Netflix gives parents several ways to manage what their children watch, including PIN protection for individual titles and clear maturity ratings shown right before a programme starts. Here’s what these controls do and how they can help your family make viewing decisions you’re comfortable with.
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Every family is different, and parents will have their own views on what’s appropriate to watch at different ages. What matters is that these decisions are easy to make and easy to stick to — which is where Netflix’s parental controls come in.
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PIN Protection for Individual Titles
As well as PIN-protecting an entire profile at a chosen maturity level, Netflix allows parents to add a PIN to specific series or films. This gives families an extra layer of control — useful if there’s a particular title you’d rather your child didn’t stumble across, even if it falls within a maturity level you’re otherwise happy with.
This sits alongside the account-wide maturity level settings, so you can use broad settings for day-to-day viewing and add individual PINs for anything that needs a closer look.
Clear Maturity Ratings Before You Press Play
Netflix displays the maturity rating for a series or film prominently once you hit play, not just when you’re browsing. That means everyone in the household can see at a glance what age a title is aimed at before it starts, making it easier to make an informed call in the moment.
As Netflix’s Director of Enhanced Content, Mike Hastings, put it when these features were introduced: “These latest steps are part of our continuous efforts to keep members better informed, and more in control, of what they and their families choose to watch and enjoy on Netflix.”
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Making It Work for Your Family
Parental controls are only useful if they’re set up in a way that suits your household. A few practical starting points:
- Set the account-wide maturity level to match your youngest regular viewer.
- Add a title-specific PIN to anything you’d rather a child didn’t watch unsupervised, even if it technically fits the maturity level.
- Check in on what’s been watched recently from time to time — viewing history is visible per profile.
- Talk to older children about why certain PINs are in place, rather than just locking things silently. It tends to land better than a surprise block.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a PIN on just one film or series on Netflix?
Yes. Alongside the account-level maturity setting, Netflix lets you add a PIN to an individual title, so you can restrict specific content without changing settings for the whole profile.
Will I see a title’s maturity rating before it starts playing?
Yes. Netflix shows the maturity rating prominently when you press play, not only when browsing, so you can check it’s appropriate before you settle in to watch.
Do parental controls apply across every device we watch Netflix on?
Parental controls are tied to your Netflix account and profile, so they carry across the devices linked to that account. If you’re ever unsure exactly what’s covered on a specific device, it’s worth checking directly in your Netflix account settings, as these can be updated by Netflix over time.
Do I need a separate profile for my kids?
Using a dedicated kids’ or teen profile alongside parental controls is generally the simplest way to keep viewing appropriate, since it combines a suitable maturity level with content curated for that age group.
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Before You Go
Not ready to commit to a printable checklist? No problem — bookmark this article so you can come back to it next time you’re reviewing your family’s Netflix settings, or browse our other family life articles for more practical parenting ideas.
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