What are Facebook and Messenger Teen Accounts?

Meta is expanding its teen safety efforts, and not just on Instagram. As of April 2025, Facebook and Messenger offer special Teen Accounts designed to create a safer, more supervised experience for users aged 13 to 17.

These new protections build on the foundation set by Instagram Teen Accounts, giving families more familiar safety settings across Meta’s platforms. What does this mean for your family? Here’s what parents need to know about Facebook and Messenger Teen Accounts, how they work, and how they can help protect young users.

What you need to know about Facebook and Messenger Teen Accounts

When teens sign up for Facebook or Messenger (or if they already use it and fall into the right age group), they’re automatically placed into a Teen Account. Teens ages 13 to 15 get the strongest protections, with privacy settings locked down by default and parental approvals required for some changes. Teens ages 16 to 17 still get essential safety features, but have a little more flexibility to adjust their settings on their own. 

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Meta uses a mix of self-reported information and AI technology to help verify users’ ages. It’s crucial to enter their real birthdates during sign-up to apply the proper protections.

With a Teen Account, Facebook and Messenger automatically turn on safety settings that limit who can interact with your teen and what content they see. Parents can use Meta’s Supervision Tools to set time limits, monitor activity, and approve changes, creating a safer space together.

Key features of Facebook and Messenger Teen Accounts

Here’s a closer look at what’s built into these accounts:

• Privacy by default. Teen profiles are automatically private. Only approved friends can see their posts, and messaging is limited to people they already know.

• Content restrictions. Content filters work behind the scenes to block sensitive or age-inappropriate content from showing up.

• Time management tools. Teens can use Quiet Mode (mutes notifications), set daily usage limits, and track their time to build healthier digital habits.

• Parental approvals for changes. Teens under 16 need a parent or guardian’s OK to turn off specific safety and privacy settings.

• Location sharing protections. Location services are turned off by default, keeping your teen’s whereabouts private unless you agree otherwise.

• In-app education. Facebook and Messenger offer tips and reminders directly to teens about privacy, safety, and digital well-being as they navigate the platforms.

All of these features are designed to create safer spaces, without putting the full responsibility on teens to find or enable them.

How does this help families?

Creating a safer space for teens online takes more than one app. It’s about building consistent habits and expectations across everything they use. Some of the ways it can help:

• Stronger built-in protections. Teens get automatic privacy settings and filters that help block unwanted messages and limit what they can see.

• Less to worry about. With key protections already turned on and setting changes requiring approval, parents can feel more confident about what their teens see and do online.

• Easier ways to start important conversations. These tools make it simpler to check in with your teen about online safety, privacy choices, and healthy screen time habits.

• A more consistent experience. If you’ve already set up an Instagram Teen Account, the Facebook and Messenger process will feel familiar (and much easier to manage across apps).

How to get started with a Facebook or Messenger Teen Account

Setting up a Teen Account is pretty straightforward and mostly automatic. Whether your teen is signing up for the first time or already has an account, the proper protections will kick in based on age. Here’s how it works for both teens and parents.

For teens

When you create a Facebook or Messenger account, entering your real birthdate is essential. If you’re between 13 and 17, Facebook will apply teen-specific settings that help the account stay protected and private from the start. You’ll see privacy settings and time management tools activated, and get tips along the way about online safety.

For parents

You can set up Meta’s Supervision Tools through your own Facebook account. You can monitor settings, approve changes, review new friend requests, and help manage time limits. Stay involved by having regular check-ins with your teen about what they see, do, and feel online.

Meta’s launch of Facebook and Messenger Teen Accounts marks another step toward building a safer internet for young users. Starting conversations early (and keeping them going!) helps teens build smart, confident online habits that stick with them as they grow.

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