You set Fortnite's parental controls in your child's Epic Games account, and they apply wherever the child plays, with your PIN as the key to every exception. Here is each setting, as Epic's safety pages describe it in September 2026, and what consoles and phones add.
Under 13: the cabined account
Players who say they are under 13, or under their country's age of digital consent if that is higher, get a cabined account. They keep playing Fortnite with what they own, but voice and text chat, real-money purchases, custom display names and Sign in with Epic stay off until a parent consents or the child reaches that age.
Epic emails the parent address the child gave, titled "Your Child Created an Epic Games Account"; its link completes the setup and opens the parental controls. Fortnite gift cards still work, though not for Fortnite Crew: see how to redeem a V-Bucks card.
How to set up parental controls, step by step
- Sign in to your child's Epic Games account on the Parental Controls page of the Epic Account Portal, or use the link in Epic's email.
- Set your Parental Controls PIN and keep it secret: Fortnite asks for it whenever something needs your approval.
- Go through each section, from Social Permissions to AI Permissions.
- Sign up for the daily email reports sent when a setting changes.
- Set the console or phone's own controls too.
These settings can also be changed inside Fortnite.
Chat and friend requests
Voice chat and text chat each have four levels: Everybody; Friends, team members, & connections (friends of friends); Friends Only; Nobody. Under 10, the maximum is Friends Only; under 13, the second level, and the filter that turns swear words into hearts stays on. Require a PIN to Add Friends puts every Epic friend request behind your PIN; console friend lists are separate.
Purchases and island ratings
Require a PIN for Epic Games Payments guards real-money purchases through Epic's own payment system, but not purchases on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch or Steam, nor what your child buys with V-Bucks. Under 13, Epic also sets a $100 daily limit on Epic payments that only your PIN can lift.
Each island has its own age rating, and you choose the highest your child can open without your PIN. In Epic's example, a limit of Everyone 10+ locks Teen islands such as Fortnite Battle Royale, while Teen opens everything; scales vary by region. PEGI rates Battle Royale 12 for moderate violence and LEGO Fortnite Odyssey 7, and labels Fortnite as a whole "Parental Guidance Recommended" because of its user-made content.
Time limits and weekly reports
Time Limit Controls cap daily time in Fortnite and Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), or set time windows, on every device. A warning comes 30 minutes before the end, then Fortnite locks until the next day or window. If you allow it, your child can ask for more time, which reaches you by email; to add some on the spot, choose Time Limits & Reports in Fortnite's Sidebar, then Add More Time, and enter your PIN. Time Reports show up to four weeks of daily totals and can come as a weekly email.
What consoles and phones add
Console voice chat may still work when Fortnite's is off, Epic warns, and console purchases bypass its PIN:
- PlayStation: in the PlayStation Family app or on PS5 (Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management), restricting Communication and User-Generated Content blocks chat with other players; the Monthly Spending Limit starts at 0.
- Xbox: the Xbox Family Settings app schedules screen time, and with Ask a Parent you get an email when your child wants something they cannot pay for.
- Nintendo Switch and Switch 2: the free Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app limits play time and restricts In-Game Communication with Others; on Switch 2, under-16s only use GameChat with friends a parent approved.
- iPhone and iPad: Ask to Buy, on by default under 13, sends you purchases to approve, and Time Allowances cap time on games.
- Android: Google Play content restrictions and Family Link filter apps by rating, but Google's purchase approvals only cover Google Play billing, so keep Epic's payment PIN on.
Epic's settings follow Fortnite everywhere; the device's own controls cover the rest. More on the game in our Fortnite hub.
