Minecraft (Bedrock, Java, Realms) parental controls

📣 Communication controls (start here)

Who can talk to your child is the most important setting. Controls stack in layers: console/device → platform account → in-game. Set every layer, because one layer doesn't always control another. Communication Safety Hub →

Minecraft: Xbox/Microsoft account privacy settings (Bedrock & Java), plus in-game options

Turn it fully off:

1. account.xbox.com/settings → child → Online Safety → multiplayer Block.
2. Privacy → communicate with voice, text, or invites: Block.
3. Java: Options → Chat Settings → Chat mode: Hidden.

Limit to approved friends:

1. Set communication to Friends.
2. Set Add friends to Block so they can't add people without you.

How it layers: Account-level Xbox privacy settings control chat permissions even in Java.

⚠ Third-party servers set their own chat rules and moderation.

Sources: [1] [2] [3] · "Not confirmed" means we couldn't verify it in official sources yet.

Xbox (Microsoft family): system-level communication

1. Xbox: Settings → Account → Family settings → Manage family members → child → Privacy & online safety → Xbox privacy → View details & customize → Communication & multiplayer.
2. "Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites": Everyone / Friends / Block.
3. "You can communicate outside of Xbox with voice & text": Block.
4. "You can add friends": set so you approve friends.

Even on Block, members of a club can still talk to your child if Clubs is set to Allow. Mute stops a player speaking to you; Block stops their messages and invites, removes them as a friend, and hides your online activity from them.

[1] [2]

PlayStation (PS5/PS4): system-level communication

1. PS5: Settings → Family and Parental Controls → Family Management → child → Parental Controls → Communication and User-Generated Content → Restrict. Also in the PlayStation Family app.

Restrict turns off text messages and voice chat (pre-written in-game messages still allowed), sharing and viewing user-generated content, and linking some third-party communication apps. Kids can request a per-game exception, which you approve in the Family app. Roblox chat is NOT controlled by this setting.

[1] [2]

Nintendo Switch / Switch 2: system-level communication

1. Parental Controls app or System Settings → Parental Controls → "Communicating with Others" (In-Game Communication with Others): Restricted, for all software or per game.

Presets: Teen = not restricted; Child and Young Child = restricted. This covers chat, messages, images and user-generated content.

[1] [2]

iPhone / iPad: system-level communication

1. Settings → Family → child → Allowed Contacts: choose who they can call, message and FaceTime, and require approval for new contacts.
2. Settings → Family → child → Communication Safety On.

Covers Messages, FaceTime and Phone only, not chat inside games or other apps. Communication Safety blurs detected nudity, gore or violence. Under 13s need the Screen Time passcode to view it. Apple doesn't see the images.

[1] [2]

Android (Family Link): system-level communication

1. Family Link → child → contacts: "Only contacts I add" or "Contacts I add & limited groups."

Only applies to Google Messages, Google Dialer and Samsung Messages on watches. Other messaging apps aren't covered, so block them in Family Link if needed. If your child changes their default apps, the limits may stop working.

[1]