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TikTok

TikTok's US terms set the minimum at 13, and 14 in Florida. Under 13, the only option those terms describe is the separate US Under 13 Experience. Family Pairing is set from the parent's own account. Teens 13–17 get a one-hour screen-time default. Direct messages start at 16, and the 16–17 default is not “No one.”

Minimum age we could verify: 13. 13 in the US terms, 14 in Florida. Under 13, the terms describe a separate Under 13 Experience.

Profile, menu, Settings and privacy, Family Pairing. Link as the parent from your own account. The teen cannot loosen a limit you set.

  1. Link Family Pairing from your own account

    Both of you together · ages 13–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026

    You set the limits on your account, and they apply on every device the teen uses. Restricted Mode and the daily screen-time limit also stop the teen from logging out or switching accounts.

    1. On your TikTok profile, open the menu, then Settings and privacy, then Family Pairing.
    2. Choose Parent, and follow the steps to link the teen.
    3. Talk through it first. You will be able to review settings and blocked accounts. You are not reading their messages from this screen.
    TikTok Family Pairing

  2. Set the daily screen time

    On your phone · ages 13–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026

    For ages 13–17 it starts at one hour. You can change it from your account, and one limit covers all of the teen's devices. There is an optional passcode if they ask for more time, plus a schedule for time away.

    1. In Family Pairing, set the daily screen time. One hour is already on.
    2. If you want a passcode before extra time is allowed, turn that on.
    3. Add time away for the hours the phone should be down. The teen can request more time.
    TikTok Family Pairing

  3. Leave notification muting on overnight

    On your phone · ages 13–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026

    Push notifications are muted by default overnight: 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. for ages 13–15, and 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. for ages 16–17.

    1. In Family Pairing, confirm overnight notification muting is still on.
    TikTok Family Pairing

  4. Confirm direct messages are not available

    On your phone · ages 13–15 · checked 30 Sep 2026

    Ages 13–15 do not get direct messages. The account is private by default, downloads are off and cannot be turned on, and other people cannot Duet or Stitch their videos.

    1. You should not see a direct-message control for this age. That is expected.
    2. Leave the account private. Comments are limited to friends, and “Suggest your account” is off.
    TikTok privacy settings under 18

  5. Set direct messages for ages 16–17

    Both of you together · ages 16–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026

    Direct messages start at 16. The default is not “No one.” On a private account (the default for under-18s), people who don't follow them can't send message requests at all. On a public account, messages from people they don't follow arrive as message requests.

    1. Open Direct messages in Family Pairing. This control only appears at 16 and older.
    2. On a private account, people who don't follow them can't send message requests. If the account is public, those messages arrive as requests.
    TikTok privacy settings under 18

  6. Keep the account private

    On your phone · ages 13–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026

    Accounts aged 13–17 are private by default. Family Pairing can also turn search on or off and review who they follow, who follows them, and who is blocked.

    1. In Family Pairing, leave Discoverability set to private.
    2. Review blocked accounts, following, and followers while you are there.
    TikTok Family Pairing

  7. Turn on Restricted Mode

    On your phone · ages 13–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026

    Restricted Mode limits mature content. It also turns off the Following feed, going LIVE, and gifting on LIVE. With Family Pairing on, the teen cannot log out to escape it.

    1. Profile, menu, Settings and privacy, Content preferences, Restricted Mode.
    2. Set a passcode. You can also turn Restricted Mode on from Family Pairing.
    TikTok Restricted Mode

  8. Do not look for a TikTok spending switch

    On your phone · ages 13–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026

    Family Pairing does not include a spending control. Buying and sending Coins and Gifts is limited to 18 and older, or 19 in South Korea. The backstop is purchase approval on the Apple or Google account.

    1. Turn on Ask to Buy or Family Link purchase approval on the phone.
    2. Tell your teen that Coins and Gifts are an 18+ feature, not a switch you can tune inside Family Pairing.
    TikTok minimum age

  9. Leave precise location off, and skip location tags

    On your kid's device · ages 13–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026

    TikTok only collects device location (approximate or precise) from users 18 and older. For under-18s it still estimates an approximate location from the SIM card, IP address and device settings.

    1. Do not turn on Location Services for TikTok on the phone.
    2. Ask your teen not to add a location tag to posts.
    TikTok location services

  10. Hosting a LIVE is 18 or older

    Both of you together · ages 13–17 · checked 30 Sep 2026

    TikTok Support says you must be 18 or older to host a LIVE.

    1. Do not look for a Family Pairing switch that lets a teen host LIVE. TikTok Support says the host has to be 18 or older.
    TikTok minimum age
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