At first glance, the idea of setting Spotify parental controls might seem surprising. After all, isn’t Spotify just a music streaming platform? In reality, Spotify offers everything from podcasts to audiobooks — and with all of that media comes content concerns. 

Maybe you’ve heard of reports of pornography showing up on Spotify, or maybe you would rather your kids don’t repeat the f-bomb they picked up while belting along to the latest Olivia Rodrigo track. Whatever your motivation for being leery of giving your child free reign on Spotify, you don’t need to give up on the platform altogether. Both Spotify Kids and Spotify parental controls allow kids to enjoy their tunes while keeping their ears clean.

What is Spotify Kids? 

Spotify Kids is an ad-free service available exclusively with a Spotify Premium Family subscription. Designed for kids aged 12 and under, it features kid-friendly content specifically curated for the youngest listeners. Spotify Kids features music, audiobooks, and more, and allows parents to view and manage the content their child listens to. 

Is Spotify Kids safe? 

Not only does Spotify Kids not contain any content marked Explicit, but it’s also curated by humans, so you don’t have to worry about something sneaking past an algorithm or a filter. 

What age is Spotify Kids for? 

Spotify Kids is specifically designed for kids 12 and under. (Spotify’s terms require users of regular accounts to be at least 13.)

How much does Spotify Kids cost? 

In order to use Spotify Kids, you must have a Spotify Premium Family subscription. Spotify Premium Family is a discounted plan available for up to six family members. It costs $16.99/month, and you can cancel at any time.

How to set up Spotify Kids

Getting started on Spotify Kids is a breeze. Just follow these easy steps: 

1. Subscribe to Spotify Family Premium. 
2. Download the Spotify Kids app to your child’s iOS or Android device.
3. Follow the prompts to set up a PIN for accessing the settings within the app.
4. Create an avatar for your child. (They’ll have fun helping you pick!)
5. Select the appropriate age category for your child: under 6 or 5-12.

Spotify parental controls 

If you have kids over 13, don’t worry — there are still parental control options to keep their listening experience appropriate. To use Spotify parental controls, you must have a Spotify Family account.

Here’s how to set up Spotify parental controls: 

On a mobile device

1. Open the Spotify website on your mobile browser. 
2. Tap the Menu icon (≡) in the top right corner. 
3. Tap Log in. 
4. Enter your account details.
5. Tap Account Overview.
6. Select Premium Family from the dropdown menu.
7. In the People on this plan section, tap on the name of the family member whose account you want to manage.
8. Tap Allow explicit content to toggle it to the off position. 

On a desktop

1. Open the Spotify website.
2. Log in to your account. 
3. Click on the Premium Family tab on the left hand side. 
4. In the People on this plan section, select the name of the family member whose account you want to manage.
5. Click on Allow explicit content to toggle it to the off position. 

Spotify on shared family devices  

If your child uses Spotify on a shared family device, and you don’t want to restrict content for that device, be aware that they may come across material that isn’t appropriate for their age. Each family needs to weigh the pros and cons of restricting content and make the choice that’s right for their household. 

If you allow your child to use Spotify on an unrestricted account, it’s a good idea to have a discussion with them about questionable content they might encounter and monitor their use by keeping an ear out or peeking at the listening history. 

In short 

Both Spotify Kids and Spotify parental controls offer families options to keep their kid’s listening experience age-appropriate. If your child listens to music on other platforms, such as YouTube, make sure you use parental control settings on those websites and apps, too. With BrightCanary, you can monitor YouTube activity directly from your phone. 

While it’s good to let your child develop their own interests (and playlists), a little bit of supervision goes a long way in keeping your child from content they’re not old enough to handle on their own.