Roblox: the parent’s guide
The most-played game in the world for kids. Here’s every setting that matters and every scam to prepare them for.
The real Roblox risks
- Text chat from strangers in public games.
- Voice chat (“Spatial Voice”) — long the weak point, because the age gate was self-declared. That changed in January 2026; see the age-check section below.
- Inappropriate user-generated games (“condo games”) that slip past moderation.
- Robux scams — “free Robux” sites and Discord servers that steal accounts.
- Grooming through games that move kids to Discord DMs.
Age checks are now required to chat (January 2026)
This is the biggest change to Roblox safety in years, and it reverses the old advice that Roblox age gates mean little. Since January 2026, every user worldwide must pass an age check before they can use chat at all. It rolled out first in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands in December 2025.
- The check runs in the Roblox app using the device camera. Roblox’s vendor, Persona, processes the image and deletes it immediately afterwards. ID verification is available as an alternative.
- Users are sorted into six age bands: under 9, 9–12, 13–15, 16–17, 18–20, and 21+. Chat is then restricted to broadly similar ages.
- Independent testing by the UK’s Age Check Certification Scheme put the mean error at about 1.4 years for under-18s. It is good, not perfect, and there is an appeals route if your child is placed in the wrong band.
- The check is technically optional — but without it, chat simply does not work.
Roblox parental controls
In your kid’s account: Settings › Parental Controls. Then:
- Set age correctly — under-13 accounts get different defaults.
- Account PIN so settings can’t be changed.
- Allowed experiences: restrict to age-appropriate.
- Chat: friends only, or off.
- Trading & item gifting: off for under-13.
- Monthly spend limit.
- Voice chat: off for younger kids, friends-only for older.
Account Restrictions mode
In Settings, toggle Account Restrictions on. This hard-limits the account to a small curated set of age-approved games and turns off chat entirely. Great for under-9s.
What about the scams?
Every “free Robux” link is a scam. Teach your kid: Robux only from the Roblox app, never from a link in a Roblox message, TikTok comment, or Discord DM. If they fell for one, change the password, enable 2-step verification, and report to Roblox.
Parent dashboard
At your parent account’s Settings › Parent Dashboard, you can view recent activity and spending. Combine with Bark or Qustodio for deeper monitoring.
Common questions
How do I stop strangers messaging my child on Roblox?
In your child’s account, open Settings › Parental Controls and set chat to friends-only or off. Then add an Account PIN, otherwise the setting can simply be changed back.
What is Account Restrictions mode?
A toggle in Settings that hard-limits the account to a small curated set of age-approved games and turns chat off entirely. It is the single strongest control available for under-9s.
Are “free Robux” offers ever real?
No. Every free-Robux link is a scam. Robux comes only from inside the Roblox app — never from a link in a Roblox message, a TikTok comment, or a Discord DM. This is worth teaching as a flat rule, because it needs no judgement to apply.
My child’s Roblox account was stolen after a scam. What now?
Change the password, enable 2-step verification, and report it to Roblox. Do those in that order — the password change is what ends the attacker’s access.
Can I limit how much my child spends on Roblox?
Yes. Set a monthly spend limit under Parental Controls, and check your parent account’s Settings › Parent Dashboard for recent activity and spending.
Is Roblox voice chat safe for my child?
Safer than it was. Since January 2026 every user worldwide must pass a facial age check before using chat at all, which sorts them into age bands and restricts who they can talk to. Independent testing put the error at about 1.4 years for under-18s. Still turn voice off for younger children and set friends-only for older ones — the age check limits who is in the room, not what gets said.
Roblox is asking my child to scan their face. Is that legitimate?
Yes. Since January 2026 Roblox requires an age check before chat works, done in the app with the device camera. Roblox’s vendor Persona processes the image and deletes it immediately; ID verification is an alternative. Users land in one of six bands from under-9 to 21+, and there is an appeals route if the estimate is wrong.