under 13
• The Apple App Store lists it as rated 4+
• The Google Play Store lists it as E (Everyone)

Does my child need a Facebook account to use Messenger Kids?

• No. Your child does not need a Facebook account, and creating a Messenger Kids account does not create one
• A parent or guardian needs a Facebook account to set up and manage the app

Can parents see their child's messages on Messenger Kids?

• Yes, in part. The Parent Dashboard's Activity tab shows friend requests, blocks, reports, and recent photos and videos your child sent and received
• For older conversations, you can download your child's information, and your child is notified when you do

Can strangers contact my child on Messenger Kids?

• Only people approved through the Parent Dashboard, or people your child accepts if you let them choose friends, can chat with your child
• To lower the risk further, choose "Only I can choose friends," keep kid codes off, and turn off requests from friends of friends

Can I set time limits on Messenger Kids?

• Messenger Kids has Sleep mode, which blocks the app during the hours you choose on weekdays and weekends
• It does not offer a daily minutes limit in Meta's Help Center, so use your device's own controls, such as Screen Time or Google Family Link, for that

What happens to Messenger Kids when my child turns 13?

• Facebook said at launch that Messenger Kids accounts would not automatically become Facebook accounts at 13
• If your teen joins Facebook or Messenger, they get a Teen Account with built-in protections, and you can add supervision through Meta's Family Center

Are there ads in Messenger Kids?

• No. Meta says Messenger Kids has no ads and no in-app purchases
• It does collect information such as your child's name, shared content, contacts and activity in the app

Does Meta read Messenger Kids messages?

• Meta says it does not look at every message, but it uses automated detection to flag content that may break its rules
• It removes bullying, sexual content, graphic violence and profanity more strictly on Messenger Kids than on its other apps

How do I delete a Messenger Kids account?

• From a computer, open Messenger Kids in Facebook, choose your child, go to Controls, select Edit Info, and choose Delete Account
• Meta also deletes inactive accounts

How parents can keep kids safe on Messenger Kids

• Every setting below lives in the Parent Dashboard
  
  • Log into Facebook and choose Messenger Kids in the left menu (tap See more if you don't see it)
  • Choose your child's name under Accounts you manage
  • Some steps work only on a computer and some only on the mobile app, so if a menu is missing, try the other one
• Step 1: Decide who chooses your child's friends
  
  • Go to Controls, then Friending
  • Pick Only I can choose friends to approve every contact yourself, or My child can choose friends to let your child add and remove friends while you get a notification every time
  • For younger kids, we recommend starting with "Only I can choose friends." You can switch later, and every parent on the account is notified when you do
  • Meta explains both options in its guide to supervising friending on Messenger Kids
• Step 2: Turn off the ways strangers could ask to connect
  
  • In the same Friending area, you can turn kid codes on or off and decide whether friends of your child's friends can ask to chat
  • A kid code is a 4-word code your child can share so a friend can request to connect. Anyone who enters it, and their parent, can see your child's name, photo and who manages the account
  • Leave codes off unless your child needs one for a specific friend, then turn it back off
• Step 3: Set Sleep mode for school nights and weekends
  
  • Go to Controls, then Sleep mode, and set start and stop times for weekdays and for weekends
  • While Sleep mode is on, your child can't use the app, and the settings stay in place until you change them
  • Messenger Kids does not offer a daily time limit in Meta's Help Center. For a limit on total minutes, use your child's device controls, such as Screen Time on an iPhone or iPad, or Google Family Link on Android
• Step 4: Check the Activity tab once a week
  
  • The Activity tab shows new friend requests to approve or delete, plus updates when your child blocks or reports someone
  • Under Images in Chats, you can see recent images and videos your child has sent and received. Only images from current friends show up there
  • If something isn't OK, you can remove it and report it. Removing it takes it out of your child's chat, but other kids in that chat and their parents can still see it
  • See Meta's guide to reviewing, removing or reporting what your child sees
  • Make the weekly check a shared routine, not a secret one. Sit together, scroll through new friends and photos, and ask, "Who's fun to talk to right now?"
• Step 5: Teach your child to block, report, and leave a group
  
  • Show your child how to tap a person's photo at the top of a chat to find Block and Report
  • You get notified when your child reports someone, and the report appears in your dashboard
  • Blocking stops one-on-one messages, but the blocked person stays in any group chats with your child until your child leaves that group
  • Make the family rule simple: "If someone in a group makes you uncomfortable, leave the group and come tell me. You won't be in trouble"
  • If you want the person gone completely, remove them as a friend from your dashboard
• Step 6: Download a full copy of conversations if you need it
  
  • The dashboard shows recent activity. For older conversations, go to Controls and choose Download [your child's] information
  • Meta asks for your password, and your child gets a notification that you downloaded their information, so it's best to tell them first
• Step 7: Add a second parent or guardian
  
  • A co-parent or guardian with a Facebook account can be added under Controls, then Parents/Guardians
  • They can manage settings and authorize devices, they can see your child's content, and they are added as your child's friend
• Step 8: Make sure the "parent" on the account is really you
  
  • Some kids figure out that they can create a fake adult Facebook account and use it to approve their own Messenger Kids account
  • Set the account up yourself, from your own Facebook login
  • Every so often, confirm that the dashboard shows your name and that no unfamiliar "parents" or friends have been added
• Step 9: Plan for age 13 before it arrives
  
  • Messenger Kids is built for kids under 13. When it launched, Facebook said accounts would not automatically turn into Facebook accounts at 13 (TechCrunch, December 4, 2017)
  • Meta's current Help Center does not describe a 13th-birthday transition, so check your Parent Dashboard as the date gets close
  • If your teen moves to Facebook and Messenger, they are placed in a Teen Account with built-in protections, such as messages limited to friends and people they've messaged before, a reminder to close the app after 60 minutes a day, and overnight Sleep mode
  • Teens under 16 need a parent's permission to loosen those settings (TechCrunch, April 8, 2025)

In the news

The evidence presented at trial ... established that Meta’s design features enabled pedophiles and predators to engage in child sexual exploitation on Meta’s platforms - New Mexico Department of Justice

Conclusion

Many families use Messenger Kids as a first step before bigger apps like Instagram or Snapchat. If it fits your family, set it up yourself, turn on the controls above, and check in together each week. And start talking now about what changes at 13, so the move to bigger apps is a plan, not a surprise.

Additional Resources

AI Chatbot Dangers

How to Optimize Parental Controls

The Impact of Screen Time on Motivation, Health & Academics