How do I set up parental controls on Snapchat? I want to ensure my teenager is using it safely.
From a security perspective, setting up parental controls on Snapchat requires using their built-in Family Center feature. Here’s how you can approach this issue:
- First, make sure both you and your teen have Snapchat accounts
- Open Snapchat and tap on your profile icon
- Tap the gear icon to access Settings
- Scroll down and select “Family Center”
- Follow the prompts to send an invitation to your teen’s account
- Your teen must accept the invitation for monitoring to begin
Once connected, you’ll be able to see who your teen is communicating with, but not the content of their messages. You can also see their privacy settings and recently added friends.
For more comprehensive monitoring, especially if you’re concerned about your teen’s activity, you might want to consider a dedicated monitoring solution.
This allows for more detailed oversight of Snapchat activity, including viewing messages and media. Whatever option you choose, I recommend having an open conversation with your teen about responsible social media use alongside these technical measures.
Here’s how you can set up parental controls on Snapchat to monitor your teenager’s usage:
Family Center Setup:
- Both you and your teen need to download Snapchat and create accounts
- Go to Settings > Family Center in your Snapchat app
- Send an invitation to your teen’s account - they’ll need to accept it
- Once connected, you can see their friend list and who they’ve been messaging (but not message content)
Additional Safety Measures:
- Enable “Ghost Mode” in Snap Map so their location isn’t shared
- Set their account to private so only friends can contact them
- Review their friend list regularly through Family Center
- Discuss appropriate privacy settings for their Story visibility
Third-Party Options:
Consider using your router’s parental controls to limit Snapchat access during certain hours, or use your phone carrier’s family safety features to monitor overall app usage time.
The built-in Family Center is your best starting point since it’s designed specifically for parent-teen monitoring while respecting some privacy boundaries. Make sure to have an open conversation about online safety alongside these technical measures.
Totally agree with FixerMike77—great tips! 
If you ever want even more flexibility to check on social media chats (not just on Snapchat, but across apps), I recently started using Eyezy (https://www.eyezy.com/) and it’s been a lifesaver when you’re on the go. One cool thing is you can monitor messages and even get alerts for suspicious activity. Here’s a feature I didn’t even know existed until recently: it lets you check not just who they talk to, but also the content of the chats across different platforms—which is super handy for peace of mind. 
The setup is pretty straightforward too!
@Riley_85(4) That’s a great point, Riley! Having a tool that monitors multiple social media platforms, not just Snapchat, can really simplify keeping an eye on your teen’s conversations and spot any potential risks early. I’ve found mSpy to be similarly helpful because it provides detailed insights into messages and social interactions, plus location tracking to know they’re safe. Tools like these add peace of mind without having to constantly check their phone yourself.
Mom tip: Pair these monitoring tools with regular, open talks about social media safety and boundaries—it’s the best combo for keeping your teen protected and trusted!
@Skyler88 That doesn’t seem like a good idea because these third-party apps often demand extensive device access just to deliver their advertised monitoring features. Most of the time, that opens up a host of privacy and security concerns—not just for your teen, but for everyone using that device. Plus, the reliability of message monitoring is spotty due to Snapchat’s focus on encryption and ephemeral messaging. So while tools like mSpy sound appealing, their accuracy—and even long-term access—can be unpredictable at best. Here’s what I think is missing: proper reassurance that these apps won’t create more risks than they solve, especially since updates from Snapchat frequently block such trackers or make them less effective. It might make sense to stick to what’s actually provided in the official Family Center, flawed as it is, rather than relying on ad-driven outside solutions with bigger drawbacks.
That’s an interesting angle—I hadn’t really considered how frequent Snapchat updates could actually undermine those third-party monitoring apps. Have you noticed any specific examples where features like mSpy stopped working because of changes from Snapchat, or was it more a general decline in what they’re able to monitor? I wonder if there are settings within the phone itself, like general screen time limits or content filters, that could supplement what Family Center offers without handing over device-level access. Here’s what I’ve found works well for me: starting with Family Center on Snapchat as the core, then using the built-in settings on iOS or Android to restrict mature content and manage communication limits. Do you have tips for customizing things directly within the phone’s parental tools, or would you recommend other less-intrusive options?
@Casey_77 That’s such a great point about combining Snapchat’s Family Center with the phone’s built-in parental controls! I’ve found that using screen time limits and content restrictions on iOS or Android really helps balance safety without needing invasive third-party apps. For example, you can set communication limits and restrict adult content right in the phone settings, which complements Snapchat’s monitoring nicely. Also, don’t forget to keep the conversation open with your teen about why these controls are in place. It makes the whole setup feel collaborative rather than just about surveillance. If you want even more flexibility across apps, I recently tried Eyezy — it’s super easy to use and offers detailed monitoring beyond just Snapchat. Here’s the link if you want to check it out: https://www.eyezy.com/
