> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://devicedaddy.mymagic.page/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How to set up Meta Quest parental controls: Family Center, app approvals, time limits and passcodes - URL: https://devicedaddy.mymagic.page/meta-quest-parental-controls/ - Published: 2026-10-05T12:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-05T12:00:00.000Z - Description: Parent-managed accounts for 10–12s, supervision for teens, app approvals, time limits, passcodes and blocking PC Link and developer mode. - Author: Philip Nixon - Tags: Guides, Meta Quest, #Import 2026-11-09 16:05 ✅ **Verified:** Last checked on **Monday 5 October 2026** against the Meta Quest Help Centre (**Create and manage a Meta account on Meta Horizon for your child**, **About supervision on Meta Horizon**, **Approve or block app download requests for a child's Meta account**, **Manage app and world access on Meta Horizon**, **Set time limits for Meta Horizon and schedule breaks with Supervision**, **Manage your passcode for Meta Quest** and **Set up physical Meta Quest safety and supervision for your child**), the Meta Help Centre article **Set up supervision**, and Meta's **Family Center: Parental controls for Meta Horizon and Quest** page. Covers Meta Quest headsets (such as Quest 3 and Quest 3S) managed from the **Meta Horizon app** on your phone or **Family Center on the web** (familycenter.meta.com). *Note: we checked these steps against Meta's current written instructions. We haven't tested them on a headset for this edition, so menu names may be a little different after software updates. Meta's UK pages say "Family Centre"; the app and US pages say "Family Center" — they're the same thing.* **⏱ Time to complete:** about 30–40 minutes (plus headset set-up if it's brand new) **🔧 Difficulty:** **Medium.** It depends on your child's age: **10–12s** get a **parent-managed account** with supervision built in; **13–17s** manage their own account and must **accept** your supervision invite. --- ## The short version (for very busy parents) 1. Install the **Meta Horizon app** on **your** phone and sign in with **your own** Meta account. 2. **Aged 10–12?** Create a **parent-managed account**: **Menu → Family Center → Get started → Create an account for a child**. **Aged 13–17?** Send a **supervision invite** from Family Center and ask them to accept it. 3. Keep **age-rating blocks** on, and approve or block apps one at a time. 4. Set a **daily time limit** and **scheduled breaks** (**Manage time limits**). 5. Put a **passcode** on your own headset profile, block **Quest Link** and **developer mode**, and set up a safe play **boundary**. --- ## What you'll need - The **Meta Quest headset**, charged and updated to the latest software (Meta says time limits and breaks need the latest version to work). - **Your phone** with the **Meta Horizon app** (App Store or Google Play). - **Your own Meta account** and Meta Horizon profile — Meta says parents may need to create one before setting up a child's account. - Your child's **age**: Meta says Quest accounts are available from **10** (age may vary by region). Children **10–12** need a parent-managed account; teens **13–17** can have their own account with optional supervision. You must be **18 or over**. - **30–40 minutes**, with your child nearby (Bluetooth between your phone and the headset is needed for some passcode settings). --- ## Step-by-step ### Step 1: Pick the right type of account | Your child's age | Account type | How supervision works | | ---------------- | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **10–12** | **Parent-managed Meta account** | Supervision is **switched on automatically**. Default settings can **only be changed with your approval**. Social features are limited. | | **13–17** | Their **own** Meta account | Supervision is **optional**. You send an invite, and it only starts **once your teen accepts** (or they can send you a request). Either of you can remove it. | > **Tip:** Don't let a younger child use **your** account on the headset. Meta recommends you protect every adult profile on the headset with a **passcode** (Step 6) so they can't slip into it. --- ### Step 2a (ages 10–12): Create a parent-managed account 1. On your phone, open the **Meta Horizon** app. 2. Tap **Menu** at the top of your Horizon Feed. 3. Tap **Family Center**, then **Get started**. 4. Tap **Create an account for a child**, then **Continue**. 5. Follow the on-screen steps. When you manage your child's account, Meta says you both use **your email and password** to sign in, then choose to continue with your child's account. Meta also says you can **convert an existing Meta account** into a child's account if your child is 10–12. \[Screenshot: Meta Horizon app – Menu → Family Center → Create an account for a child\] ### Step 2b (ages 13–17): Invite your teen to supervision 1. Go to **familycenter.meta.com/supervision** (or open **Family Center** from the Meta Horizon app menu). 2. Tap **Get started**. 3. Select the profile you want to supervise (or **share a link** if you can't find it). 4. Tap **Send invite**. 5. Ask your teen to **accept** it. Supervision only starts once they do. Good to know: - Invites **expire after 7 days** — send a new one if it runs out. - A teen can only have **one** supervising parent or guardian. - One Family Center invite can cover **Instagram, Meta Horizon, Facebook, Messenger and Threads**. - If your teen later removes supervision, Meta gives them **24 hours to change their mind**, and you'll be notified. \[Screenshot: Family Center web – Get started → Send invite\] --- ### Step 3: Control apps and games **By default**, Meta says children and teens **can't download or buy apps rated above their age** in the Meta Horizon Store. For example, a 13-year-old can't get an app rated 17+ without your permission. Every app shows an **IARC age rating** (the system behind PEGI ratings in the UK). **Approving requests (ages 10–12):** when your child wants an app, they tap **Send request** on the app's page. You'll get an email: 1. Click **View request**, then **Review app**. 2. Click **Block** or **Allow**. 3. If it's a paid app, click **Go to Store** to buy it for them. **Approving requests (teens):** tap the notification on your phone (or check **Notifications** in the Meta Horizon app), scroll to see the app's details, then tap **Allow**. If you don't tap Allow, it stays blocked. **Blocking an app — even one they already have:** 1. In the Meta Horizon app: **Menu → Family Center → your child's account → Apps**. 2. Search for the app (or tap one they already have), then tap **Block**. On Family Center on the web, open your child's account → **Safety settings** → make sure **Block apps based on age rating** is on, then use **Manage individual apps**. > ⚠️ **Watch this one:** Meta says any **mature apps your teen downloaded before supervision started aren't blocked automatically**. Go through their **Apps** list and block anything you're not happy with. \[Screenshot: Family Center – child's Apps list with Block button\] --- ### Step 4: Set daily time limits and scheduled breaks 1. In Family Center (web or app), select your child's account. 2. Select **Manage time limits**. 3. Set a **daily time limit**. You can use different limits for different days of the week. 4. Add **scheduled breaks** — blocks of time when the headset can't be used (for example, school nights after 8pm). When the limit is reached, Meta says your child gets a notification and the **headset restarts**; they **can't use the headset or the Meta Horizon app for the rest of the day**. The limit covers **Meta Quest** and **Horizon Worlds across devices**, including phones. \[Screenshot: Family Center – Manage time limits with daily limit and breaks\] --- ### Step 5: Lock down social features, PC Link and developer mode In **Family Center → your child → Safety settings** (in the app: **Supervision settings**): | Setting | What it does | DeviceDaddy starting point | | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | | **Social features** (Horizon chats, calling, voice chat in Worlds) | Blocks or allows Meta's own social features | **Block** for under-13s; review for teens | | **Meta Quest Link / Air Link** | Stops the headset connecting to a PC, where it could run apps from outside the Meta store | **Block** (your child will need to ask you) | | **Developer mode** | Stops "sideloading" apps that aren't in the Meta Horizon Store | **Block** | | **Worlds voice channel & personal boundary** | See, change or **lock** these settings | Lock to the most restrictive option | For **10–12s**, Meta adds: you **approve each contact** your child can chat with, call and invite; **Communities** are blocked; the web browser's content filters are on automatically; and you approve any purchase that needs a card, including **Meta Credits**. > **Important:** Meta says blocking social features **doesn't stop social features inside other companies' apps** (for example, a multiplayer game's own voice chat). Check each game's settings — or block the game. --- ### Step 6: Put a passcode on your profile (and lock apps) Do this on **your** profile on the headset so your child can't use it. **On the headset:** 1. Press the **Meta** button on the right controller to open the **Navigator**. 2. Select **Quick controls → Settings → Passcode and security**. 3. Select **Create** next to **Passcode** and enter **4–16 digits** twice. 4. Turn on **Unlock headset**. You can also use the passcode for **saved passwords** and **Locked apps**. **From your phone:** Meta Horizon app → **Menu → Devices** → select the headset → **Headset settings → Passcode → Create passcode** (the headset must be nearby and connected by Bluetooth). > ⚠️ **Don't forget it.** Meta says forgotten passcodes **can't be recovered** — you'd have to **factory reset** the headset. Your passcode is also separate from your **store PIN** for purchases. \[Screenshot: Quest Settings → Passcode and security\] --- ### Step 7: Physical safety — boundary and casting - **Boundary:** help your child set up a **boundary** in a clear, obstacle-free space. It appears in the headset when they get close to the edge. If they play in a different room, the boundary needs setting up again. - **Casting:** you can **watch what your child sees** by casting the headset to the Meta Horizon app on your phone or to a computer. Great for the first few weeks. - **Breaks:** Meta's health and safety guidance advises **breaks every 30 minutes** when starting out, and whenever there's any discomfort. Start with apps rated **Comfortable** on Meta's comfort scale. --- ### Step 8: Test it (5 minutes) 1. Put the headset on in your child's account and try to **download an app above their age rating** — it should ask for a request. 2. Try switching to **your** profile — it should ask for your passcode. 3. Set a short **time limit** on a test day and check it ends the session. 4. Try **Quest Link** with a PC (if you have one) — it should need your permission. --- ## Keep it working - **Review the Apps list monthly** — especially for teens with older downloads from before supervision. - **Turn on notifications** in the Meta Horizon app. Meta says the **web** version of Family Center doesn't support notifications. - **Birthdays matter.** At **13** your child can manage their own account (Meta says this may vary by region). Supervision ends automatically at **18**. - **What you can't see:** Meta says supervising parents **can't read private messages**, change your teen's avatar or username, or reset their password. - **Shared headset?** Every adult profile on it needs a passcode, or your child can simply use that profile. - **Factory reset wipes the passcode** — set it again afterwards. - **Report problems** in the headset using Meta's block, mute and report tools. If you're worried about contact from an adult, report it to **CEOP** (ceop.police.uk). --- ## Related guides (links to follow) - 📸 *Instagram supervision* — **\[link to add\]** - 🎮 *Roblox parental controls* — **\[link to add\]** - 🎮 *Fortnite parental controls* — **\[link to add\]** - 🌐 *Router-level filtering with OpenDNS (any broadband provider)* — **\[link to add\]** --- ## Spotted a change? Tell us Meta updates Horizon OS and Family Center often. If something doesn't match, **\[report a change: add DeviceDaddy contact form or email link here\]**. Tell us your headset model, whether your child is 10–12 or 13–17, and what's different. The ✅ stamp shows when we last checked. --- ### Sources (checked 5 October 2026) - Meta Quest Help: Create and manage a Meta account on Meta Horizon for your child — [https://www.meta.com/help/quest/602330541813401/](https://www.meta.com/help/quest/602330541813401/?ref=devicedaddy.mymagic.page) - Meta Quest Help: About supervision on Meta Horizon — [https://www.meta.com/help/quest/973943356945686/](https://www.meta.com/help/quest/973943356945686/?ref=devicedaddy.mymagic.page) - Meta Quest Help: Approve or block app download requests for a child's Meta account — [https://www.meta.com/help/quest/153416360720860/](https://www.meta.com/help/quest/153416360720860/?ref=devicedaddy.mymagic.page) - Meta Quest Help (en-GB): Manage app and world access on Meta Horizon — [https://www.meta.com/en-gb/help/quest/527432452420074/](https://www.meta.com/en-gb/help/quest/527432452420074/?ref=devicedaddy.mymagic.page) - Meta Quest Help: Set time limits for Meta Horizon and schedule breaks with Supervision — [https://www.meta.com/help/quest/196832126660700/](https://www.meta.com/help/quest/196832126660700/?ref=devicedaddy.mymagic.page) - Meta Quest Help (en-GB): Manage your passcode for Meta Quest — [https://www.meta.com/en-gb/help/quest/1198803198189099/](https://www.meta.com/en-gb/help/quest/1198803198189099/?ref=devicedaddy.mymagic.page) - Meta Quest Help (en-GB): Set up physical Meta Quest safety and supervision for your child — [https://www.meta.com/en-gb/help/quest/272018665705488/](https://www.meta.com/en-gb/help/quest/272018665705488/?ref=devicedaddy.mymagic.page) - Meta Help Centre: Set up supervision — [https://www.meta.com/help/supervision/1194312565575476/](https://www.meta.com/help/supervision/1194312565575476/?ref=devicedaddy.mymagic.page) - Meta Family Center: Parental controls for Meta Horizon and Quest — [https://familycenter.meta.com/our-products/horizon-and-quest/](https://familycenter.meta.com/our-products/horizon-and-quest/?ref=devicedaddy.mymagic.page) - Meta Family Center: Supervision tools for teen accounts — [https://familycenter.meta.com/supervision/](https://familycenter.meta.com/supervision/?ref=devicedaddy.mymagic.page)