Music streaming plays a huge role in children’s digital lives, and many parents have been asking for better ways to manage what their kids hear online. Now, Spotify rolls out new parental controls designed specifically to give families more transparency and oversight — without taking away the joy of discovering music.
A YouGov study of 8- to 15-year-olds found that 59 % of children who listen to music on computers, smartphones or tablets use streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music.
Families on a Premium Family plan can add a child under 13 and fully customize how they explore music. These new parental controls on Spotify introduce safeguards designed to balance independence with online safety.
Here’s a closer look at the tools now available.
Parents can activate automatic filtering to block songs containing profanity, sexual content, violence, or other mature themes. Spotify screens and flags inappropriate tracks, ensuring they do not appear in searches or playback.
In addition to audio filtering, parents can hide music videos and restrict entire content categories if they’re not suitable for children. This reduces visual exposure and prevents kids from engaging with trends or media intended for older users.
Kids can still build playlists, but only from age-approved songs. They enjoy the fun of choosing and organizing music, while staying protected from explicit tracks and adult themes.
Spotify adapts recommendations to a child’s age profile, offering safe playlists, kid-friendly genres, and restricted search suggestions. Children still benefit from personalized discovery — just without exposure to edgy trends, explicit chart hits, or adult-themed playlists.
Parents can modify safety settings as kids mature, allowing more freedom over time while keeping clear family boundaries. These controls make it easier to guide healthy media habits instead of reacting after problems occur.
Before Spotify family account controls, parents often faced a tough choice: either trust their kids completely on the platform or limit their music exploration. Now, these controls provide a middle ground. Children can enjoy the music they love, while parents remain informed and confident about what’s being played.
With Spotify rolls out new parental controls, you now get a child-friendly listening setup that protects young ears and supports independent exploration. Kids build playlists and enjoy suggestions designed for their age — and your main account stays free of children’s songs and memes.
Spotify’s controls support safe streaming — but online safety goes beyond music. For broader digital protection, many families pair Spotify settings with tools like iKeyMonitor to manage smartphone safety and detect risks early.
iKeyMonitor lets you block apps or games that contain mature content, risky interactions, or addictive behavior, including Spotify. This keeps your child focused on safe digital experiences without exposing them to harmful content.
The app can take screenshots of your child’s device activity, including Spotify interactions. This allows you to see what content they are accessing and step in early if something harmful appears.
iKeyMonitor sends notifications when it detects risky content, keywords, or behaviors, including Spotify activity. This gives you a proactive way to guide your child and prevent exposure to cyberbullying, online predators, online scams, and more.
iKeyMonitor records typed activity, including search terms in Spotify or other apps. Monitoring these inputs helps identify early signs of unsafe behavior or exposure to inappropriate content.
iKeyMonitor lets you review SMS and chat messages so you can ensure your child is communicating safely. You stay aware of peer dynamics, stranger messages, or inappropriate discussions without needing to read every detail manually.
With Spotify’s new parental controls, parents can now provide a safer environment for children to enjoy music. Using tools like iKeyMonitor alongside these controls helps families stay informed, set appropriate boundaries, and support healthy digital habits.