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Prepare both devices
PC: AI Generated 4 / 10 Open WhatsApp on both phones and follow the on-screen instructions to connect the parent account with the child’s account. PC: AI Generated 5 / 10 Make a PIN on your device. PC: AI Generated 6 / 10 Make a choice regarding the people allowed to contact the child. PC: AI Generated 7 / 10 Make a choice regarding the groups the child may participate in. PC: AI Generated 8 / 10 Set preferences regarding the profile, last seen, and status updates. PC: AI Generated 9 / 10 Review the child’s account settings, messages from unknown people, and groups. PC: AI Generated 10 / 10 WhatsApp says the new parent-managed accounts are part of their effort to make the app safer for pre-teens.
Make sure you have your own phone and the child’s phone ready. It will help you restrict others from accessing the child’s account. You may choose to restrict the people contacting the child or monitor requests from unknown people. You will get notifications whenever the child is invited to a new group. Only the parent may change these settings. Update the settings as the child grows. Many parents worry about group chats, unknown contacts, and online strangers. With these new tools, they reportedly get more visibility over who the child interacts with and what kind of groups they join. The controls are not overly invasive, which is important. Messaging remains private, but parents can still intervene if necessary. Some families have already tried beta versions and reportedly found it reassuring to have this level of oversight without breaking the trust between parent and child. Follow Us On Social Media
How the parent-managed account works: Step-by-step guide
Technology News Tech Tips News WhatsApp launches parent-managed accounts for pre-teens: Step-by-step guide to control contacts, privacy, and group access safely Trending Top 10 Selling Smartphones Marc Benioff Sridhar Vembu Operation Bluebird Satya Nadella Google Gemini Legal Enterprise Spotify Early Access ChatGPT Ads Nvidia Hugging Face Deal AI Robot Top 10 Selling Smartphones Marc Benioff Sridhar Vembu Operation Bluebird Satya Nadella Google Gemini Legal Enterprise Spotify Early Access ChatGPT Ads Nvidia Hugging Face Deal AI Robot Top 10 Selling Smartphones Marc Benioff Sridhar Vembu Operation Bluebird Satya Nadella Google Gemini Legal Enterprise Spotify Early Access ChatGPT Ads Nvidia Hugging Face Deal AI Robot TOI Tech Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Mar 13, 2026, 10:14 IST Share AA Text Size Small Medium Large Follow us 1 / 10 WhatsApp has long been part of daily family life. PC: AI Generated 2 / 10 The idea is to give parents the tools they need while keeping children’s conversations private. PC: AI Generated 3 / 10
It’s simple. Reliable. Private. Millions of families use it to keep in touch, check on after-school activities, share milestones, or just say “I’m home. Now, it seems, WhatsApp is taking a step further to help parents feel more in control. The company is rolling out parent-managed accounts, which allow parents or guardians to set up WhatsApp for pre-teens. These accounts come with new controls that limit the child’s WhatsApp experience to messaging and calling. Setting up the account appears straightforward, but it needs a bit of coordination. Parents need their own phone and the device purchased for the child, side by side. Once linked, the parent can manage privacy settings, control who can contact the account, and decide which groups the child can join. All accounts are still protected with end-to-end encryption, so nobody can read messages.
