If you have kids in the house, the streaming apps you already pay for come with free tools to keep them seeing only age-appropriate shows. The catch is that the settings are tucked away in menus, and every app does it a little differently. The good news: once they're set up, they mostly run themselves.
This guide walks you through it one app at a time, in the order most families do it: Netflix, then Disney+, then YouTube. You don't need to be tech-savvy, and you don't need to buy anything extra. Set aside about 20 minutes, grab the device your kids actually watch on, and follow along. If you'd rather have someone do it for you, Browning PC is happy to help here in the Valdosta area.
Create a Kids profile on Netflix
On the website or app, go to Manage Profiles and choose Add Profile. Give it a name and turn on the kids option (it may be labeled 'For Kids,' 'Kids Profile,' or 'Kid?' depending on your device), then select Continue. A Kids profile uses a simpler layout and only shows titles picked for children.
Manage ProfilesAdd ProfileFor KidsContinue
💡 On a phone, tap My Netflix in the lower right, then your profile name at the top, then Manage Profiles to find Add Profile.
Set the Netflix maturity rating and lock the profile with a PIN
Use a web browser for this (the maturity rating for a Kids profile can only be changed on the web). Open your Account page, choose Profiles, select Adjust parental controls and pick the profile, then set a maturity level and choose Save. To keep kids out of grown-up profiles, go back to Profiles, pick a profile, and select Profile Lock to create a 4-digit PIN.
AccountProfilesAdjust parental controls
💡 Set a Profile Lock PIN on the adult profiles too, so kids can't simply switch over to one without the limits.
Turn on Junior Mode for a Disney+ Kids profile
In the Disney+ app or a supported web browser, open Edit Profiles, add or pick a profile, and switch on Junior Mode. Junior Mode shows only content suitable for all ages, uses a simple kid-friendly layout, and blocks profile switching and new-profile creation so a child can't wander off into grown-up content.
Edit ProfilesJunior Mode
💡 Junior Mode can be turned on or off any time from the same Edit Profiles screen.
Set a Disney+ content rating and Profile PIN
For older kids who don't need full Junior Mode, open Edit Profiles, pick the profile, and set a Content Rating. In the U.S. these use the familiar TV and movie ratings (from TV-Y and G at the low end up through PG, PG-13/TV-14, and TV-MA/R), and anything rated higher than the level you choose is hidden. To stop kids slipping into an unrestricted profile, add a 4-digit Profile PIN from the Edit Profiles screen, but add it to the standard or adult profiles, not the child's.
Edit ProfilesContent Rating
💡 Turn on Kid-Proof Exit so young viewers can't leave Junior Mode without solving a quick exit challenge, and require your password before anyone can create a new profile.
Decide between YouTube Kids and a supervised account
For younger children, the separate YouTube Kids app is the safest choice. For kids who've outgrown it, a supervised account (managed through Google Family Link) lets them use regular YouTube with limits you control. Pick whichever fits your child's age.
💡 YouTube Kids is a different app you download on its own; the supervised account uses the regular YouTube app.
Set up the YouTube Kids app
Open the YouTube Kids app, tap the Settings icon (the lock or gear in the corner), and answer the parent check (a multiplication problem or your custom passcode). Choose your child's profile, enter your Google account password, then tap EDIT SETTINGS and pick a content level: Preschool, Younger, Older, or 'Approve content yourself.' You can also turn search off for a tighter experience.
SettingsEDIT SETTINGS
💡 Set a custom passcode in Settings so kids can't get past the parent check by solving the math problem themselves.
Set up a supervised YouTube account in Family Link
Open the Family Link app, select your child, then tap Controls, Content restrictions, and YouTube. Choose one of three content levels: Explore (roughly 9+), Explore more (roughly 13+), or Most of YouTube. You can also manage screen time and daily limits from Family Link.
ControlsContent restrictionsYouTube
💡 For teens 13 and up who manage their own account, turning on Restricted Mode in YouTube's own settings adds a lighter filter that hides most mature videos.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do parental controls cost extra on Netflix, Disney+, or YouTube?
No. Kids profiles, maturity ratings, content ratings, profile PINs, and YouTube Kids are all included free with your normal subscription. You don't need to buy any add-on or separate parental-control app to use them.
What's the difference between YouTube Kids and a supervised YouTube account?
YouTube Kids is a separate, simpler app with a hand-picked, curated library that's ideal for younger children. A supervised account lets an older child use regular YouTube but with content limits you set in Google Family Link (Explore for around 9+, Explore more for around 13+, or Most of YouTube) plus screen-time controls. Many families start with YouTube Kids and move up to a supervised account as the child grows.
Can my kids change the settings or switch to an adult profile?
Not if you lock things down. On Netflix, add a 4-digit Profile Lock PIN to the grown-up profiles so kids can't open them. On Disney+, Junior Mode blocks profile switching on its own, and you can put a Profile PIN on your standard or adult profiles so a child can't slip into one. On YouTube Kids, set a custom passcode so only you can reach the settings. Without a lock, a curious child can often switch profiles, so the PIN is the important part.
I forgot my PIN. How do I reset it?
On Disney+, you can reset a forgotten Profile PIN using the email address on your account and following the on-screen steps. On Netflix, you can change or remove a Profile Lock PIN from Account, then Profiles, after verifying your identity with a code or your password. As long as you can sign in to the account, you can always reset the PIN.
Will these settings work on the TV, tablet, and phone at the same time?
Yes. Profile-based controls (kids profiles, maturity and content ratings, PINs) are tied to your account, so they follow that profile onto every device once you've set them. One exception: YouTube's Restricted Mode is set per device and per browser, so you'd need to switch it on for each TV, phone, or computer you want it on.